We are Manitobans, and winter is long! So a bit of cold weather shouldn’t mean we get stuck inside. There are lots of ways to get out and embrace the season, and here is a list of excellent places to visit. The best ones offer an opportunity to learn something, try something you haven’t done before, or build up skills […]
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I Can Shine is an organization offering the opportunity to learn how to ride a bicycle for the first time. Last summer was a tremendous success, with 41 kids and adults with disabilities participating. This summer the camp will run from July 4th to 8th, 2016 at the East End Arena in Winnipeg and is hoping to help 40 riders get up on […]
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Service dogs are fast becoming an accepted and recognized support for children and adults with autism. In addition to helping with safety concerns such as wandering, service dogs also provide social-emotional and sensory support that can help children cope with a sometimes chaotic world, give them opportunities to interact and play, and even help them sleep well. Here is one family’s story. […]
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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 […]
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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 moreUpdate: The Family Resource Centre library is now located on the main floor of the SSCY Building at 1155 Notre Dame Avenue. If you go into the Rehabilitation Centre for Children and head down the hallway, you’ll find yourself in a large, welcoming room. At one end there is a well-equipped play area with lots of toys, and to one side […]
Read moreUpdate: Making Waves is now known as Swimmingly. Information can be found at www.swimminglymb.org. Our kids love water play. Especially at the lake. In fact, our daughter won’t come out – she so enjoys the feel of the water as she bounces and splashes. Two summers ago, we noticed she really had no fear. If we weren’t nearby, she would […]
Read moreOur family belongs to a church. And in all honesty, without the support of our church community, I don’t know how we would have survived the last five years. Having a community to stand alongside you is important for any family, and all the more so for a family of children with autism or other special needs. Last weekend I […]
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Editor’s Note: DIR/Floortime and RDI have some principles in common. Both are based in developmental psychology, and both build strong relationships between children and caregivers to help children move along developmental pathways. The emphasis is different, but we appreciate the wisdom both approaches contribute to our parenting! The RDI®program is a result of fifteen years of ongoing development and […]
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