2nd Annual SonRise Christmas party 2012

Our Christmas Party was again a HUGE success!!! Thanks everybody for coming and for bringing your Christmas spirit!

Visit to the Christmas Train 2012

This is the third year we go to the Christmas Train at Alvin. The  kids really enjoyed it! 

Qigong Massage on Liam - Video 2

I could not upload Part 2 here, so I uploaded it at Vimeo. Follow this link:

https://vimeo.com/55829030



Qigong Massage on Liam - Video 3

Qigong Massage on Liam - Video 1

Yulene suggested starting a daily program of Quigong Massage on the kids. The program lasts 5 months. We will go through a 30 minute video at the group meeting. We also have these 3 videos of Pam actually practicing some of the movements on Liam. Take a look. Yulene says it only takes about 15 minutes to do the exercises, so we could do them in all your sessions.

First Christmas Pictures of 2012

I am a bit behind in pictures this Christmas, but I thought these were a great start!

Our Saturday date

On Saturday, Jordan and Mary were super sick, Daddy had a cold, Liam was a bit down with this tummy (and then played with Justin), so Tony, Duch and I went out on a date. First, they got haircuts at Snip-Its, then we went to Barnes and Noble and got Lego Sticker books, then we went to get frozen yogurt, then back to Barnes and Noble, and finished up with Half Price bookstore and Party City. Lots of action!

This picture is very important because it is the first time Duchis eats frozen yogurt. I let her tried the chocolate (the non-sugar added one) one from Tony's cup, and she said she wanted "a little bit". She got her own cup with a little bit of chocolate frozen yogurt and she ate it, first with tiny scoops, then bigger ones. Of course the yogurt has casein, but I think she can handle it now, so she looked good today. Go Duch going to eat out!

Angela and Duch's funny faces

Loved this pictures that Angela sent me!

Happy!

Sad!

Surprised!

Shocked!

Group meeting - Nov 3

We look like a LEGO commercial!

This is in honor of Harry Potter's owl!

Thanks for all of you who came to the group meeting today.

We focused part of the meeting on exploring games from the SonRise blog that could help Duch with communication. The three goals we will focus with Duch this month will be:
1. Making herself understood
2. Conversations
3. Asking and answering questions

For Liam, we continue with the goals of expanding his play and his language, but we will do it through different games we haven’t played in the past.

Here is the list of games that we will try. I will get the poster boards tomorrow. All videos are 3 to 5 minutes long.

House game – try new activities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzdJMZ9pXgI&feature=player_embedded#
Create your own world game
http://blog.autismtreatmentcenter.org/2010/10/games-games-games_08.html
Express your own opinion
http://blog.autismtreatmentcenter.org/2010/10/express-your-opinion.html
3 Videos in this link:
Introducing a theme
Coming into games
Visual sensory input
http://blog.autismtreatmentcenter.org/2010/05/game-ideas-three-new-ideas.html
Games with simple rules
http://blog.autismtreatmentcenter.org/2010/05/game-ideas-three-new-ideas.html
Hats
http://blog.autismtreatmentcenter.org/2010/12/games-games-games.html
Conversations
http://blog.autismtreatmentcenter.org/2010/08/creative-conversations-new-game-idea.html
Friends board game
http://blog.autismtreatmentcenter.org/2009/09/game-idea.php
Make yourself understood – letter game
http://blog.autismtreatmentcenter.org/2011/01/games-games-games_21.html

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I also distributed these two set of ideas for Duch, specially. One is for making herself understood and the other is a Harry Potter game. I have these in printouts, too.

Making Yourself Understood

Only use your words.
• Create pictures that your child looks at and then has to get you to draw the exact same picture by only using their words.

• Create an obstacle course together with your child, then blind fold yourself and have your child guide your around the course by only using their words.

• Take turns being the talker and the listener.

The above game ideas will help your child strengthen their ability to use language to convey all the information needed, and see the literal effect of what happens when they do not give all the info - for example a different picture is drawn,- or you are not able to do the obstacle course. For children who learn visually this is excellent.

When, Who , What?

• Create stories together that have these three components, when did it happen, who was there, and what exactly took place.

• To begin with you can create stories that are written on three different cards, on the first card it is entitled, WHEN you just write when it happen, and then the second card is WHO which states who was there, and third card say with WHAT happened. Bring them in and read them to your child, highlighting the three important pieces of information each story has.

• Make the stories fun, following your child motivations, if your child is into Dora the Explorer make it about one of her adventures.

• Make up stories together, using the sequence of When, Who and Where.

• When you share your own stories make it clear that you are sharing first when, then who and then where etc.
===========================================
A Harry Potter Game Idea

You could dress up with a wizard hat made out of a cardboard cone and use anything as a wand that it is safe to use with your child, a drumstick, a plastic drumstick, a chopstick or even a wand made of paper. For the ones who enjoy creating things, you can even have fun creating and decorating together the wizard hat and wand.

This is a wikipedia list of spells in the Harry Potter books and movies, choose the ones that you think your child is going to enjoy the effect of or the ones you think you can enact in a funny way such as Alohomora, which opens doors, so that you could dramatically open for example a cupboard door and have some toys fall out in a funny way, or Densaugeo, which causes the teeth to grow too much, so that you could place some huge cardboard teeth in front of your teeth for a slapstick effect.

Print, cut out and preferably laminate for prolonged use, cards with a few spells with a short description to remind you what they do. Place them in a sack or shoe box, that could be decorated as a magic box, and have your child draw out for you the spell you are going to cast. The trick is, your wand is broken just like Ron Weasley's in the story and whatever spell you cast it goes back on yourself. Make sure you keep all the props you need at hand to get some really funny stunts from the spells falling on yourself so that your child is inspired to take the next card.

The challenge here is stretching your child's attention span and getting him/her to participate in the game. The more he/she participates the more you can add on perhaps ask your child to use language or to look at you in order to fix your wand

HAVE FUN! and let me know how the ideas are going!

3rd Annual SonRise Halloween Party

Best picture ever! Tony and Duch Potter!

Official picture of the 3rd Annual SonRise Halloween Party of the Rodriguez Team

Our Lego girls and Ghost Buster guys

Love it!

Our 2nd official picture!

Mr. and Mrs. photogenic!



Trick or treat with Kristen!

This is what I call a Labor of LOVE! Thanks!!!!

The two boys of the SonRise team (+ daddy, of course)

Feel the love

Trick or treat with Mary!

Hogwarts faculty and students :)

Having fun at the Haunted Room

 

Trick or treat with Kaffie

Group Meeting - September 2012

We are all about music!

Here are the notes of the meeting:

DUCH

Observation: Duchis is initating games more.

Goal: Help Duchis to initiate consistently.
·         Upon entering the room, animatedly and excitedly expect for Duchis to make a suggestion.
·         Wait for Duchis for at least 5 minutes, then give more ideas such as, “I’m here to play! What are we gonna do? Hmm?” Wait again.
·         After waiting for some time, make comments about all of the toys on the shelf. Also, feel free to explain to Duchis that we can do whatever she wants.
·         Jump and respond quickly to ANY of Duchis’ ideas. For example, Duchis said, “Hide the squirrell.” Run and offer the activity in an enthusiastic way.
·         Celebrate her ideas and tell her what a wonderful and fun idea it is.
·         After 20 minutes, introduce your game and keep it open for her to build on it.
·         Remember that being non-directive and allowing Dusya to initiate games is another step in helping her to be even more social than she is. The goal is for her to go to any girl in the park or school and tell her: “hey, let’s play ….”

Observation: Duchis is flying from idea to idea.
Goal: Invite Duchis to be consistent in lengthening and sticking with her initiations.

·         Call her back to the game.
·         Tell her: Wait, wait, What are you looking for? What do you want to do? What happened with _____ that we were playing? Will we come back to ____? Are we putting _____ away?
·         Help Duchis to SLOW DOWN and PAUSE, and be aware that she is switching and that she had had a wonderful idea before.
·         Weave everything back to her original idea.
·         Make the idea bigger and bring it to life.

Observation: Duchis is using more spontaneous with her friendship skills/expressions

Goal: Help Duchis to be consistent in her friendship skills (E.g. hi, bye, what’s your name and age, please, thank you).
·         Each time you begin an imagination game, start at the very beginning with introductions. MODEL with all of the characters and show the fluidity of the back and forth conversation.
·         Each time you enter the room and leave the room, take several moments to say hello and good bye. Also, upon transitions model with one another.
·         Use non-verbals when you enter the room. Animatedly, wave your hand back and forth and anticipate a response.

Observation: Scripting is going down

What to do when Duchis scripts?
·         Build off of Duchis’ ideas!! Especially as she is just getting into an interaction.
·         Once in an interaction and Duchis scripts and it does not fit appropriately into the game, “call her on it.” (E.g. Wait, what does a click have to do with our party?)

Observation: Language is more and more complex

Goal: Help Duch to keep expanding her language
·         When Duchis makes mistakes with pronouns (e.g., “I help you” instead of “help me”), explain to her what she is saying and model to her what she should say instead. Model with her toys, too.
·         Rely on open-ended questions more. Multiple-choice questions and yes/no questions are very easy for her. The challenge is the open-ended questions, so keep exposing her to those and WAIT for an answer.

LIAM

Observation:  On some days Liam is very regulated, on other days he relies on some of his calming behaviors (e.g., tearing paper, sitting on the grass, throwing balls, more swinging)

·         Assess the type of day. If he needs more regulation, and for example, wants to do puzzles over and over away, follow his lead and try to show him novel ways to complement the puzzle (songs, sounds, dialogues, hiding pieces, etc).
·         In the case of paper, put some boundaries. Find recycle paper or newspaper and limit it to a certain number of pieces. Once he is done with those pieces he can keep tearing those same pieces. Find another calming activity to do, like jumping, squeezing, deep pressure hugs, etc.
·         Keep promoting your game, but join Liam when he needs a break.
·         If he goes away and hides under pillows or under a blanket, make a game out of that.

Goal: Help Liam to have a clear and specific way to participate in games.

·         Give Liam directions as you model the game you are playing. Remember to model the game with enthusiasm, slapstick, sound effects and silly energy to entertain and grab Liam’s attention. Once he is invested request for his to participate physically versus verbally. Saying things is harder for him, doing things is easier for him. When you ask Liam to participate ask him to imitate your actions.
·         Continue to introduce imagination games as well as board games. Remember to break each game into steps.
·         Strongly request from Liam!! Even if he walks away, call him back to the game. And, just because he may not do it at first does not mean he won’t do it the next time you ask!
·         Even when he is asking you for kisses and tickles, after a while, asking him to give you kisses and tickles, too.

Goal: Model language within the game and make it fun.

·         Continue to show Liam the fun of communicating and talking to another by backing off on specific requests for specific sentences/words etc. Instead do more commenting.
·         When you do request language from Liam, request for him to imitate silly sounds and silly ways of using your voice.

Goal: Help Liam with the consistency of the language (e.g., saying yes and no, using “give me” appropriately etc.)

·         When Liam is at the shelf asking for something and you figure out what it is, ask him. Is this what you wanted? Then, respond to him literally.
·         Continue to use head nods or shakes as you are helping him to say the word that you think he wants. Refrain from verbally using the word.
·         Remember to change your dialogue with Liam if you find yourself going around in circles or he continues to repeat what you say.
·         Use full explanations with Liam. For example, “Liam, think about what you are saying. I cannot give you a swing. Try again. What else could you say to be clearer?”
·         Acknowledge Liam when he repeats by saying, “Liam, you are repeating all of my words. Try again with your own words.”
·         Celebrate when Liam is clear. He has been using his words and phrases in a stronger voice as well as being more spontaneous. Acknowledge all of it!

SUGGESTIONS OF GAMES RELATED TO TARGET OR OTHER PLACES LIAM IS TALKING ABOUT:

1.       Bring a Map of the US (we have one) and lots of little logos of Target and other stores:
·         Put the logos on the States and talk about the number of Targets in Georgia, etc
·         Pretend you are buying stuff in different States
·         Count total number of Targets

2.       Jeopardy game with different store logos:

·         When you walk into Target, the first thing you smell is that food you get in the movie theater ….. which food is that?
·         When you walk into Target, the first thing you see is: ……
·         Give him Clues for things you see in stores

3.       Bring the play money and the target flyers and see how much money you need to buy things.

4.       Play the “Where would you rather go?” game
·         Bring a bunch of logos from the internet.
·         Show him two logos at a time.  Would you rather buy tomatoes at Heb or Target? Would you rather go to NASA or the Zoo?
His part in the game is making choices. Your part of the game is asking the questions and commenting on his answers.

Some of September's water activities

We had lots of water fun in September! Enjoy the pictures!


Visiting Cari's family at the beach

Two great friends!

With our "Katie Holmes" sunglasses

Liam is loving the waves!

We went to Palm Beach!

Liam was ready for a snack of seaweed

Visiting Mary's parents' pool

Duch wanted to tan



Jordan's and Tony's serious faces

Fearless!

I had the most amazing time at my Fearless seminar at the Option Institute (home of the SonRise program). I just love that place! I learned a lot and I feel so light! No more fears for me, just appreciation, determination, love, and trust :) Here are a few pictures:

This picture has a total of 5 SonRise moms! :)

Here is Raun, the very first SonRise child. He is very funny and energetic in this classes!!!