This article appeared earlier today in my FREE Overwhelmed No More! Newsletter. To subscribe, enter your name and email address in the sign-up box to the left. You'll get practical tips and inspiring ideas every month to help you successfully navigate life as a parent of a child with special needs.
The end of the school year is often a whirlwind of activity. I hope this checklist will help these next few weeks go smoothly for you, your children, and your family!
1. Check with your child’s teachers: are there any skills your child could be working on over the summer, either to maintain or to improve upon? This could include academic skills like math or reading, as well as social skills, behavior goals, etc. Your child’s teachers may have some suggestions for how your child can continue to learn and grow in these areas over the summer.
2. If you’re concerned that your child may lose valuable academic progress he or she made this past school year, it’s not too late to discuss summer services. If your son or daughter needs services over the summer to prevent regression on his or her IEP goals, now’s the time to be investigating options and making arrangements.
3. Will you be requesting to meet with your child’s next teacher(s) before next school year starts in the fall? If so, you may want to run this by the school principal now, as scheduling for late August and early September often takes place in June.
4. Thank those who make a difference for your child. For a great article on this, with some wonderful suggestions, visit http://ow.ly/1N347
5. Are you looking for ideas for teacher gifts? Here are some nice, simple suggestions:
http://www.specialneedsparentcoach.com/blog/2010/5/25/more-great-teacher-gift-ideas.html
6. Get contact information for the parents of your child’s classmates and friends, for summertime playdates. You may even want to talk about starting a weekly playground meetup, or a rotating playgroup that meets at different families’ homes each week.
7. Check with your local library to see what summer programs they’ll be running. The children’s department may offer a summer reading program with fun incentives and activities. There may also be story hours, craft activities, puppet shows, and more! Make visiting the library a regular part of your week during the summer months. It’s a great way to continue exposing your children to the joys of books and reading!
What's on your end of school year checklist? Post a comment and let us know!
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by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com
Thanks everyone who sent me more great ideas for teacher gifts in response to last week's blog post. Here they are:
A really fun idea using mints and a clever poem:
http://beneathmyheart.blogspot.com/2010/05/inexpensive-yet-meaningful-teacher-gift.html?spref=fb
A great way to donate to a charity in someone's honor:
http://www.charitygiftcertificates.org/
And if you missed the first article, with 8 simple, inexpensive gift ideas for the teachers and professionals in your child's life, you can find it here:
http://www.specialneedsparentcoach.com/blog/2010/5/21/8-great-gift-ideas-for-the-teachers-and-professionals-in-you.html
Do you have a favorite teacher gift that you like to give? Send me your ideas and I'll add them here!
]]>by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com
At the end of the school year, we parents often like to recognize the hard work and dedication of the many teachers and professionals in our children's lives. Over the years, I've collected some ideas for simple gifts -- thoughtful gifts that aren't too complicated or expensive. If possible, let your kids help in some way. Kids love to feel they're a part of the gift giving.
"Tea Bundles" - this is one of my personal favorites. I buy boxes of two different kinds of teabags, individually wrapped in festive colors. I take 3 of each and layer them, alternating the colors, making a little stack of 6 teabags. Then I tie a ribbon around the stack and attach a homemade gift tag made by my children. Kids love to help with the stacking, too. Looks so pretty - everybody loves these!
Amaryllis bulbs aren't just for the winter holidays anymore. They're not too expensive and they're easy to give: they come in a small box, they're lightweight, and they're easy to wrap! Have your child help decorate some homemade wrapping paper using stamps or markers. They're so much fun to grow, and so gorgeous when they bloom!
If your child likes to help in the kitchen, he or she may enjoy making chocolate dipped pretzel sticks. Dip big pretzel sticks into some melted chocolate, then dip into sprinkles in rainbow colors. When cool and dry, arrange a bunch in a plastic bag tied with pretty ribbon and a homemade gift tag. Yum!
Have you ever done those "gifts in a jar?" This idea is a little more complicated than the others on this list, but I include it here because they are really fun to make! Kids love scooping, measuring, and pouring in the ingredients. Just google "gifts in a jar" and you'll get tons of ideas. There are instructions for all kinds of gifts in jars: soup mixes, cookie mixes, and more!
A gift card for an ice cream, a cup of coffee, or a movie rental can be inexpensive yet fun, and much appreciated by the recipient. Have your child draw a picture to go with it!
If your child likes making things, he or she may enjoy making little homemade cards. These can be small in size, yet so precious. As a former teacher, I can tell you that receiving a homemade card from a student is one of the most touching experiences. And that's true whether your students are 2 or 22!
Give a donation to the school library in honor of your child's teachers, or to a favorite charity in honor of the professionals who work with your child. Then give a card to each of them, with a message inside telling them of the gift. For example, if you are donating in honor of 12 teachers, aides, specialists, professionals, etc., a $3 donation for each of them adds up to a $36 gift to the school library.
A thank you letter. If there are teachers and professionals who have made a real difference in your child's life, sit down and write them a letter. Mention a few of the wonderful things they've done. Pass along some of the nice comments your child has made about them. Those thank you notes will be cherished for years to come!
What are your favorite thank-you gifts to give to teachers? Post a comment and let us know!
]]>by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com
I attended a class yesterday presented by a reading specialist, and it was an inspiring reminder that much can be done to help children succeed in school -- not just academically, but also socially, behaviorally, and emotionally -- by helping them develop their reading skills.
Good reading skills are of course absolutely crucial academically - at every stage of your child's age and abilities, from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Because when you think about it, good reading skills are essential for a student to make progress in ALL subjects. (Yes, even math! We all know how tricky word problems can be, for instance.)
But in addition to affecting academic progress, reading problems also affect students' behavior. Kids are more likely to act out when they're confused and aren't getting the material being given to them in class. Children's emotional well-being and self-esteem are also at stake as they ask themselves, "Why don't I get this, when other kids seem to be doing just fine?" In turn, behavior and emotional issues directly affect a child's social skills. Reading is at the core of a complex web of factors that contribute to a child's overall success.
Amazing things can be done for a child who is having difficulties with reading, even with students who are older. Yesterday's presenter spoke of students in high school improving their reading skills by 2 or 3 grade levels in just a matter of months, with intensive remediation and consistent daily targeted work with a reading specialist. The students' success in reading was spilling over into their academic subjects, as well as their self-confidence and their self-image, which in turn was helping with behavior issues, social concerns, and more. This is very powerful stuff!
If your child is struggling in school, consider talking with your child's teacher, services coordinator, or IEP team about determining whether your child could benefit from some extra help with reading. One of the points that kept coming up yesterday is that students can seem like good readers, but still be missing key skills, especially in the area of comprehension. It's a problem that can remain hidden -- and the longer it goes unaddressed, the more serious it becomes as academic content gets more complicated in later grades.
Reading skills can be checked by your child's special education teacher or the reading specialist at your child's school. Don't put this off -- studies show that the quicker you can catch and address reading issues, the better off your child will be.
ACTION STEP
If your child is struggling in school -- academically, behaviorally, socially, or emotionally -- and is not currently receiving extra help with reading, ask at school about checking his or her reading skills.
by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com
I received this from the AG Bell list serve today and wanted to share it with you. These printable tips sheets are great for meetings for teachers, IEP Team meetings, etc. -- whether your child uses cochlear implants or hearing aids to hear.
HOPE Tips: Time for School
For parents wishing to add another tool to their kit for working together with educational professionals, Cochlear Americas is pleased to offer the latest in their HOPE Tips series: HOPE Tips: Time for School. Topics in this collection of reproducible documents include:
Parents can use these pieces as handouts for new teachers, or as a jumping off point for new school year meetings. The Time for School booklet is the second in a three part collection, joining the already released collection HOPE Tips: Learning with Literacy (download PDF). To download these documents, visit www.cochlear.com/HOPE The information you'll find isn't just for cochlear implant users; many of the tips in these documents can also be used with children who use hearing aids.
]]>by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com
A quick organization tip today: stock up now on essentials, before the holiday season gets too busy!
It's more than a minor inconvenience to run out of something you need on a day when you just don't have time to go out and get more. Sometimes that's all it takes to throw your entire day - or even the entire week - into disarray.
So over the next few days, be on the lookout for items you're running low on. Keep a list. Plan some time, perhaps this weekend, to go out and get enough of these items to last you until mid-January - about 7 or 8 weeks. Your life will run so much more smoothly when you do!
]]>by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com
This article appeared earlier today in my FREE Overwhelmed No More! Newsletter. To subscribe, enter your name and email address in the sign-up box to the left. You'll get practical tips and inspiring ideas every month to help you successfully navigate life as a parent of a child with special needs.
Children with special needs often need help calming down, whether it's after an upsetting incident, during an anxious time, or simply when it's time to settle down before bedtime. But it's not always easy to help a child become calm! With these ideas, you can add to your bag of tricks -- and be ready next time your child needs a little soothing or a quiet moment. These are strategies that have worked wonders, for kids of all ages -- and adults too!
Choose the tips that will work best for your child, depending on his or her likes and dislikes. I hope you'll find something in this list you can use to help your child -- and your entire family -- experience more peace, harmony, and happy times!
1. A warm bath.
2. Listening to relaxing music. Try harp music!
3. If you have pet fish, watching them for a few minutes. Or watching a pet hamster. Watching any little critter will do, even ants on the ground outside. Ant farms are another good one.
4. Petting or brushing a pet dog or cat. Cuddling with and petting a nice soft plush toy works too.
5. Spending time outdoors in nature. New studies show that it's helpful for kids with a wide range of disabilities and special needs, including ADD, ADHD, sensory issues, and autism.
6. Some kids are calmed by "white noise." You can get clock radios that play sounds of rain, waves, etc.
7. Playing in sand, even indoors. Get a bin, fill it halfway with sand -- you can cover it with the lid when you're done! Even just running fingers through it helps.
8. Something warm. A warm water bottle, or a warm beanbag (like the kind filled with rice), to sit or sleep with. Heat it just to lukewarm.
9. Looking at photo albums.
10. Coloring. For older kids, try coloring mandalas. Great for adults too!
11. Tummy rubs, back rubs, foot and hand massages.
12. Playing with playdough or clay.
13. Clipping coupons! Some very high energy kids LOVE this! Let them clip any/all coupons they want to. After clipping, they can categorize and sort, too.
14. Hammering nails into a board. It's loud, but can be very satisfying and relaxing for some kids.
15. Wrapping up in a cozy soft blanket.
16. Listening to stories. Even older kids enjoy this! Read aloud, or check out your local library's books on tape/CD.
17. Lying on the ground and looking up at the sky.
18. Cooking tasks. Grating carrots, chopping veggies & fruits. Any kind of mixing, mashing, etc.!
What calms your child?
]]>by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com
Sensory friendly movies are special showings where you can bring your child with special needs and not have to worry about behavior, sitting still, being quiet, etc. You can bring your own food - a godsend for families of children with allergies or special diets. This is a wonderful concept and I hope it will catch on. (Right now it's AMC theaters doing this once a month in selected locations.)
Here's some more information from the Autism Society of America website. Visit the website at the link below to find out where and when the next sensory friendly movie will be playing in your area - and have fun!
AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment on a monthly basis with the "Sensory Friendly Films" program.
In order to provide a more accepting and comfortable setting for this unique audience, the movie auditoriums will have their lights brought up and the sound turned down, families will be able to bring in their own gluten-free, casein-free snacks, and no previews or advertisements will be shown before the movie. Additionally, audience members are welcome to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing - in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
For more information, visit http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sensoryfilms .]]>
Going for a walk or hike is a great way to combine exercise and fun. It's also free! You don't need any special clothing or equipment. You can take a walk anywhere. And in most areas, you can find a good hiking spot with no admission fee.
Go on your own if you're feeling the need for solitude, or bring the family along. Here are some tips to make going for a walk or hike more exciting for your kids:
- write up a quick scavenger hunt sheet for them to bring along and check off items as they see them. It doesn't have to be a competition - just something to keep them interested! Items on your list might include: squirrel, big rock, footprint, breeze, something that smells good, something that smells bad ... you can make these educational, unusual, easy, or just plain silly -- or a combination of all of the above!
- bring along some music for them to listen to as they walk, in case they get bored and you need something to get them through to the end of the walk.
- bring along a camera that you don't mind letting them use, and let them take pictures. This keeps my kids engrossed for hours!
- if you have younger children, they might enjoy taking a favorite stuffed animal along, perhaps in a backpack with its head poking out of the top!
- pedometers are fun and you can get a simple one that's not expensive. Kids love them - you can count your steps, estimate how far you walked, and more!
- kids who enjoy art might like to bring a sketchpad to draw something they find that inspires them.
- you might bring along a recorder to capture sounds from your outing. Depending on where you go, you could record crickets chirping, birds singing, pebbles crunching underfoot, windchimes, churchbells, airplane engines ... even your own voices!
- keep it simple by just walking around your neighborhood - you'd be amazed at the many ways each walk will be different, even if you only go out for 15 minutes!
- or try a new spot to explore and discover together! You can even make it a day trip that might include other nearby activities as well.
- make a list of good spots to choose from, so when you and your family want to go for a walk or hike on the spur of the moment, it will be easy to decide where to go.
- if your child uses a wheelchair, there may be great accessible places near you. Google "accessible trails _______" (fill in your state). When I googled "accessible trails Massachusetts," here's what came up:
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/universal_access/a-trail.htm
- be sure to bring along water and snacks to keep those kiddos -- and you -- well-hydrated and full of energy!
]]>Every so often I come across a resource that's a real find. Today I wanted to share with you a website that has a wealth of information for parents of children with visual impairments and multiple disabilities.
Here you'll find news, resources, advice, and info - all in one spot! You could spend literally hours exploring everything here.
The creators of the website say 'We started WonderBaby.org as a way to share with others what we've learned about playing with and teaching a blind and disabled baby." They save countless parents from having to re-invent the wheel with their comprehensive Book List, the section on "Learning About the Eye," the selection of articles on development and parenting, and up-to-date news items on medical advances in areas like stem cell research and growing corneas. There's even a list of recommended products, including best high chair, best stroller, best travel crib, best car seat, etc.
If your child has a visual impairment, check out this site and share with other parents, too. You may even want to submit your own article in the parent submissions section!
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