My family and I have gone to many sensory friendly films over the past ten years. Many times, my son Richie would be bored of the movie and either play with his iPod, or want to leave the theater all together. This is important to mention, because my family and I are big Star Wars fans, and for me to have to leave in the middle of it – as the great Yoda might have stated – been a disappointment so great, would have, Hmmmmmmm.
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The holiday season reminds us to be grateful for the things we have, and cherish the ones we love. It’s the time of year that makes us want to express our love with gifts that are thoughtful and represent how much we care. For children and adults with autism, gift giving can be difficult. It’s always during the holiday season that I am often approached by family and friends about what to buy my thirteen year-old son, Richie. I don’t mind the inquiry really, it makes sense, as Richie’s preferences and interests change just like anyone else. Please note that I don’t always know what to buy Richie either! The truth is, there is no true guide to the perfect gift for a child or adult with autism. I have to pay attention to the things that interest him and sometimes, it is truly just a guessing game. Some gifts are hits and some, not so much (especially for children and adults who have difficulty with communicating their desires or who aren't speaking yet). It happens to many of us, so please don’t feel bad if your gift doesn’t make the all-time favorites list.
You’re planning to celebrate Thanksgiving, but parents of children with special needs know better than anyone that celebrations like these require a little extra planning for those unexpected, or shall I write – expected tantrums! Let’s focus on preparing for, and avoiding those challenging behaviors. Let’s try to replace them with new traditions and fun activities.
The director is the artist and the screen is their canvass for featuring their interpretation of iconic historic events, fascinating scientific discoveries, or unexplained miracles. Hollywood’s big screen can serve as one of the most powerful and influential tools for educating, inspiring, and enlightening. There have been so many movies that have successfully raised awareness of issues in the disability community, but more importantly, they illustrate the power of hope and perseverance. It would be too long a post to name them all! As an avid movie lover who enjoys deep, heart-felt messages learned through movies, I share my top ten best inspirational, disability-related movies of all time!
When the opportunity to attend this event was first presented to me, I jumped on it. I knew I would have to reschedule a few things in order to be able to attend, and I’m so glad I did. The annual two day event did not disappoint. The Hispanic CREO (Council for Reform in Educational Options) recognizes the struggles faced by many Hispanic families today. The Hispanic CREO understands the barriers that hinder academic success in Hispanic students that inevitably leads to decreased graduation rates. They address these areas by promoting meaningful parent involvement.
This is my first time being recognized as a Top Latina Digital Influencer, and I am still so honored and grateful. This is also the first time I attended LATISM’s annual conference. I wrote about my original invitation from LATISM in a previous blog, please check it out here. I truly had no idea what to expect, except that it was hosted in D.C., a city abundant with American history and monuments for which I was anxious to pay tribute. Aside from many other important privileged opportunities, I got to visit the monuments of my favorite President, Abraham Lincoln, and my icon for powerful and results-oriented advocacy, Dr. Martin Luther King.
For many years, I had to deal with the stares, the snide remarks, the cruel comments, and the unbelievable acts of ignorance towards my sweet son– alone. It was awful. I remember having to be on the defensive all the time, asking people to excuse my son’s behavior, or apologizing for his confusing or seemingly frightening movements. It was so important to me that Richie was involved in community activities, and that he was accepted and always included in family activities. Still, it was challenging, because I could always count on the insensitivity and cruelty from many people, which was always ripe and plentiful.
It’s natural for children with special needs to only want to engage in preferred activities. Who wants to exercise when they can relax and play with their phone or iPad? It may take a little creativity and positive reinforcement, but we have to try to include a healthy balance of exercise, good nutrition, and community engagement. I know it's easier said than done, believe me. I started taking small steps to help our family with developing better eating habits and adding more exercise to our daily routines. Even the smallest changes can make a huge difference. We replaced high sugar drinks with water, added more fruits, vegetables and salads to our meals, and we try not to snack late at night.
This week, I received notice that I was selected as one of Latism’s top Latina influencers. Aside from being strikingly surprised (hundreds of applications from talented Latino bloggers and influencers throughout the country are submitted annually), I feel overwhelmed with gratitude, and I am deeply honored.
As our children get older, it’s time to think about self-determination, independent living, continuing education, career choices, financial literacy, relationships, and community involvement. All of these important topics whirl around in the minds of parents and students as graduation and the end of their public school years gets closer. Having a well written Transition IEP (Individual Education Plan) will help to increase successful post-school outcomes for the student.
President Barack Obama proclaimed September 15th through October 15th of 2015, as National Hispanic Heritage Month. In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the cultures and contributions of the many Hispanic families and Americans with Hispanic lineage.
Who doesn’t love storytelling? Whether we tell them, listen to them, or read them, we all love to learn of new and interesting things through storytelling. Literature is an important element of our culture, expression, and all aspects of daily living. Children love listening to and sharing stories. However, many children avoid reading because they struggle with:
My family and I have always been active members of our community. When people in the community see Richie with us, we’re often asked about how to approach him, professionals often ask for tips on how to work with kids like him. I appreciate the willingness of others reaching out to make a connection with my son. I most certainly welcome the interest in learning by asking questions, over staring and silence. For me personally, the blatant stare is so much more intrusive than just asking a question (take a look at my article on 10 things you shouldn’t say to parents of children with special needs).
Back to School Resources for Parents of Children Struggling with Attention and Focus Issues.9/3/2015
My son, Richie, is thirteen years old and has autism. Over the years, it was hit or miss with planning birthday parties for Richie. Richie’s first few birthdays were successfully celebrated with intimate family at home. For his fourth birthday, we tried Chuck-e-Cheese. It wasn’t terrible. We booked the party as early as possible – 10:00 am, as we were told that this time slot was best for having the least noise and crowds. He had fun, but there were many young toddlers there in the morning (who tend to scream), and this was a sensory nightmare for Richie and his invited classmates. Over the years, we’ve rented bounce places, shelters at parks, and most recently, we held backyard parties with rented moon-houses, themed with Richie’s favorite character that year. In time, of course, Richie’s preferences changed. We needed to plan our celebrations around his evolving preferences.
Having a child with special needs isn’t the gloom and doom that some might imagine it to be. Yes, there was the initial shock, sadness, fear, and overwhelming stress that consumed me when I first learned of Richie’s life-long challenges, but there is also an unspeakable love and happiness that I don’t share with anyone else on this planet. My son and I have a unique language of our own, I understand him and he knows he can count on me.
In today’s modern world of technology and jam-packed schedules, families are spending increasingly less quality time together. One of the best opportunities to bond with your child is through cooking. Not only is it important for children to learn their way around the kitchen, but an introduction to culinary arts can promote learning and increasing critical thinking skills. All children with varying abilities can be given a variety of cooking tasks to complete successfully, while having fun in the kitchen.
Planning to attend an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting sometimes causes many parents stress and anxiety. I remember the days I dreaded IEP season. I can remember some IEP meetings that were so challenging, we needed to plan another meeting to revisit unsettled topics. But, there were also many successful meetings that were over in less time than the scheduled hour. Being prepared, confident, and well informed will help decrease feelings of anxiety, and the meeting may not be as dreadful as you might have expected it to be.
If your child is just starting to receive special education services in the public school system, it is extremely important to learn about special education processes, beginning with understanding the IEP (Individual Education Plan) document and all of its components. The IEP is important to your child’s education, but it can be as equally confusing to understand.
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Author: Christine Goulbourne
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