First Class Report: Ostriches

James is working on his first class report. The general topic is wild animals and each student picked an animal. James picked ostriches.

His aide and I listened to him read his book and fill out sentences for the draft of his report. I misread the directions so we are a little behind. We've got a trip the library and internet this weekend to discover more interesting things about the largest birds on earth.

We've already taken a real field trip to see live ostriches. People have them on their farms here in Sonoma County and there's one near our house that allows for casual visitors to pull over on the side of the road and say hello (and take pictures):

I've already learned 2 news things -- the female ostriches lay on their eggs during the day and the males take the night shift, and the females look like the photos above. Only the males have black and white feathers.

Pop culture FAIL:

Although I understand the artistic license/reasoning.

It's exciting to have James included in the class oral report project. We'll be working on his poster board next week, practicing his verbal presentation. He's never done anything like this before, so we'll see how it goes.

Activities for Special Needs Kids

This has been a good year for getting James more active. Although he has some issues, such as low muscle tone, uneven fine muscle control in his fingers, and vestibular disorders, James is a guy on the go. He likes people and being able to play sports is becoming more of a requirement for him to participate at recess and social occasions with others.

So we love it when we hear about programs for kids with special needs. Any helpful boost we can get for our kids is an investment that pays rich and diverse dividends. Here are some programs we've used over the past year:

Healdsburg Wonder League

A non-profit organization that runs a mini baseball league designed for children, ages 4–19, with special needs. Their first game is this weekend and it's not too late so sign up for this season! Find out more on their website (http://wonderleague.org/) and come on out to cheer on the Players and their Buddies. James and his sister have enjoyed two years with this great program. Our daughter learned to hit a pitch, and James has actually improved his throwing skills. Here are some posts about our experiences.

Saturday Sidekicks

We've had some fun Saturdays down at Sonoma State. The Saturday Sidekicks program has truly made both kids excited about being more active. It's nice to have some focus time too where the kids and their university sidekicks join in a circle to sing and try a group activity. The energy is high and the kids get a chance to do outside of normal play, such as ride a plastic scoot, get rolled down a ramp while inside a tubular mat, or ride on a platform swing. Being pulled on a blanket while sitting in an inflatable raft is novel, as is having a big cardboard box to hide out and giggle inside. We sure hope to participate in Saturday Sidekicks next year!

Town of Windsor Parks and Rec

We've tried two programs, with gratifying success. Half days of summer camp sessions and group swim lessons. For both, I've gone in person to the office to talk about James and his needs. At first, they were willing to give it a try, with the clear condition that the counselors were not 1-on-1 aides and that if there were too many issues for either of us we'd withdraw James. Amazingly, issues never came up.

Instead, with the summer camp, his verbal abilities soared, and he got into crafts and enjoyed play times. He loves wearing the camp t-shirts all year long. At the talent show last summer, he insisted on performing a song learned at camp on stage, solo, with a microphone. I heard he was a fun act to watch. I have strangers waving to me now at the Town Green, asking me to say hi to James. We remember the summer camp programs with great fondness.

The group swim lessons for kids were an important developmental milestone. I finally felt James was comfortable enough in water and group dynamics to get something out of a class and would not be too much of a distraction. It was a very good start and we'll be doing more this year. He even started to float on his back and jumped in at the last class, getting his head wet: victory over sensory issues!!

New to try this year,

Cycling Without Limits

James is eager to try and ride his bike without training wheels, like his big sister. His balance is rather precarious, so we haven't gotten there. Meanwhile, he is so big he is outgrowing his beloved Star Wars bike and bending the training wheels. Here's hoping both kids will be 2-wheeling it by Summer's end. We heard about the Cycling Without Limits program by participating in Saturday Sidekicks, and I am already looking forward to June.

Speaking of being physically active and programs supporting kids on the autism spectrum, James and I are walking this Saturday in the North Bay Area Walk Now for Autism Speaks event. Please join us in person at the Windsor Town Green or consider supporting us as we walk to raise awareness and funds to understand and create resources to deal with Autism.

Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Fun Finale

Last weekend was the last of the Saturday Sidekicks sessions for the year. We plan to come again next year. It's been such a good experience, getting both kids out of the house and moving early on Saturday mornings. Not only James enjoyed it, his big sister was warmly welcomed and enjoyed using the scoots and time with the university students.

A huge thank you to Elaine McHugh and all the volunteers - Kinesiology, and the Saturday Sidekicks program, rocks!

He ran straight for the jumpy and stayed there. I remember when the generator noise made them intolerable for both he and his sister. There were many birthday parties where I watched my kids try to have fun at an inflatable jumpy-themed party from the outside. I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing my kids enjoy them for reals.

Yowza!

Was that the 12th trip down, or the 20th? Who cares!

You want to see some happy kids? Keep scrolling!

For more images from the heart and to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.






               and ... Wordless Wednesday

Magic Marker Monday: Rainbow Spelling Words

James is really taking off in his new classroom, and doing amazingly better with his school work. I am so very thankful for his new aide, who is making the hugest difference in our lives. We went from a situation where James was not learning, resisted vigorously going to school, and becoming a disciplinary problem to one where he was participating with his class in class work, much happier to come to school, and making progress with doing more work independently.

Case in point -- rainbow spelling practice!

He scored 100% on the test, too.

 Normally James needs someone prompting him through his spelling word list. He insists on a yellow, #2 pencil, and gets frustrated part way through the list. This week, his aide showed me the simple spelling flash cards she'd made for him; she printed the words first in colour and James then traced them in pencil. This could explain why last week James wanted to write the spelling list by himself -- in crayon. I printed the lines for him and the result was delightfully colourful.

Not content with that, James went on to write words in crayon -- something he usually did with pencil or pen, as he'd snap the waxy sticks.

Oh, and instead of touch math (old class and aide), he's memorized addition facts so he can add 3 columns of numbers and is getting better at subtraction. Again, this is the difference that a well-matched aide can make. She tells me she's making up multiplication cards for him to use. I cannot tell you how grateful I am that there are people like this woman out there to help children like James. She is helping to give him tools, education, and creativity.

And hold on to your hats -- there's an ostrich report in progress; with drawings!!!


For more great masterpieces or to share some of your own, visit
5 Minutes for Special Needs for more Magic Marker Monday.

                               
 

Walking and Raising

Yes, this is late going up but yes, we will be walking in the 2013 Walk Now for Autism Speaks event this coming Saturday in Windsor, on the Town Green.

Yes, the numbers have risen again over the year: CDC now pegs the number of diagnosed children (ages 6-17) as 1:50 children and 1:31 boys. Last year they were reporting 1:88 and 1:54, respectively (for 8 year-olds). A diagnosis is made for some form of Autism every 11 minutes, instead of every 15 minutes.

Yes, we are making progress in understanding more about Autism -- its causes and resources for those affected by it.

Yes, there is more that needs to be done.

Yes, you can help:

Yes, you can come walk too! This will be our 4th year walking and every one has been a blast.
 * 2012
 * 2011
 * 2010

The FAAvourite Fun

Where has James continuously asked to go visit, ever since he started preschool, over 5 years ago?

That's right, the Sonoma County airport, officially known as the Charles M. Schultz Airport.

He loves to watch the planes take off, their spinning propellers, and the observation posts around the field. He likes visiting in December, to catch the tree of lights atop the air control tower ... and visit Santa, who lands from a Sikorsky helicopter.

 At least once a year we visit the adjoining air museum. Their Wings Over Sonoma County air show makes going back to school exciting.

And he loves, for some reason, the red REACH helicopters. By golly, we have sat parked for up to 15 minutes, just observing those babies parked on the tarmac. And if we get lucky and see a take-off or landing? Oh my -- such the ecstasies of delight!

So yes, we went there too, over Spring Break. Several times.

Still Talking About It

Easter was last weekend, but James is still excited about getting together with his cousins at his grandparents' house.

 He enjoyed the egg-citement of the hunt through the light rain and misty garden for the colourful plastic eggs. He still doesn't eat the candy, though.  The Easter Bunny knows to fill the eggs for James' basket with cat cookies and little Ritz/peanut butter sandwiches.

What James has focused on (to the point of obsession) is the hide-and-go-seek games that came at the end of the afternoon, inside the house. He constantly wants to "tell the story of hide and seek." Breakfast, as soon as I pick him up from school. The afternoon hours until bedtime are punctuated with requests for hide-and-seek stories. It's his new bedtime routine.

So glad he's enjoying these social interactions. The focus and repetition, however, are a little wearing. I think I'm going to start trying to hide people on the ceiling and in the fridge next time I tell the story, to see what "happens."