HomeSchool Resources and TidBits (SpecNeeds)

"As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases." https://homeschoolspecneedstidbits.com/affiliate-disclosure/ September is here! Did you create some memories with your loved ones this summer? We did lots of reflection of how far we have come when it comes to advocating for our autistic son.  Now we are in his senior year of high school and there is so much more to do, such as trying to figure out next steps and, in a nutshell, 'Life After High School'. What is next?  From one autistic/special needs parent to another, keep on advocating for your loved one and seek the prize at the end of this journey.... independence and a life fulfilled with people who love them and offer valued support and accommodations for a full life.  Until next time, take one day at a time and keep going.  ~Mom Advocate

"As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases." https://homeschoolspecneedstidbits.com/affiliate-disclosure/ Hello Everyone,  Can you believe that summer is almost over? (Say it isn't so)! We are already in the final week of July and school will start back up next month on the 28th (at least for us, others will be different). We have learned lots this summer, especially about how much older my son will be as well as change. He is in his final year of high school and becoming more and more vocal in what he needs and wants. I also have found that the more I push for him to do certain things around the house, the more vocal he has become in what he doesn't like to do as well, LOL! Either way, it is all good because this shows me that he knows how to advocate for himself, especially if he is uncomfortable or just doesn't like something.  What are your aspirations and hopes for your children? Unborn Children? We are parents to an adult daughter and almost a

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"As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases." https://homeschoolspecneedstidbits.com/affiliate-disclosure/   The teenage years of autism are downright hard and challenging when it comes to autistic boys. I think our son is at his highest, in regard to his anxiety level, and thankfully we have been able to get him to talk more about what is bothering him (that doesn't always work) but helping him find his voice and us listening helps him get it out of his system.  We have found a temporary fix to him navigating all of the news headlines of the day and there are a lot and as we all know NONE of it is good news. It is like once he reads a headline, this invades his entire day, and his homework doesn't get done ***SIGH***. So, we have decided to take away his phone temporarily and only return it to him after he is done with his homework. It seems to be working really well and he is definitely not as preoccupied or distracted by the world around him.  School

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" As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases." https://homeschoolspecneedstidbits.com/affiliate-disclosure/   We have a few more weeks left of school and cannot wait! So proud of our son who just completed his SBAC testing(***SIGH***). It was definitely nerve wracking, but he has such an awesome special education teacher that helped him through each painstaking minute, moment and second of his test taking ordeal. Thankfully we were able to get it all done and so now we are just chilling and celebrating with a three-day-weekend of sorts, so that we can just exhale for a moment. For those of you that are still test taking, GOOD LUCK! We know how painstakingly stressful these days can be not only for the parents, but the students as well, especially students with special needs challenges, anxiety, tears, panic attacks, etc.     I am not sure where your stance is on state test taking is in general, but it is and has been a debate for YEARS, especially in the midst o

 " As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases." https://homeschoolspecneedstidbits.com/affiliate-disclosure/ Hello Beautiful People! Can you believe that there are about 3 weeks left of 2021?! It has been such a whirlwind, yet we also have so much to be thankful for as well.  I found this Christmas autism poem online and it really defines what a long 18 1/2 months it has been like for our family and that the journey continues...  This poem was written in 2008 by Cindy Waeltermann, who is the founder of the organization Autism Link. Autism Night Before Christmas by Cindy Waeltermann Twas the Night Before Christmas And all through the house The creatures were stirring Yes, even the mouse We tried melatonin And gave a hot bath But the holiday jitters They always distract The children were finally All nestled in bed When nightmares of terror Ran through my OWN head Did I get the right gift The right color And style Would there be a tantrum Or even, maybe, a smile? O

"As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases." https://homeschoolspecneedstidbits.com/affiliate-disclosure/  VS                     Remote                                                                Full In-Person-Learning Once upon a time in a school district not too far away, there was a terrible virus that shut the world down for over a year(we are still fighting this terrible virus:-(. Lots of people lost their lives and the normal that most people came to know and love changed forever. Some people, especially educators, were not sure how they were going to educate all of their students in Kindergarten-12th grade, especially those with special needs.  Make back to school easy with schedules, fidgets and sitting wedges from NationalAutismResources.com Some school districts did not know what to do and were faced with how they were going to educate students online and address the needs of those that struggled already academically, emotionally, financially

National Autism Resources is the leading online resource for information, advice, toys, gifts, educational products and more. Every Year we have to usually get on our local school district to continue to accommodate for our son, especially when he is having a challenging time, whether it is about opening his locker to if the Gen Ed Math teacher is going to fast and he cannot keep up with the middle school pace.  This is a constant theme in all the years that we have been advocating for our autistic son. We understand that school districts are short staffed and/or that he may have had a substitute today for class, but this still does not answer the underlying question of who decides when an autistic or special needs child does not need to be accommodated for anymore?  We have had a school district psychologist tell us "Well, we want to see what he can do on his own?".  So what you are really saying is, 'well since he doesn't 'look' autistic and seems to

Cook I am sure that most of you out here are out of their mind right now, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and don't know what to do, especially when it comes to your kids. If you are a parent that has a special needs child, the anxiety is through the roof. But there is hope at the end of the tunnel and things to do. My son has an interest in cooking and I am starting to take baby steps to show him the ropes. So if you haven't done so already, there is a visual recipe book that we have that is fantastic for people on the spectrum and/or anyone that needs more visual directions to know how and what to do in the kitchen. You should check it out and see if this would be a good fit or not for you and your family.  So for today we will do a recipe that I found here . I chose lunch because this is the easiest to navigate and doesn't take a lot of directions. So the amount of steps have to be easy to follow and able to access with the least amount of help.  Quesadillas

We recently learned that our son's ILC classroom is GONE! Not sure what the road will be like ahead, but we are trying to pick up the pieces and find a pathway for his education and journey. Not sure what to feel, but we are definitely concerned and disappointed with how this was all handled, in regards to students who are autistic and have or need lots of academic support and accommodations.    At the end of the day, all that matters is that we find a way to educate our autistic teenage son the best way we know how, hopefully with the school district's guidance and options/resources available to him and us as well. Keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best in a situation that could have gone better.      Transitions. Disappointment. Hopeful outcomes and a way forward.  Sincerely,  ~Mandu

Home cooking when you are in a rush can be really stressful if you try to do it all yourself. But if your children are special needs, this skill is invaluable to their well being and quality of life. So you need lots of patience and time blocks when it is time to enlist them into some cooking with visuals and great pictures. So that the recipes are easy to understand and are less likely to cause any type of emergency set back.  Safety First The most obvious issue, especially when it comes to special needs, is safety in the kitchen.  They should always wash their hands well before engaging in any meal preparation, have an apron to protect their clothes and a work station away from any hot oven or stove.  Invest in the Right Equipment Be sure to have kid-safe mixing bowls and measuring cups. Also consider getting a chopper with a plunger. All they have to do is put the food under it and press down with both hands. Make it FUN Teach them fun and interesting things a