• Mar. 1, 2007
She sleeps!!!
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• Mar. 1, 2007
Resources-The Trampoline!
My Parents bought a trampoline for all the grand-kids for Christmas this year! So every time we go to Grandpa and Mimi's house we get to jump. And we ALL jump. (Gillian is wearing the purple hat, Emma is the little one in the back and yep, that's me bouncing them all around!).
Jumping is great for kids with Sensory Processing disorder. It helps them stay grounded. Gillian seeks deep pressure all the time so jumping is a quick and easy way for her whole body to get deep pressure at one time. We also have a small trampoline in the girl's room at home. It has a handle bar on it so they can hold on while they jump. We purchased our little one at Target for only $49. Not a bad deal at all. I try to get Gillian to do jumping at least every other day. At home it takes some talking into but when we go to Mimi's house it's all they want to do.
If you don't have a trampolines it works just as good if you let them jump on the bed. Yes, yes I know "you're not suppose to jump on the bed". Well before we had the small trampoline we allowed jumping on the bed. 
But now that the girls have bunk beds and we have a new mattress it;s not allowed anymore. Another alternative to a trampoline or jumping on the bed is to just find an old mattress to throw on the floor and jump on that. At they place where Gillian receives her sensory therapy the floors are covered with old mattresses so everywhere the kids walk they are getting that bouncing and deep input.
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• Feb. 20, 2007
Resources Part One
Since this blog is suppose to be about homeschooling special needs children I thought I should do a series on the resources I have used. There is so much stuff out there for special needs kids it is very easy to get overwhelmed. My suggestion, pick just one small thing and start there. If that doesn't work for you and/or your child then go on to the next thing. Take it one step at a time. Don't go to a million different websites and study them. Don't read through 10 books at one time. You WILL get overwhelmed and more than likely nothing will come of any of it. I know, I've been there and done that.
So where do you start? It all depends on what you are looking for. If you already have a diagnosis that you are happy with it than you are already 10 steps ahead of where I was when I started. Do a search on the Internet of that diagnosis and start with the first 2 websites. No more. More than likely those 2 websites will have more than enough information to get you going. For example, if your child has autism you could do a search on "homeschooling children with autism" and you will get pages of websites about this topic. Another way to get information is to go to the library. Believe it or not they have books on this stuff :o)
Before we had a diagnosis I did a search on special needs chat groups. I got onto 5 groups at one time! Yes, this was very overwhelming. I ended up dropping all but one of the groups. From here I could ask all the questions I needed to ask and I got at least 20-30 responses with every question. This helped me get to a starting point of what diagnosis might fit Gillian. It is also how learned all about Sensory Processing Disorder. It was recommended that I read the book "The Out Of Sync Child", you can read all about it here http://www.sensoryresources.com/details.asp?pid=148 . This book is great and has lists that can help you determine if SPD is something you should pursue. You can read a great book review on the book here http://www.xanga.com/copperswife/568448674/book-review---the-out-of-synch-child--recognizing-and-coping-with-sensory-processing-disorder-by-c.html .
So to sum it all up, start small and stay small. Little bites not big bites of information. And most importantly don't forget while you are reading all this information that you still have a child that needs love and attention. Don't get so wrapped up in trying to figure out the best way to homeschool your child that you forget that the best thing for your child is for you to love and nurture them.
Now for an update: We are still experiencing sleepless nights here. Unfortunately the place where we go to therapy (I will refer to it as BFT) is having a slight melt down. They are down to 1 full time therapist and 2 therapists that only work a few hours a week. They use to have 3 full time therapists and 2 part timers. So because of the lack of therapists we have had to go 2 weeks without therapy. It is noticeable. One of the therapists that left was our dear friend that was in charge of Gillian's music therapy :o( So by the time we go back to therapy next week we will have had no change in music in three weeks. To say the very least, I am a little frustrated at the moment. I am, however, doing more sensory therapy at home as I get the equipment. If I knew all about the music I wold probably pull her out of BFT altogether. But it takes a lot of training and a lot of money to become certified in the music program and I don't have the time or the money to do it. I do know that God has an ultimate plan here. We have an IEP next month and I will get it all hashed out there.
Stay tuned for more resource ideas, including some of the things we use for therapy at home. I will also try to post pictures if I can ever figure out how that works again:o)
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• Feb. 8, 2007
Happy 10th Anniversary my beloved!
Hubby and I are celebrating 10 wonderful years of marriage today! He never actually read my blog but I thought I would pay tribute to this great man here anyways. So in celebration of 10 years together here is my top 10 list from the past 10 years........
1~ I married my best friend
2~My hubby is a hard working man and I never worry about being provided for
3~4 moves and 3 of those were within a 7 month time span! We move well together
4~Gillian
5~Emma
6~My hubby is a great dad who loves spending time with his kids
7~My hubby is a man who leads our home in the ways of our Lord
8~My hubby is a man with a servant's heart of gold
9~6 cars in ten years plus one borrowed car and hopefully we will be getting car #7 soon! And of course there is a story behind every car :o)
10~I have many many many more years to spend with the best thing that's every happened to me!!!!
Happy Anniversary to the man I respect and cherish beyond what words could express!
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• Jan. 31, 2007
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
TO MY
DEAR
FRIEND
KRISTI!!!!!
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