1. This time of year all sorts of kids are starting all sorts of new activities, but when I saw this article at 5 Minutes for Special Needs, it really made me think. How brave that this mom is helping her child do something that many might say she should never do. How sweet that her big brother is coming alongside to teach her and encourage her. What a great example to all of us!
2. I can relate to this post at Blissfully Domestic. I can't tell you the number of times I've been mid-tug-of-war with my daughter and God hits a little bell "Ding! This is how you sometimes look to Me, but I still love you!" It happens most commonly when she is begging for something that I want to give her, but just can't yet (like juice right before dinner). I'm asking her to wait and she just keeps begging. Listening to God's little bell helps me respond in a more loving way.
3. Researchers at UCLA seem to be making headway in developing a program to teach teens with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) how to make friends. Seems like great news! I want to know if they can do the same with a five year old. If so, sign us up! I don't want to wait eight years.
4. In case you are wondering or don't already know, ideally this is how the whole Individual Education Plan (IEP) is supposed to work. Reality...well... (By the way, it looks like this article originated in Iowa, so "Child Find" may not exist in your state. I've never heard of such a program in California...)
5. I have been curious for some time how autism and other special needs are affecting developing countries. This post on Hopeful Parents answers my question and shares about an organization that is directly working with parents in these countries to help them learn strategies to help their children. Amazing.
You can see a list of Sunday Digests (and other posts) here.
