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Forest Cottage Centre Email Newsletter: August 2007

The Return of Forest Cottage!

Last August I took a one-year sabbatical. It was an excellent time to refresh and focus on teaching and writing. We are putting the final touches on our book for parents about how to get help from professionals and how to manage day-to-day life with a severe behaviour child. Hopefully it will head to the publisher this Fall.

I am back in my office and taking appointments. Priority will be given to past clients but I am accepting new clients at this time. Please contact me if you would like to set up an appointment or schedule a workshop in your area.

Tips for having a great summer!

Summer time can be particularly challenging for parents (and children). While most of us welcome the slower pace, many children feel disoriented by the lack of structure and cues. School life provides a flow to the day and a sense of security. Consider the following tips to help you make it through the rest of the summer.

#1 – Build in Your Own Structure: Set an agenda for the day and post it on the fridge or wall. Even if the activities just include playing in the yard, doing errands, and making dinner, write these up so kids feel like there is a plan in place. Be sure to include at least one fun item each day.

#2 – Add Even More Structure if Kids Need it! Some kids can't manage without a daily activity and they do not function well at home. Consider sending your child to a day program or summer camp. Although some parents feel guilty about the idea of a summer program when they will be home, your child may need this external structure and it will make transitioning to school less of an adjustment in September.

#3 – Keep Them on Their Medication: Some parents feel that they should give their kids a break from their medication over the summer when they don't need to "focus." Then they spend their summer yelling at a child who does not stay organized, does not complete their tasks, or do well on family outings. If your child needs medication for school, they probably need it even more during unstructured summer time.

#4 – Start planning for Fall: Now is the time to write out a list of what your child needs when they head back to school in terms of their IEP. When you are not stressed and have time to reflect on last year, write down a few things that went well and a few things that still need work. Then you'll be ready when IEP meetings are called.

#5 – Take A Break: If your whole family is feeling stressed out from spending more time with your challenging child at home, schedule a special time for your challenging child with a child care worker or respite provider and then do a family outing without them. Do not emphasize the separation or suggest that it is a punishment but do take the time to ensure that your other children have fun with you this summer, without your other child sabotaging it.

#6 – Get Silly: Plan some super fun events to make this August memorable. Have a whipped cream, silly string or water fight outside. Eat supper backwards, starting with dessert. Have a costume party for dinner. There are lots of things that kids can get excited about. Some of our kids can't handle too much change but it is important that we try to get them to just be kids some of the time. Adjust the level of silliness according their ability to handle change.

Upcoming Workshops

Fall 2007 - Date TBA - Dawson Creek Attachment Disorder Workshop
Oct. 2007 - Whitehorse, Teacher's Association Workshop