Back-to-School Life Skills Reset for Autism
New school years can trigger anxiety and stress for many parents of children with autism. However, if approached with the right knowledge, the beginning of the school year can also be an opportunity for peace of mind and and opportunity for improved programming. If I had to choose just one thing for parents to understand, […]
6 Reasons to Consider AngelSense for Back-to-School
We would like to think that our children with autism and other developmental disabilities are always safe at school. Unfortunately, we’ve all heard stories about students who have gone missing. In fact, nearly half of children with autism wander or ‘bolt’ from safe places. According to researchers from the Interactive Autism Network (IAN): 49% of […]
Why Health and Safety is a Critical Life Skill for Autism
As parents and caregivers of children with autism, we often overlook one of the most important skills that our children need to succeed in life – health and safety. As one of the ten life skills areas, health and safety is defined as the skills needed for staying healthy, protecting one’s health, and responding to […]
Our Journey with the BUZZY: How This Device Finally Changed My Son’s Medical Life
My son Alex has autism and has been terrified of medical procedures involving needles since he was a little guy. The sight of a needle triggered him to become dysregulated and physically aggressive. This made getting a shot impossible and we were forced to physically hold him still. This was easy to do when he […]
Hurricanes and Life Skills
Secure hotel reservation that takes dogs for a week – Check Pack garage with outside furniture and other things that can take flight – Check Throw away food in freezer and Refridgerator – Check Pack what food you can for hotel room – Check Pack DVD player and Disney DVD’s – Check Pack clothes for […]
Autism and Life Skills: Tools Matter!
Have you ever tried to open a jar with all of your might, but you just can’t twist it open? Then you remember that you have this thingy in the drawer that’s supposed to do the job, and presto magic, voila it opens with ease! The right tools for the job matter! Tools that make […]
Autism and Driving: Does Your Child’s IEP Include the Essentials?
One third of students with autism without intellectual disability earn a driver’s license. Yet, many of these students will never have Transition IEP goals to address all of the life skills needed around driving. Wonder what some of the skills are? How to interact with a police officer. Due to impaired communication abilities, some students […]
It’s ‘Time’ for Good Daily Habits
My dad is nearing 98 years old. He doesn’t get out and about as much as he used to, but he still gets dressed every day as if he had some place important to go. After showering, he puts on his socks followed by his khakis or corduroys. No jeans for this guy, he hasn’t […]
How Do I Keep The Music Playing?
I am proof that we can reinvent ourselves when change comes our way. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of growing up to be a singer, just like my mom. My mom never became famous, but her love for performing lasted her lifetime and brought her tremendous joy. It was her passion. […]
The Making of the Life Skills Lady
My youngest son was three when he was diagnosed with autism. This was in 1997, just before the incidence of autism started its rise. Soon after he became eligible for special education services from my school district. It wasn’t long before I realized that the services weren’t appropriate for him to make progress and requested […]