Learning something new, Autism

If you guys have not utilized the opportunity at Michaels Craft Store during the summer, you're missing out on some valuable Occupational Therapy. And you are also missing out on a great opportunity for your kids to learn something new. Look, I know that we are all tired when we drag our kids to outside services and we can't rely on just school services alone.

On Wednesday, Michaels Craft Store had two crafts for the kids to make. And it was a puppy dog when you pulled on the dogs tongue his ears would move. The other is a game that I just adored and it was a perfect game for Doodle and I to play together. I called it tic tac fish, but in reality it was tic tac toe. These projects were done at all Michaels Craft Stores across the nation.

Doodle has never really played tic tac toe. But she does love herself some fish and therefore it made it the perfect opportunity to play together. I only let her win the first four games. After that I helped guide her through 6 games. By the end of it all she was giving me a run for her money. She was laughing and trying to cheat by putting all her fish on the board at once.

I had never even known about Michaels Craft Stores even offering summer crafting before I started working there. And it's very rare that we go in on Saturday for the kids craft days, unless it's fish related. And since she is getting into the new and old Ghostbusters for Halloween it will be a perfect opportunity to create a tic tac toe house and make ghosts for the playing pieces.

I love the opportunity when it arises to teach my daughter something new, considering the past school year has been really rough and the only time that she did any school work was homework that I highly insisted on coming home. (Yes, the teacher got in a lot of trouble at the IEP meeting when it was mentioned that homework was not coming home.) Yeah, I'm the bad parent because my child has rights and I will not have them violated.

Doodle has only 4 more weeks before school starts and I am almost prepared. Just need to get under garments, socks, shoes, (I'm going back to sketchers, they last longer with her) a few more shorts and lots of pants. Because we all know that some uniforms will need to left at the school.

I hope that you guys are keeping up with your list of everything that needs to be addressed at the beginning of the school year IEP. If you don't schedule an IEP meeting at the beginning of the school then you aren't switching to a new school or are happy with the state of your childs' school. When there is a change such as school or teacher I call for an IEP meeting. If there are things that have come up during the summer and your child doesn't have summer school then the first day make sure that you are writing up a letter calling for an IEP meeting, to be sent with your child the first day of school. I will address this matter in a later blog post for those who don't know how to do this.

You guys have a great day.

It was a bad sensory day, Autism

So during the week, Doodle had a horrible sensory moment. Why do I call it a sensory moment? Because sometimes things happen in our life and when we look back on it, it's just a drop in the bucket in our life. Yes, Doodle does have a lot of days where sensory overloads happen. It can't be avoided in our lives. Some stores we just can't shop at because of the lighting. And well Publix is turning into one of those stores. For Doodle, lighting has always been her sensory issue. The lighting has to stay consistent. If it can't be consistent then it just leads to all sorts of problems for her and for me as her mother and care giver.

When we walked into the store it was fine until we left the vestibule area. That's when she clamped onto me, closed her eyes and covered her face. I was basically dragging her through the grocery store. In the flower department it was pretty dim. No lighting on at all and it was only 4:00 in the afternoon. The produce section was pretty dim as well, but the shelves where the main produce was held, well, that had it's lights on. You know the section that sprays the produce when the thunder sound is made. So it was a bit confusing to her.

Let me tell you about this awesome invention that saved me my sanity in Publix. It's known in my circles as the Caroline Cart and it was made for parents with children with Special Needs. Those who can and can't walk. For those with children on the spectrum that like to run off when you turn to look at a product for a split second, this is the cart for you, as you can buckle your child in for their safety.

Look I can't drag my kid around a store, it kills my back when she is immobile from sensory issues that cause her to freeze up. She sat in the Caroline Cart and kept her eyes closed. But I was able to get everything on my mental list that I needed. Most of the time when an issue like this arises I can only managed to get two items and then leave. I don't want my child to be uncomfortable. It makes me more uncomfortable when she is in distress.

I will admit that I did get a lot of stares because here I am a mom pushing my 10 year old that looks perfectly normal in a Caroline Cart. And yes, under normal circumstances I will gladly leave the Caroline Cart for someone who needs it, just like I can get a handicapped placard but since she can walk with no issues I'm not going to even think about getting a handicapped space because someone else that really needs it can use it. I could care less about the looks. No my child is not lazy. Yes, I was saving my sanity because once she locks up it's only a matter of time before the meltdown ensues.

You guys have a great day.

It's summer, is it really break time, Autism?

Wednesday's post did not include the Autism tag in the title like it normally does. But that's okay because I can't be expected to remember everything. Considering what all is going on in our lives thanks in part to battling regression in our lives. No parent wants to go through a regression. It's like taking one step forward and 30 steps back.

Not a finer moment in our type of lives, considering we don't live normal lives to begin with. Well, now that it's the summer time and things are beginning to fall into place for us with reconditioning and picture schedules, what should I be doing other then trying to take a break? Nope, not gonna happen. A new school year is approaching which means a new IEP meeting.

So at this point, every time something comes up I jot it down. I want things corrected with Doodle that I just can't correct myself. Other then using pencils or crayons that are less then an inch long I have no way of correcting palmer grip. Palmer grip is were a child doesn't hold a pencil or marker or crayon other then in the fist of their hand. Basically, like a one year old or toddler would hold it. Doodle has been using the palmer grip for the past year. She's too old for that. She knows better, but it's something that I suspect is due to the regression.

She's also been tapping on everything thing, cars, beds, care bears. You name it she will tap on it and won't be able to move until the tapping is out of her system.

Her vocal stemming is getting much better since I have started the reconditioning. As a matter of fact I haven't heard it in a couple of days. But the tapping has increased and we all know the tapping is a form of stemming. One bad habit for another. Great!!! More things that want to grate my nerves.

If you are not taking notes starting right now to be better prepared for the new school year. You just aren't being prepared. I know it's a lot of work but look at it this way. The more work that you put into something at the start of it the sooner this part of your job will be over. You and the teachers will be on the same track. Unless you had a teacher like we did last year. If I were to deal with the same case of that all over again, I think I would just push for a new school or even put Doodle in a regular ed classroom and let it be the school's problem to deal with. Instead of just being in the self contained classroom.

So the question to you would be, do you really want the type of success that I can get with my child? Yeah, I know this past school year was miserable! For me and for Doodle. But I got what I wanted. I had unlimited access to the classroom, just sign in at the front desk and didn't have to wait on a teacher to come see me. Just waltzed right on in there like I owned that classroom. For the awards ceremony the last week of school I asked to have Doodle get her award first. I didn't want to miss the awards, but I also had to be at the new school to register and book it immediately to work to teach a calligraphy class. And yep, Doodle's class was the first to get called up for their awards and Doodle was the second kid to get her award. What makes it awesome is that Doodle's class was the class that always went dead last. Every single awards ceremony. So I didn't miss out. I got my pictures, got to give her a hug and kiss and booked it to the new school.

If you think that you are tired now and you will never be able to do this because your always so tired. Life is draining. You will have this mentality always. It's something that you will never be able to lose. If you don't put in the work nothing will ever start getting easy and nothing will change. Everything will always stay hard. And you will always stay tired.

When you put in the work for your child, only then can you see the benefits of your hard work. If you aren't getting what you want in the IEP meeting keep scheduling IEP meetings. Eventually the school will succumb to your requests. Technically, you're not to be denied services. Behavior, ABA, therapy. It doesn't matter, they are not to deny you, it's your right even before your IEP contract is drawn up. If you allow others (the school) to convince you that no you can't or they can't or they won't, that's where your free legal help comes into play.

The reason that I am starting now is because I don't want to walk into my meeting and just shake and nod my head because I can't remember what all I need them to work on with Doodle. As long as I have a paper that I've been keeping track with then I'm already ahead of the game. I've also listed what all I've been doing during the summer to get the tantrum behavior under control. Thanks to the teacher and her own form of conditioning, throwing a wrench in the well oiled machine. Some days Doodle will have a meltdown but we've had more tantrums then we've had meltdowns. And there is a big difference between the two.

So the school will have what has been taking place and where they can go from there and continue on with the progress. Because that's what I want out of my child is progress.

At this point I can direct more attention to where attention needs to be placed. It only takes me a few moments out of my time to do this little bit of a task. And hey if you find yourself without a pen and paper, you do know you can text yourself on your phone. I'd actually done that for years. Very convenient.

I will be re-doing the blog again. It's summer and it's the start of summer crafting. I have lots of little projects that I know you and your kids will love as Doodle and I really enjoy our summer time treats. There won't be much to report unless a lot of progress is being made. Everything is slowing down at work and I can work on Doodle's line. I also have a book that I am working on on JSN Creative Services and I do plan on putting some crafts with that. I want families to enjoy time with each other and crafting together along with praying together is the best way to keep families together.

I can't promise that I wil be able to keep my standard schedule of Monday, Wednesday and Friday but I will at least give it the 50's version of the good ol' college try. Because let's face it, this day and age the

college try isn't up to snuff.

If there is something that you want help with or if you want pictures for your own picture schedules and how to make it, let me know I will will work on that for you. All you have to do is ask.

Hope you guys have a great day!