Sunday Digest 28

So much to share this time that it's going to be hard to choose. I'll try to spread the linky love around...

1) This post from Reports from a Resident Alien helped me understand the difference between emotional self-regulation and being mature. I love getting this woman's insights because she lives with autism and although autism is different for each individual there is a lot that can be understood in general terms from one person's experience. This post was particularly helpful for learning skills to cope with and manage emotional outbursts in a mature way...skills that I'll need to be sure my daughter develops.

2) The instinctive drowning response is a powerful analogy to describe the situation that families with special needs children sometimes find themselves in. We were there (briefly) and fortunately found the support we needed to get back on track. Now I see other families there and wonder how I can help without risking our own equilibrium. According to this post at Hopeful Parents the first step is to get into the pool.

3) Praying for Parker now has a sponsor that is making beautiful embroidered letters which can be used for tactile learning, early writing, phonics, etc. If you have access to an embroidery machine you can buy the pattern for the letters for $15 and help pay Parker's medical bills. Sweet!

4) Laura Shumaker recently had a post that highlighted the Transition Planning Kit recently launched by Autism Speaks. The kit helps families who are preparing their adolescent children to be adults, a key phase in finding support, resources, and information for more independent living.

5) Bird on the Street wrote this powerful piece describing the day she and her husband were faced with a life and death decision for their son, Charlie. They had to listen to their own instinct and overcome the naysaying of experts to choose time, information, love and life. Amazing.

Sunday Digest 22

My list of blogs that I follow has been slowly expanding and is now over 20 in number. I follow some general parenting blogs, some special needs parenting blogs, and a few blogs specific to autism. I barely can keep up with these, and most of them don't post every day. There is just an amazing amount of "stuff" out there on the internet just waiting for us to find it...amazing. This is just the cream of the crop I've sampled over the last three (or so) weeks...There is pretty much of a back to school theme here...wonder what's been on my mind!

1) This first entry is a little older than three weeks, actually. I don't think I had space to post it last time. This is a blog entry written by KatyB who blogs at Bird on the Street, and contributed this piece to 5 Minutes for Special Needs. I think as the back to school season has ramped up I've been reading a lot from special needs parents who are wondering if they've done enough over the Summer, or wondering how they will do it all in the season to come, trudging along on the treadmill and questioning their ability to keep up. Katy reminds us that It's Enough.

2) Our Journey Thru Autism is kind of a newcomer to my list. I really enjoyed this post by Chynna Laird about supporting children with sensory processing issues (which can be present in many different disorders) through transitions. Transitions are still our biggest sticking point, and most of the time I'm not even thinking of the issue as a transition when it really is. I particularly like Chynna's reference to a "plan". This is a term our daughter picked up in her Summer social skills group, and wow is it powerful...I'll probably post more on this later...

3) Hartley's Life with 3 Boys posted this prayer for back to school. Oh yeah, there really is still prayer in and for school.

4) My mom told me about an interview on NPR with a young woman who is autistic. From there I found Reports from a Resident Alien and this post, which says so much. A person's value is intrinsic, not tied to their ability to contribute blah-de-blah to society. People are important, they just are. Get over it.

5) Okay, so this one is about Sunday School, but... a lot of churches follow the school calendar in terms of moving students into different classes, reconsidering curriculum, etc. Our church has a pretty high per capita special needs contingent. I taught Sunday School this morning and two of the three kids in our class today have special needs. We currently use "homemade" curriculum, because we are small and flexible like that, but if your church is considering developing a special needs class or needs some special needs curriculum, SpecialGathering reviewed Special Buddies by LifeWay here. And yes, I have used special too many times in this paragraph...