Monday, June 27, 2011

Making Goals Monday Blog Hop

I have decided to host my 2nd blog hop - Making Goals Monday. I thought this would be a great way to start the week and get you thinking about things you would like to achieve during the week. You could either have short term, long term or daily goals. I have started thinking about this because I have become involved in a program where I have Personal Helpers and Mentors through Ozcare Sunshine Coast.



The Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs) service:
  • aims to provide increased opportunities for recovery for people whose lives are severely affected by mental illness
  • takes a strengths-based, recovery approach, and
  • assists people aged 16 years and over whose ability to manage their daily activities and to live independently in the community is impacted because of a severe mental illness.
The Personal Helpers and Mentors, employed by each service provider, support participants in their recovery journey, building long-term relationships and providing holistic support. They ensure that services accessed by participants are coordinated, integrated and complementary to other services in the community. A Personal Helper and Mentor:
  • helps participants to better manage their daily activities and reconnect to their community
  • provides direct and personalised assistance through outreach services
  • provides referrals and links with appropriate services such as drug and alcohol and accommodation services
  • works with participants in the development of Individual Recovery Plans which focus on participants' goals and recovery journey
  • engages and supports family, carers and other relationships, and
  • monitors and reports progress against each participant's Individual Recovery Plan.

The lady, Del who has started coming to see me is helping me to work on areas which I have been struggling with, mainly getting organised and having a routine. Now you might ask with 5 kids don't you have a routine to survive? Well yes and no. We have a sort of routine but it is not consistent and doesn't really help me to keep on top of the things such as the cooking and cleaning and washing. Now when I tell people this they are like you can't be too strict with a routine because you have kids. But when you have children with Autism and Asperger they actually need a pretty strict routine to help them cope. That is why I think my boys do well at school cause it has a pretty good routine and rules. That is another thing that we need to sit down and do is a set of house rules that is visual.

So my goals for this week:

  1. Sit down with the kids and work out house rules that we all agree on.
  2. Work out some a job roster for everyone (have been saying that we should do this but haven't done it yet)
  3. Work out some rewards - such as maybe having BBQ down at the park, doesn't really have to cost anything.
  4. Before getting on the computer put a load of washing and tidy up the lounge and kitchen.
  5. Spend some one on one time with each of the children with something that they want to do.
I think that should be enough for now.

Now the rules for this blog hop:
The rules are simple.
  1. Add your blog title and URL.
  2. Follow your hostess - Accepting and Embracing Autism and Featured blog (there won't be one this week due to being the first one) Also follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Network Blogs.
  3. Follow any other blogs you wish
  4. Make sure you leave a comment so that you'll get a follow back.
  5. Feel free to add your own goals that you would like to achieve.
  6. Grab our Catch a Wave Wednesday button if you'd like so that followers will know where to leave a comment.
  7. I will return the love. 
*Each week I will randomly select one of the blogs listed in the Linky to be the feature blog for the next week.*









You can also find me following other blog hops here.




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Sunday, June 26, 2011

SOOC Saturday Camera back in Action - Nature Shots

SOOC Saturday





Check out the photos below. I have posted ones of each of the kids. We have just recently got the camera running again so before I start taking more photos and posting them I thought I would show the ones I had taken with our new camera already. These are ones of nature and objects around our house.




Camera back in Action - Jessica

Well our camera which we haven't had for a long time is now back in action and I can't wait to go out and do some more photography. But before I share the new lot of photos that I will be taking I thought I would share some of the ones I took when we first got the camera.


Jessica age 3 and half.


Camera back in Action - Samuel

Well our camera which we haven't had for a long time is now back in action and I can't wait to go out and do some more photography. But before I share the new lot of photos that I will be taking I thought I would share some of the ones I took when we first got the camera.

 Samuel age 6 and half.

Camera back in Action - Matthew

Well our camera which we haven't had for a long time is now back in action and I can't wait to go out and do some more photography. But before I share the new lot of photos that I will be taking I thought I would share some of the ones I took when we first got the camera.


Camera back in Action - Nicola


Nicola at home, 2011, age 11 years.



Camera back in Action - Joshua

Well our camera which we haven't had for a long time is now back in action and I can't wait to go out and do some more photography. But before I share the new lot of photos that I will be taking I thought I would share some of the ones I took when we first got the camera.

I will do a few different posts of different things I have taken. The first ones I will post will be of each of the kids. Firstly I will do Joshua.

Joshua at Football for Caloundra Sharks.

Improve your Alexa ranking with the Alexa Blog Hop

Welcome to Alexa Blog Hop. This hop is hosted by Spearmint Baby and co-hosted by Ourfamilyworld, Kelly Lucky You and Scraps of Life. Improve your ranking with this Alexa Hop. Why is it important to improve your Alexa Ranking?
 Improve your Alexa ranking with the Alexa Blog Hop: 06/23
Having a good Alexa ranking (The lower score on Alexa, the better) improves your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and attracts sponsors. Alexa ranking is based on visits and pageviwes. Alexa counts the visits to your blog/site through their toolbar. So, if your visitor does not have a toolbar, it will not count. You can download their toolbar for free. The Alexa Toolbar will allow you to keep track of your daily traffic rank- which will give you an idea of how your blogging efforts are paying off.
If you’ve been participating to Alexa Hop the past few weeks, you have probably seen a significant improvement in your Alexa Ranking. If you are a new blogger, improve your ranking and gain new blogging friends (GFC). Our ranking has been improving since I took part of this hop!!
YOU NEED TO INSTALL THE TOOLBAR. IT IS FREE AND TAKES FEW SECONDS. There are toolbars available for Chrome, Explorer and Firefox.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

All our Christmasses - a new Trampoline!!

Well the yesterday we received a very exciting phone call. But first I will explain how the phone call came about and then you will understand why the it was exciting.

After going to the monthly Asperger meeting last year, I found out about this great advocate group.

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Parent to Parent provides families with disability specific information and assistance to make informed decisions. I had a lovely lady come out and advise me on places to contact. I spoke to her about my concerns for Matthew. Even though both the boys had been diagnosed at the same time, Samuel with Asperger and Matthew with Autism and ADHD, because Samuel was only 4 years old he was lucky because he was entitled to Helping Children with Autism package.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Holidays Are Here Again!!

As of 3pm this afternoon we will have the pleasure of Joshua, Nicola, Matthew and Samuel for 2 weeks, for the June/July holidays. These are not the easiest holidays due to being in the middle of winter. It means coming up with lots of activities that can be done in doors, although we may be lucky and have some really warm days.

Here are a few things that we might do:
  1. Because we live close by we could go and visit Australia Zoo. We recently took the kids and they loved it. Jessica is constantly asking to go back.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Great Asperger Links For Parents

The following links were taken from MY ASPERGERS CHILDIt has some really great information for parents.

HOW TO PREVENT MELTDOWNS AND TANTRUMS IN ASPERGERS CHILDREN


thankful Thursday.

Well I am participating in thankful Thursday. This is something I do all the time as I am thankful for all I have.

There are 2 verses that keep me going when times have gotten tough they are:

Philippians 4:13

 13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

and
Romans 8:28 Or that all things work together for good to those who love God, who; or that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who.

Whenever I watch things on TV where people have been through some devastating things and show such amazing strength it makes me thankful for what I have and admire those who seem to handle it so well.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Autism Awareness Wednesday Blog Hop

Welcome to the 2nd Autism Awareness Wednesday Blog Hop 
This blog hop is to help raise awareness for all of those who either have Autism or related disorders, or caring for someone.

The following information is taken from About.com:

Autism 101

Autism Spectrum Disorders can be mild or profound, and may include a surprising range of symptoms, quirks, talents and abilities. Learn more about autism -- from the early signs to diagnosis, prognosis, and important first steps.

Surprising Autism Information You Need to Know

Autism information is everywhere - and often you'll read the same content in multiple sites. You'll be surprised, though, to discover some of these tidbits of autism information that are rarely publicized.

What Are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

The way the media presents it, you'd think that autism is autism. But not so. In fact, "autism" is actually a collection of diagnoses, each a little different from the others. At its most severe, autism is sometimes termed "classic autism." But what are the other autism spectrum diagnoses?

Don't Worry - These Things Do NOT Cause Autism!

As parents hear more and more about autism in the news, they worry that anything they do (or don't do) could cause the disorder. In fact, while there is debate about what causes autism, it's clear that many things cannot cause autism.

Autism Information You Need to Know - Top Ten Autism Facts

Autism is a complex topic - but what are the MOST important things to know about autism? This quick top 10 article includes the most imortant autism facts, plus links to learn more. Share it with your mom, your child's teacher, or anyone else who asks "What is autism, anyway?"

Top Autism Myths

If you're new to the autism spectrum, you may have built your picture of autism from media stories. But it's important not to believe everything you see or hear!

Top Ten Autism Sites

There's an incredible glut of information about autism available on the web. Some is outstanding; some is ... not so outstanding. These top ten sites are reliable resources that offer solid information, useful advice, and fascinating insights into the world of autism.

Autism Coverage from About.com’s Pediatrics Guide

This article covers the basics and much more. Be sure to read the case descriptions, quotes from adults with autism, and information about treatment and prognosis.
 The only rules for this blog is to follow the 2 featured blogs below, A Helicopter Mom and Lets Talk About Me. Check out their wonderful blogs.Please be sure to follow me at Facebook and Twitter. I will return the love.


  1. A Helicopter Mom
  2. Lets Talk About Me







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I am also taking part in other blog hops here.



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New Look and New Name

I decided to give the blog a new look and new name whilst it is only fairly new. I thought that if I wait till I have more followers and get right into the whole blogging thing that it wouldn't be a good idea as it may confuse people. I firstly decided to change the name when I goggled Autism Connects and found a few sites with that name so to try and stand out I decided to change it. James and I tossed around a few ideas and came up with Accepting and Embracing Autism because you need to accept and embrace autism to have any sort of life where you can see beyond tommorrow. I suppose I was a little different to most parents when they get a diagnosis and they are totally and utterly devastated. I myself had always wondered what was wrong with me. I struggled all through primary and high school. I sort of fit in socially but was never really part of a group of girls where I was regularly meeting up and having girly days. I never had really close friends. From the outside it may have looked like I coped ok and I wasn't having too many problems cause I seemed like I was friendly and out going. On the inside was a different story. I suffered from high aniexty and depression. I now know I probably had Autism/Asperger and ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder. I also had low muscle tone. This has helped me be able to relate and also identify problems my 3rd and 4th children, Matthew and Samuel have had and led me to get them diagnosed. Although people have said to me over the years you have to be careful not to label kids I have thought about this and I feel that even with out a diagnosis they still labelled normally as naughty kids who are uncontroable. It would be amazing to see how different their schooling would have been had they had a diagnosis and had they go the help from teachers who understand why they do the things they do. It has helped us so much in the way they are taught at school and in the play ground.

Wonderfully Wired | Created to be remarkable…

Wonderfully Wired | Created to be remarkable…

I was thinking about the difference between ‘coping’ and ‘surviving’last night as I sat and chatted with a close friend that came over to visit me. I used that phrase to refer to how I am feeling personally at the moment and I realised that lately I have been a lot more in survival mode rather than actually “coping”.Read More.....


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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Wordless Wednesday and a CHERRY ON TOP AWARD too.


I feel so honoured that I got this really cute little award from Robyn at Frugalplus, so thank you very much to her and check her blog out. I have had a few issues being about to connect at the moment but will keep trying so I can go by and say thank-you.

The Rules:
  1. Thank the person that gave this to you :) Go on, give them a virtual hug!
  2.  Copy the award and put it on your blog.
  3.  List 3 things you love about yourself ♥
  4.  Post a picture/pictures you love (e.g a person you adore etc.)
  5. Tag 5 people you wish to pass this award on to :)

3 things I love about myself.
  1. I am a good mother and wife who cares deeply about my husband and children's well being. My philosophy is to treat others the way you would like to be treated. I treat each of my children as individuals and try to deal with each of them as to their personalities as well as their dissabilities. I had such a great example of what a mother should be like because my mother is the most amazing person who never is judgemental and only ever wants the best for each person she comes in contact with.
  2. My faith in God. For the many things I have been through my faith has remained stead fast. I know that He has it all in His plan. This is something that I am very thankful to my mother as well for passing onto me as she has an amazing faith in God. I pray that this is something I have then passed onto my children.
  3. I am very creative and can sew. I go through stages where I want to do this though. At the moment my creative abilities are being expressed through blogging. This is less messy then sewing and can be left when children are around, not like with sewing.

This was taken in 2007.
Sam with his 6th birthday cake.


The kids in 2007 when Jessica was only 6 weeks old.

Matthew when he was about 3 at the beach.

Jessica 3 years old Posing.

James and I at our wedding 11 July, 1998.

Josh at about 5 months old, 1998.

Nicola at about 7 months old, 2000.


The 5 blogs I am going to give my award to are the following. Please check them out. It  will be  well worth it.
  1. Crystal at 3 Princes And A Princess 2 
  2. Lori at  A Day in Motherhood 
  3. Mickey at   A Helicopter Mom 
  4. Andrea at Angelica's Awesome Adventures
  5. Lee Anne at The Life of Riley




Sarah
****************************************************************************



You can find me at the following blog hops:





Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Autism Awareness Wednesday Blog Hop - 1st one Ever.

Welcome to the very 1st Autism Awareness Wednesday Blog Hop 
Well I know I have only been doing this blog for a short time, but I did do another one previously to do with craft and had a blog hop with that has well. So I thought that I would start another one. So here I go welcome to the very first Autism Awareness Wednesday Blog Hop. Please be sure to follow me at Facebook and Twitter. I will return the love.


Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. People with ASD have problems with social and communication skills. Many people with ASD also have unusual ways of learning, paying attention, or reacting to sensations. It is part of a group of disorders known as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In most cases its causes are unknown. Today, 1 in 160 individuals is diagnosed with autism. To learn more go here.
As the weeks go by I will choose 2 different bloggers to feature in the following week.
 Sarah


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Developing Gross Motor Skills

The following information was taken from ACT Now.

Some children with autism are agile, well coordinated and nimble (ask a mum whose child climbs the fence and walks on the neighbour’s roof!) whilst others have problems with their gross motor skills and can be clumsy or awkward in their movements and generally poorly coordinated.

Why are gross motor skills important?


Gross motor skills are those that require the larger muscle groups for function: running, jumping, hopping, climbing and ball skills etc.




 As a child develops gross motor skills, other skill areas are also developing, such as eye-hand/foot coordination, sensory functioning (visual, tactile, kinaesthetic, auditory modalities), the skills to work and play within a team and sporting environment, and the development of self-confidence and a positive self image.
Josh Playing Rugby League
Gross motor difficulties in a child with autism may be in part due to:
- proprioception problems (awareness of body in space)
- lack of motivation to participate in and therefore practice these activities
- avoidance because of the social nature of many of these activities (e.g. sports)
- limited strength or muscle endurance
- lack of confidence or a fear of moving equipment
- difficulty problem solving in order to develop skills

How can we help gross motor skill development?

It is important to encourage children with autism to participate in gross motor activities in a gradual and supportive way. The activities presented also need to be appropriate to the child’s developmental level to ensure comfortable participation with minimal fear/anxiety, and to increase the likelihood of success in these activities.

If a child with autism is fearful of movement activities, the key to improving their skills will be to increase their confidence in a range of balance and movement activities. To build up confidence, activities need to be graded, starting with those that are least threatening and gradually introducing activities requiring a higher level of skill and confidence.

Always remember the child’s developmental level when choosing activities.
The following is a list of fun, motivating activities to develop a child’s gross motor skills, strength and confidence. Keep the activities short, simple and fun!



Scooter board fun 1:
Ask the child to lie, sit or kneel (more difficult), on a skateboard and encourage him to propel himself around the floor using his hands.
Scooter board fun 2:
Alternatively, ask the child to sit/kneel/lie on the scooter board/skateboard and pull on a suspended rope (or you can hold it) to move around the room
Walking/Marching:
Raise knees as high as possible with each step – a nice activity when done to marching band music




Obstacle courses:
Make your own. Climb through, under, over objects, walk on lines, footprints, planks, rough ground, etc.















Simon Says:
Simon says be as small/tall as you can, stretch out, be stiff/floppy, be happy/sad, be still/wriggly, roll up/stretch out












Throwing beanbags in sequence:
Throw beanbags into 3 containers 1,2,3, and then 1,2,3 again. Repeat and do it as fast as possible.












Balls up Jumper:
Place ping pong balls up his jumper and see if he can get them out without looking.











 Balance activities:
Walk on a line, a beam, backwards on a beam, stand still with eyes shut, on all fours and take same leg and arm off ground, stand on one leg and then with eyes shut.
































See-saw:
Carry things (blocks, puzzle pieces, etc.) from one side of the see-saw to the other, trying to keep your balance as you complete your task. You may like to sing “Jack and Jill”, as the child carries a bucket of water, trying not to spill it as he walks.


Washing laundry:
Tell the child you are going to pretend that he is dirty washing, and that you’re going to put him in your pretend washing machine. Roll him up in a blanket, and then add some balls or beanbags as the detergent. Swing the blanket from side to side and wiggle it around as you “wash” him (for as long as he’s enjoying it). Tell the child it’s time to rinse off. This is when you spin him, by moving the blanket around in a circular motion (rather than side-to-side). Now he can get out of the machine, but you roll him up in a different blanket nice and tight to dry him off. If you have monkey bars, or something he can hang from easily enough, you might like to get him to hang from the “washing line” for as long as he can.

















Swing and Kick:
Set up some empty bottles like skittles in front of a swing. Ask the child to try to swing over to the bottles and kick as many of them over as possible. Alternatively, he can lay on his tummy on the swing, and try to knock the bottles over with his hands as he swings.


















• Shop ‘til you drop:
Give the child a “shopping list” of different pictures they are to find hidden around the room. Use a laundry basket for the trolley, that he is required to push around the room as he goes. Make the items that you hide different weights, so the basket gets heavier as he goes along (rice bags, pumpkins, laundry powder, juice containers are all good heavy items). You may like to give him some clues to work on prepositions (under, behind, in, on, etc.), or just leave him to his own devices.

















Shoe box path:
Keep boxes of different sizes. Ask the child to line them up or make a road with them. Tell him that they are stepping stones in the “water”, and to see if he can make it from one side of the room to the other only using the boxes, or “stepping stones” to stand in.

Movement activities in the preschool environment
Some children have difficulty with their movement development because they need more movement than other children, and seek movement in inappropriate ways and at inappropriate times.
The following activities can be helpful for a child who seeks movement at inappropriate times and in inappropriate ways in the preschool environment. By providing activities such as these interspersed throughout the child’s day, it is likely the child will not feel the need to move around in ways that disturb other children (and staff):

Use a chair on wheels or a chair the child can rotate on whilst focusing on the task at hand
















Provide a “sit-n-move” malleable cushion for ongoing movement input whilst completing seated work.

















• Break up seated tasks with some movement, e.g. table top activities interspersed with physical activities (dress-ups or a chance to run around to collect items from outside to use in indoor activities).
• Ask the child to collect an item from across the room when becoming fidgety on the mat at group times (a tissue for the teacher, the book to read, show and tell items, etc.).
• Include songs during mat time where the children will have the opportunity to get up and wriggle around, particularly bending over and changing speeds.
• Ask the child to be the “helper” to pass out items or pack them away during seated group times.
• Engage in physical activity before a seated task.
• Introduce some outdoor equipment (mini-trampoline, climbing frames, tunnels, etc.) into the indoor environment.




















• Encourage the child to select the heavier items when packing away toys.
• Introduce an obstacle course. This provides some structure to the child’s movements when outside. Climb through, under, over objects, walk on lines, footprints, planks, rough ground, etc.

Sarah


You can find me blog hoping at:




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