Outdoor play is good for kids. It’s a natural form of exercise, it encourages kids to stretch their capabilities, physically and in their imaginations. Being outdoors helps with sensory and emotional regulation. Playgrounds provide settings that facilitate interaction and communication, as well. It’s good for parents to be outside too, providing a break in home routines and an opportunity for […]
Read more
“The truth of this book and the truth of your journey from diagnosis to acceptance is that unless you acknowledge your own vulnerability and develop your ability for self-compassion, your growth as a parent will not fully be complete. Guilt and self-blame are heavy stones in your boat as you row down this river. Compassion for yourself is wind in […]
Read moreThis is a really important question that a lot of people, including school staff, are confused about. Before we answer it, we should take a quick look at what we hope that school should do for our children. The Purpose of School To answer this question, one pair of researchers asked tens of thousands of parents what they thought – […]
Read more
Summer has finally come, and many of us are thinking about how to make the summer days both fun and productive. Here are three principles that will guide our family’s summertime choices: 1. Build on Their Interests When our kids are interested in something, they’re often really interested. This can either be a problem or an opportunity. Paula Kluth’s book […]
Read moreHow can we help our children flourish? And what is required for them to reach their full potential as human beings? On May 29 in Winnipeg, Gordon Neufeld spoke about how we can help all children grow to be the best people they can be. Much of what he had to say speaks to addressing the needs of children with […]
Read more
This post is part of a series, taking a quick look at each developmental level, according to the work of Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder in their DIR/Floortime framework. As a child grows, they add new skills to what they learned in the previous levels. You can find the list of related posts here. When we meet children on the autism […]
Read moreApril 2 is on the calendar as World Autism Awareness Day. Lots of people are doing lots of things to mark the occasion, and everyone has their own perspective on the meaning of the day. There is a vibrant and active community of adults with autism and parents of children with autism in the blogging world, many of whom would […]
Read moreUpdate: school funding is undergoing a significant change. Applications for funding is no longer on a child by child basis, unless you are in an independent school. It remains important to collaborate and to share information to help the school staff fully support your child’s growth. I have to go to a school meeting for my son re: support as […]
Read more
Adapted with permission from an article by Caitlin Wray, originally shared in the Facebook group Autism Manitoba – For Parents and Caregivers. There are many reasons why families decide to home school. There are also many misconceptions about homeschooling as well. What follows is meant to be a starting point for parents thinking about home schooling their children.
Read moreThe last post was on understanding our children as the key to helping them be alert, calm and ready to engage with their world. To expand on that idea, here are some thoughts about what to do when they aren’t calm at all… What do you do if your child is yelling at you all the time? We arrive at […]
Read more