10 Family Resolutions for the New Year
Time is flying by with my kids, so I'm going to make sure I make the most of my time with them this year with these family resolutions. Is it just me, or has this year flown by? Well really, every year has since I've had kids. Empty nesters weren't lying when they warned me how fast my kids would grow up. Before the next few years also fly by and my kids spread their wings to fly out of my nest, I'm going to make sure we make the most of this upcoming year with these family r
8 Ways to Help Kids Make New Year's Resolutions
New Year's resolutions aren't just for adults! Here are simple and practical ways to help your growing kids make New Year's resolutions. New Year's Day is the traditional time to celebrate a new beginning, and kids ages 7-12 are at the ideal stage to learn to make resolutions, experts say. "They're still young enough that their habits are not firm," says Christine Carter, Ph.D., author of Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents, and a teach
Happy Holiday Parenting
Preventing and Managing Challenging Child Behavior Over the Holidays Although we strive to make the holidays a special time, the fact is that all of the traveling, hosting, and holiday preparations increase parenting stress and disruptions to your family’s routine that can ultimately lead to more challenging child behavior. And nothing dampens holiday joy like tantrums, arguments, and a bad case of the “I want’s”. Here are a few tips to help you keep the Happy in “Happy Holid
7 Ways We Make Holiday Activities More Enjoyable for Our Child on the Autism Spectrum
Oh, the holidays. Just the word conjures up idyllic Normal Rockwell images of family gatherings, tasty food and joyful faces. But for my daughter, large gatherings can also mean extra stimming behaviors as she tries to regulate her sensory intake, and meltdowns. My biggest challenge of the holiday season as the mom of a child on the autism spectrum is the question of whether I am actually providing happy, holiday memories for her or merely increasing her stress and discomfort
Why I'm Proud My Child Won't be in this Year's Christmas Play
Maybe I am getting old, but it does seem like talk of Christmas starts earlier every year. We are only just over Halloween, and already the shops have festive music, selection boxes and wrapping paper in prominent places! But as a trained teacher, there is one place I totally understand preparing early for the holidays, and that is schools. There is a presumption that schools and churches will put on an annual play or concert of some sort, and the organization involved in the
How to Train Children to Receive Holiday Gifts Graciously
My Czech mother started training the six of us with the thank-you process early. Early in our childhood, she taught us to say “Thanks for the warm kolaches” as they came piping hot out of the oven every holiday. There is so much value to these childhood lessons. As adults with children, nieces, nephews, Godchildren and grandchildren of our own, we demonstrate thankfulness when receiving holiday gifts and kind gestures throughout the year. Set an example Research suggests that
Having a Child with ADHD has Made Me a Better Person
It’s no secret parenting is hard work. When you have a child with ADHD (attention -deficit/hyperactivity disorder), parenting can be complex. It’s been almost two years since we found out my 7-year-old has ADHD. Every day is a rollercoaster for us filled with ups and downs. When my child wakes up in the morning, I never know if she will be excited to go to school and see her best friend or have a meltdown. When it is time to get ready for bed, I never know if she will happily
10 Tips for a Stress-Free Holidays with your Special Needs Family
At the risk of sounding like Mrs. Grinch, I have a confession. I don’t like the holidays. There, I said it. Perhaps if we could go back to celebrating Halloween and Thanksgiving prior to the barrage of decorations, cards, food, dinner party invitations, commitments, more food, and endless marketing campaigns, I might be more amenable to this time of year. I am not, and not for the reason those of you who know me might think. I have two children with sensory processing disorde
Their Tube
When every moment of childhood can be recorded and shared, what happens to childhood? The boys in the YouTube videos always land their bottles perfectly upright. Max Cole has spent hours studying their routine, and now, his own viewers are waiting: Empty half the blue juice. Hold the Powerade bottle by its cap. Flip it into the air and– “Dude!” Max shouts. “It landed!” Max, who is 6, waves his arms. He knows just how to overreact to get his audience excited, what makes them c
To the Couple who Autism-Shamed Us at Lunch
Today was my son’s day to be the Special Person in his 4K classroom. This is a very big deal for a 4-year-old! The special person gets to bring in toys and books to share with friends. They get to be the line leader. And they get to invite Mom and Dad into the room to participate. We watched as our son interacted with his typical peers. We watched as the smile spread across his face. This was a good day. And a great reason to celebrate! We usually avoid eating in restaurants.