New Frontiers November 2012- I love these people!
What a great year it has been! First, let me say I can't believe how long it's been since I have updated the blog page. November and December are notoriously busy and this year has been no exception!
I had a phenomenal time at New Frontiers in November. I feel incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to meet (and stay in touch with) so many incredible parents. We laughed together, cried together, supported each other, learned together and grew together. It easily ranks up there with the best experiences of my life!
As always, the teaching was supreme and the learning hands-on. We learned from Bears, Samahria, Bryn, William, Kate and Beverly. It was exactly what we needed, right when we needed it. We learned how to craft creative, innovative games using our child's unique motivations to achieve targeted goals. Exactly what I was looking for! And, can I just tell you? SO MUCH FUN!
While I was there I also had a consult with the amazing Kate Wilde. Was that ever great! Most of the consult was spent discussing how to remove electronics. WHAT??!! No TV?? No iPad??!! Right. When you think about it, electronics are autistic in nature. If you are trying to get someone to engage with you, handing them an iPad or the television probably isn't going to foster the engagement you seek. We certainly saw this at home. Danniah loves the Muppets, and as Kate said, "There is no human being on the planet who will ever be as colorful and entertaining as a Muppet." As much as we knew this step was necessary for Danniah's growth and development, I don't think either one of us was looking forward to it. When talking with Kate, I know I felt traumatized as I anticipated this terrible transition from the ever present world of the Muppets to...well...no Muppets. I anticipated crying and tantrums...and dreaded the very thought. I also had no idea how I would 'get a break.' As much as I hate to admit it, a Muppet DVD provided time to breathe and relax. Kate looked at me and offered encouragement, "some people are surprised by how quickly their kids move on to the next thing." I, in all my glorious doubt replied, "somehow I don't think I'm that lucky."
I had a phenomenal time at New Frontiers in November. I feel incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to meet (and stay in touch with) so many incredible parents. We laughed together, cried together, supported each other, learned together and grew together. It easily ranks up there with the best experiences of my life!
As always, the teaching was supreme and the learning hands-on. We learned from Bears, Samahria, Bryn, William, Kate and Beverly. It was exactly what we needed, right when we needed it. We learned how to craft creative, innovative games using our child's unique motivations to achieve targeted goals. Exactly what I was looking for! And, can I just tell you? SO MUCH FUN!
While I was there I also had a consult with the amazing Kate Wilde. Was that ever great! Most of the consult was spent discussing how to remove electronics. WHAT??!! No TV?? No iPad??!! Right. When you think about it, electronics are autistic in nature. If you are trying to get someone to engage with you, handing them an iPad or the television probably isn't going to foster the engagement you seek. We certainly saw this at home. Danniah loves the Muppets, and as Kate said, "There is no human being on the planet who will ever be as colorful and entertaining as a Muppet." As much as we knew this step was necessary for Danniah's growth and development, I don't think either one of us was looking forward to it. When talking with Kate, I know I felt traumatized as I anticipated this terrible transition from the ever present world of the Muppets to...well...no Muppets. I anticipated crying and tantrums...and dreaded the very thought. I also had no idea how I would 'get a break.' As much as I hate to admit it, a Muppet DVD provided time to breathe and relax. Kate looked at me and offered encouragement, "some people are surprised by how quickly their kids move on to the next thing." I, in all my glorious doubt replied, "somehow I don't think I'm that lucky."
The reality was that in order for playroom games to work, in order for us to have a shot at being the most interesting thing in the playroom (or house), it just had to go. Plain and simple. We took them out of the wall the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and did exactly what Kate suggested. When she came home from school, we said excitedly, "Danniah, LOOK!! We gave away our TV because we want to play with you more and look at you more!!" She had this initial look of total shock, but no tears (yay!). She asked for shows maybe 8 times during the course of that day, but never cried. The rest of the week, each time she came in the house, she would immediately look in the living room to see if the TV was back and when it wasn't, she would then run down the hall to see if it was back in our bedroom...of course, it wasn't. She asked a couple of times that first week, but since then she hasn't asked at all. We did get her Muppet figurines and a paper punch out theater set so she can make her own Muppet show. She loves them. We also laminated pictures in place of DVD cases so she can ism with them (which she does). BUT there is so much more "real" interaction!
We have the best time doing silly yoga poses and falling over together. We make up games where we run from one side of the room to get a paper Muppet doll and race back to put it in her theater... we made a Muppet game where she rolls a tissue box covered in construction paper with Muppet faces on it. She jumps off the trampoline to land on the color construction paper the dice landed on, flips it over and reads the activity and giggles (erm, well when she's not peeling the Velcro activities off the back of the construction paper as an ism, but whatever it's fun!). She also wants to go downstairs to use her sensory gym on a pretty regular basis. That is something she hasn't wanted to do for a long time. It's so nice to see her connecting and branching out at the same time! She's even using a bit more of her own language rather than scripting, which is another huge bonus. She recently said, "Daddy, I want back push" meaning "push my back" while she was on the swing. SO MUCH FUN! Sure, we have a long way to go, but who cares, this is GREAT! I was so afraid that weekends would be long for her and I'm delighted to discover that they fly by and are so much FUN!
We have the best time doing silly yoga poses and falling over together. We make up games where we run from one side of the room to get a paper Muppet doll and race back to put it in her theater... we made a Muppet game where she rolls a tissue box covered in construction paper with Muppet faces on it. She jumps off the trampoline to land on the color construction paper the dice landed on, flips it over and reads the activity and giggles (erm, well when she's not peeling the Velcro activities off the back of the construction paper as an ism, but whatever it's fun!). She also wants to go downstairs to use her sensory gym on a pretty regular basis. That is something she hasn't wanted to do for a long time. It's so nice to see her connecting and branching out at the same time! She's even using a bit more of her own language rather than scripting, which is another huge bonus. She recently said, "Daddy, I want back push" meaning "push my back" while she was on the swing. SO MUCH FUN! Sure, we have a long way to go, but who cares, this is GREAT! I was so afraid that weekends would be long for her and I'm delighted to discover that they fly by and are so much FUN!
Even people at her school have noticed positive changes since the great electronic exit. Danniah's teacher recently said to me, "she just seems so much clearer and so much more available." Then she told me that Danniah played a math game with 3 peers the other day. They each had to take turns picking a card and whoever had the higher number got the cards. Then they added the cards together and whoever had the higher sum got the cards. The teacher said she was so proud of Danniah for waiting so patiently, taking turns, and doing everything appropriately. She very likely would not have had the attention span to do this even a couple of weeks ago. In fact, when her world was full of electronics she didn't have a huge interest in her peers. Well, that's not a fair statement. She has always been interested in her peers and very aware of what they were doing. This year, however, was a big transition to a new school with all new peers and teachers. She just recently got acclimated. Now she is very aware of her current peers and wants to be with them all the time. She is in a typical class with an aide and the kids are all so very good to her, which makes us feel so blessed. I wish we had done this sooner, but we did it now and it's truly fantastic!!
Holiday update coming next :)
With much love and gratitude,
Monika
Holiday update coming next :)
With much love and gratitude,
Monika