Family Flexibility: How To Ask Your Boss For A Flexible Schedule - Parenthood.com

This article shows a doable way to pull this off - it's very close to how I managed to go part-time.  I have set hours, but they are very flexible.  It helps that my employer is very understanding about special needs kids and how that makes our schedules volatile at times.

Family Flexibility: How To Ask Your Boss For A Flexible Schedule - Parenthood.com

Sensory Friendly Monsters Inc. at Kendall 10 in Oswego, IL

Go!

Part of this year's New Year holiday was Todd's obsession with both the "Go Diego Go" theme song and "Hold Still"(with the lyrics "wiggle wiggle wiggle go!") from Yo Gabba Gabba.

This morning, Todd pulled me out of bed and toward the kitchen for his breakfast while saying, "Go! Go!"  A few hundred YouTube views of those songs paid off!! :) Happy New Year!!

 

Fundraiser for Gigi's Playhouse at the Oak Lawn Children's Museum this Friday, 1/4/13

Christmas

Christmas was relatively painless this year.  Once again, we were able to put up the tree.  In past years, Todd pulled the down the tree so much, we always gave up and just put it away.  He was like a cat, just couldn’t resist climbing up in there and timber…

This year the tree stayed up.  He was tempted by the lights a few times.  He would stare at me with his finger moving in slow motion toward the lights.  Sometimes he stared at me with his open mouth in slow motion moving toward the lights.  Electrocution would have really put quite a damper on Christmas, but my disapproving return stare was enough to deter him.

Both sides of the family have gotten good at getting Todd-proof gifts.  No small chokeable pieces, nothing with stuffing that he can rip open and eat, just sturdy heavy-duty stuff and touch screen electronic toys that light up.  Nothing that makes too much noise – not that it’s a sensory overstimulation for the kids – it’s a sensory overstimulation for Daddy. J

Todd’s class went to Orland Square Mall to see Santa.  His teacher told me Todd quietly sat on Santa’s lap, touched his cheek very gently and smiled.  Sean’s class also visited Santa and both kids were sent home with the sweetest photos of Santa with their class.  They did the same thing last year.  Last year, Todd’s class photo with Santa showed Todd freaking and turning away from the camera.  This year, he was calm and posed, smiling nicely.  Like I always say, little things mean a lot, especially with ASD kids!

message from school

This morning, I received the following email from my kids' school:

**The Elim Christian School community offers our thoughts and prayers for the families of Newtown, Connecticut. We grieve with that community as colleagues, as parents, and as fellow Americans as they try to deal with this senseless tragedy. Like many of you, I’m sure, I cannot make any sense of this horrific situation. I’m confident we will hear more details about the how and why of this tragedy, but there is no real way to come to an understanding of this. And while I can’t understand it I can call on our God in heaven who promises in Hebrews 13:5, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

I also want to let you know that the safety and welfare of your children, our students, is our top priority. We have crisis policies and procedures in place, and we practice lock down drills twice yearly. In the next few weeks I plan to review our procedures with the administrative staff and with the local law enforcement agencies to make sure we are doing everything possible to keep students and staff safe. If your child has questions or concerns related to this incident please let us know and we will have one of our counselors speak with them.

Many of you know that Elim has a trained comfort dog named Abbi. Mr. Griffin, assistant principal for Crossroads, went with Abbi to Newtown so that Abbi can do what she is trained to do, and that is to comfort some of the people impacted by this tragedy. Please pray that Abbi will be a blessing to those who need her and pray for the children and families impacted by this terrible and violent act. Pray that somehow they might rest in the knowledge that our God is there with them in their sorrow.**

 

I'm sorry we live in a world where it is necessary for our children to practice lockdown drills.  I'm also glad the boys' school did what little they could to help an enormous situation. Little things mean a lot, as we continue to pray for those who continue to suffer and will continue to suffer for some time from what happened last week.

Special Needs Movie Event 12/22/12 in Orland Park-Monsters, Inc.

Ability On The Go!  presents:

 

Monsters Inc in 2D

 

Who:  Children and Adults with Special Needs

(Family and friends are welcome, too!)

 

Where:  Marcus Theater in Orland Park, IL

(16350 South LaGrange Road. Orland Park, IL)

 

When:   Saturday, December 22nd @ 10:00 a.m.

(NO PREVIEWS - movie begins promptly at 10am)

 

Cost:  $6.50 for ticket and popcorn

(Purchase tickets at the counter upon arrival – cash & credit cards accepted)

 

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Enjoy a new-release movie with your entire family in an understanding environment

without the worry of possible disruptive behavior causing a scene. 

 

SENSORY CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE:

·      Reduced volume of movie (please note:  there is an uncontrollable burst of noise at the very start of show; volume is able to be adjusted once movie begins)

·      Dimmed lighting (not completely dark)

·      NO PREVIEWS!

 

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Registration is not required, but an RSVP is greatly appreciated to plan accordingly for staffing and accessibility for all movie-goers.

 

Please e-mail Jennifer Koller: slpjen@gmail.com by Thursday, December 20th