Category: Tips & Tools

Disney World? Yes You Can!

Walt Disney World traditionally has been every child’s dream vacation since I can remember.  Bustling with excitement, most families find planning such a vacation easy and filled with wonder. But for a child with Autism, hot, sweaty days filled with  minute-to-minute itineraries, large crowds, loud noises, and long wait times for rides is a recipe [...]

Friday July 2nd, 2010 in Tips & Tools | 3 Comments »

Using Visual Schedules

There are countless times when I expect that my child with Autism simply “should know better” by now.  Did you know that an expectation is merely a resentment in the waiting?  How many times have I repeated, “You KNOW that brushing your teeth always comes next!” or “You KNOW we have to leave by 8, [...]

Tuesday June 22nd, 2010 in Tips & Tools | No Comments »

Mommy’s Love Donation

I always do my best to provide a positive, supportive and loving environment for my children. If you’ve read anything I’ve posted over the Social Web you know that I celebrate them as often as possible. Yet, at times, their self-image suffers. My son is especially verbal about it. If I ask him to stop [...]

Friday June 4th, 2010 in Tips & Tools | 3 Comments »

Social Skills Tips from Special Guest Sue Diamond

Children who present with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Central Auditory Processing Disorder, and language and learning disabilities tend to have issues with social skills (pragmatic language). They want to interact, join in, play, converse, and have friends.  However, many times they are isolated and ostracized by their peers because they miss social cues.  They may [...]

Saturday May 22nd, 2010 in Tips & Tools | 2 Comments »

It’s IEP Time… Put Our Dukes Down?

It can be hard not to go into an IEP meeting with an attitude of “me vs. them”, ready to defend your child. Especially if you’ve been pelted with behavioral labels, accused of not disciplining enough, or relentlessly badgered about why you are not medicating. And believe me, I’ve been called some really inappropriate names [...]

Sunday May 16th, 2010 in Tips & Tools | 2 Comments »

How to Make and Use Emotional Stage Index Cards

When speaking about Emotion Cards, there are two different types of uses and benefits: helping the child identify others’ unspoken emotional cues and helping identify the child’s own stages before a potential meltdown. Both are extremely helpful in introducing emotional identification, understanding, and regulation. Last year my son and I created Emotional Stages index cards [...]

Sunday March 21st, 2010 in Tips & Tools | 2 Comments »

Consequences, Consequences

There was a time when two to three days of the week I’d receive a phone call from the school demanding I come pick up my son for behavior they could not control. As a single parent working full time, you can imagine how well this went over. Aside from job concerns, I also began [...]

Sunday February 7th, 2010 in Tips & Tools | 3 Comments »

Sleep Disorders and Autism

Sleep disorders tend to go hand in hand with Autism. It is estimated that between 60% and 80% of Autistic children have difficulty sleeping. This can include trouble falling asleep, restlessness and poor sleep quality, thrashing about, and early rising. It continually baffles me that my child will have no noticeable changes in behavior whether [...]

Saturday January 23rd, 2010 in Tips & Tools | 4 Comments »

Are You Going to the Hardware Store for a Loaf of Bread?

There is a really funny skit I remember from my childhood years of watching The Electric Company called “Coffee and a Sweet Roll”.  It was a simple conversation between a waitress and a customer (I will paraphrase, as it’s from memory): “What can I get you?” “I’ll have coffee and a sweet roll.” “We’re out [...]

Friday January 8th, 2010 in Tips & Tools | 2 Comments »

A Letter to my Son – Clearing the Past

I recently learned of an amazing clearing tool to help make way for new growth and opportunity. Introduced to me by the illuminating life coach Kendra Thornbury, this Hawaiian self-help methodology called Ho’oponopono…

Sunday December 13th, 2009 in Tips & Tools | 3 Comments »