Category Archives: Education

It’s POTTY TIME!!!!

A few years ago, I fell in love with Signing Time. Jack was struggling to do much more than scream and I was increasingly frustrated. In a last ditch effort, I bought some DVDs and prayed that he would communicate with me. Slowly, he began to sign (things like more and done) and I felt…

I Brake for School Bells

Somehow I had the mistaken impression that the child would be happy to return to school. We had a pretty good break (stomach flus aside) and she had asked when she would get to go to school again. GET to go. I thought that was a good sign. Uh…no.

Special Needs Learning Resources from PCI Education

As parents, we spend years focused on our child’s education. We want to know what they’re learning, how they are progressing, how it will all fit into their future endeavors, not only with later grade levels but with life. We want to do the best we can to help them succeed. Which is why when…

Christmas Chaos and Peer Advocacy

I had my first guest post over at my personal blog last week. It is the story of a good friend who did some peer-advocacy for her son who is in first grade and has autism.

Treading Two Paths

I was so hoping this year to focus on building social scaffolding for the child at school. I’m dreaming of setting up a circle of friends who will know, understand, and advocate on her behalf as her differences become more apparent to her peers. I am just beginning the process of working out what that…

Special Needs Toy Guide

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I have been working on a toy guide for special needs kids for some time. I pitched the idea to TimetoPlaymag.com and they were just as excited as I was about it. Basically, how this guide differs from others out there, is it is compiled 100% by a mom of a special needs kid. My…

Post-IEP Discussion..

Wednesday was Jack’s IEP. Let me give you a little back story here. Jack’s “teacher” is a special education professional, who routinely wears fake hair and loud (loud isn’t the best adjective, but that’s all I can come up with) jumpers/sweaters. We refer to her as The General, because, quite frankly, that’s how she acts. Things…

Picture Exchange Communication System Hi-tech vs. Low-tech

I originally posted this on my own blog six months ago. I’ve gotten such a great response online and have had people asking me about our low-tech PECS so often that I thought I would post here as well. Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is something we’ve been working on with Chewy. Since he’s non-verbal…

…But What About the “Other” Kid?

Jack is homebound currently. We are anticipating him entering a virtual school next fall. If not, then he’ll homebound some more. Jack isn’t my only child. I have a very neuro-typical child. As a matter of fact, she’s the most wonderful kid in the whole world. She’s bright and compassionate and funny (just like her…

Getting Included in the Mainstream Classroom Despite SPD

Every school year proves to be different than the one before; this year is no different. This year though has proven to hold an interesting change; J’s teacher wants him. Now, that simple statement is convoluted and confusion. I’m sure some of you might be saying ,”of course J’s teacher wants him” or “does that…