In Which We Find Out How I Keep Sane

13 ways Send Chocolate copes with autism and homeschooling in her family 1. weighted blankets. Both the kids have weighted blankets that they sleep with or otherwise use for relaxing or quelling anxiety. JBear's blanket is about 15 lbs. JBean's blanket is 7 lbs. The idea of the weight is that the pressure on the proprioceptive system serves as a calming factor. 2. swinging. Another way of calming, this time with the vestibular system. Swinging helps to balance the system by regulating the inner ear. 3. lunges, wall shoves and wheelbarrow rides. Large motor work also helps to give calm the system by giving pressure input. 4. sensory diet: bean bags, bubbles, feathers, modeling clay, squeezy ball... all serve to help regulate the system and keep balance. Also, .gum helps my son to concentrate and attend to his school work 5. Schedule. In this house, the schedule is often the king. We have a white board and three assignments at a time are written on it. As they are completed, they get a checkmark. We also have schedules on the fridge of what we are doing on a weekly basis. There is a schedule of the events that take place before school work starts, as well as a list of subjects to be completed each day...the weekly schedule. 6. frequent breaks. Setting the kids up for success is the best approach. Small periods of work, about twenty minutes, and then a break for large motor work 7.The Incredible 5 pt scale. I use this here for many things. For my daughter, I use it for her voice volume. 1 =silence 2-=whisper/library voice 3= conversational voice 4= playground/outside voice 5= the house is on fire voice when she is too loud, I remind her what level her voice is at, and what voice works better. It helps. For my son, we use it for his anger (we used to use it for volume, but have moved on) 1= pretty comfortable, body feeling good, no tension 2 =antsy, but more happy than not 3= tension starting, feeling stressed 4= starting to mouth off, feeling tense, jaw clenched, no violence 5= abusive names, possible hitting ..time for social separation! 8. Wilbarger Brushing techique: this is a protocol for helping a child get over sensory defensiveness. You use a soft plastic brush, similar to a surgical brush and brush all the parts of the child's body except for torso. about every hour. This creates brain connections in order to help the child get over the sensory difficulties, such as touch, that can cause problems. 9. trampoline. We have a mini tramp that I have my son jump on when he gets antsy. My daughter doesn't enjoy it, however. 10. Anger workbook. I am walking my son through cognitive behavior therapy in order that he might get a handle on his frustration. We just started, but I am a huge fan of cognitive behavior therapy, so I am optimistic. 11. baths. When the day is really, really bad, I fill up the tub, add some mag salts, and the kid gets to stew for a while. 12. social stories. Carol Gray wrote these stories as a blueprint for how to behave and to give a warning to upcoming events in a tangible way the child can understand. The child's name is added to the story and in a very matter-of-fact way with no value judgments, only facts. 13. lots of hugs for the kids, and Starbucks for me! T, who mostly has it down to a science

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