HomeSchool Resources and TidBits (SpecNeeds)

  Visual Recipes Good Morning(Or Afternoon/Evening, depends on where you are)! I hope this finds you well, practicing safe distancing and trying new things to create more beautiful moments and inspirations with your family. I thought that this would be a great way to show what may come in handy during the early days of back to school or anytime. As well as a learning moment for your autistic child/teen/adult or someone that likes to visualize what each step looks like in a recipe( I do!). I like to see what the end game will look like after I complete a recipe. Sure it may not look exactly the same but worth it to at least try something different.  I hope you enjoy these recipes by Tasty! Recipes and more visual recipes from other food vloggers as well. They are so fun to watch from start to finish, but it is also a game changer when you can pause, rewind, slow down and really visualize what each step will look like.  If anything, this will be a great life skill for your autistic son o

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

If you are a parent of a special needs teen, you are probably wondering what the next steps are as the last year of middle school is in session. We are still trying to figure out what is happening behind the scenes in regards to special needs curriculum and how our son is being taught. Most  parents take this in stride and just let the teachers...teach. But what if you have a special needs autistic son whom learns things at his own pace and not in the way that is expected of him because of of his age, NOT his disability.    Thankfully we have an IEP meeting scheduled soon to discuss all of these aspects of his curriculum. As we are one month in already and still have a vague idea of how our son is being academically assessed or if at all. Sometimes we don't have an idea until the end of the school year or mid year because quite frankly we believe that is how public school districts want it. I can also be a devil's advocate and say maybe they don't have a choice in the m

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

Have a Happy 4th of July 2019 with your Family Today!

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

Summer 2019 5 More Weeks of school until Summer...ready to Dive In:-) We are all anticipating the start of summer, especially because there are lots of transitions and change coming our way. Our oldest will be a senior in high school, while our youngest son, who is autistic will be in eighth grade.  We have no clue once again what summer will look like when it comes to activities and keeping him occupied, especially since there are not very many opportunities geared towards him and his skill level socially or emotionally.  My plans are to keep him busy with workbooks, going to the park, ice cream breaks and keeping ourselves cool and comfortable. Late nights, movies, and all of the above.  What are your plans for the summer? How do you keep your autistic or special needs child or children busy? I would love to hear your suggestions and thoughts. Until then be blessed and take it one day at a time.  M.