having it all enriching the lives of parents of special needs individuals
TRANSCRIPT
Having It AllHaving It All
Enriching the Lives of Parents Enriching the Lives of Parents of Special Needs Individualsof Special Needs Individuals
DedicationDedication
The inspiration for this The inspiration for this presentation has come from the presentation has come from the many parents of special needs many parents of special needs individuals that I have had the individuals that I have had the
pleasure of meeting throughout pleasure of meeting throughout my 28 years as a speech my 28 years as a speech
pathologist and from being a pathologist and from being a mother to Blake, my child with mother to Blake, my child with
autism. autism.
We Are DifferentWe Are DifferentWelcome to Welcome to
the Clubthe Club
How the Heck Did How the Heck Did We Get Here?We Get Here?
Depending on the Depending on the disability, the disability, the journey begins at journey begins at different timesdifferent times
Is This My Life?Is This My Life?
Sometimes, the stress Sometimes, the stress takes it’s toll….takes it’s toll….
What About MeWhat About MeI love my child(ren) with special needs, but….
But is It Possible ?But is It Possible ?
YESYES
Val’s Journey-How It BeganVal’s Journey-How It Began
Perfect Life?Perfect Life?
Heavens, No!!!Heavens, No!!!
But I am fulfilledBut I am fulfilled
How Did I Get HereHow Did I Get Here
The Method to My MadnessThe Method to My Madness
OOrganizingrganizing
CCentralizingentralizing
DDelegating elegating
OOrganizingrganizing
Making ListsMaking Lists Scheduling to Maximize Time Scheduling to Maximize Time
and Effortsand Efforts PrioritizingPrioritizing
Master Lists and SchedulesMaster Lists and Schedules
Grocery ListGrocery List Monthly Meal ScheduleMonthly Meal Schedule Cleaning ScheduleCleaning Schedule Family JobsFamily Jobs Trip List by Climate and ActivityTrip List by Climate and Activity Family Medication ScheduleFamily Medication Schedule Weekly Therapy ScheduleWeekly Therapy Schedule Extra-Curricular ScheduleExtra-Curricular Schedule Monthly Bill ScheduleMonthly Bill Schedule
Dynamic Lists and SchedulesDynamic Lists and Schedules
Weekly Social ActivitiesWeekly Social Activities Exceptions to the norm such as Exceptions to the norm such as
School Holidays School Holidays
Prioritize Your Prioritize Your ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities
CCentralizingentralizing
Your child with special needs Your child with special needs needs to be the center of your needs to be the center of your existence. Meet the needs of existence. Meet the needs of this child first, and then this child first, and then everything else will fall into everything else will fall into place. Do it in reverse and your place. Do it in reverse and your life will be constant chaos.life will be constant chaos.
The Center of Your UniverseThe Center of Your Universe
Identifying who is your sun and Identifying who is your sun and what are the planets in your what are the planets in your world that revolve around your world that revolve around your sun…If you get my driftsun…If you get my drift
My Sun My Sun
Get Over the Get Over the Guilt-What it Guilt-What it
Doesn’t MeanDoesn’t Mean
What We Will Be DoingWhat We Will Be Doing
We will base many decisions, We will base many decisions, both significant and not as both significant and not as significant, on the needs of our significant, on the needs of our special needs child(ren).special needs child(ren).
We will create our life around We will create our life around their needstheir needs
Little DecisionsLittle Decisions
Big DecisionsBig Decisions
Reduce the Size of Your Reduce the Size of Your UniverseUniverse
Smaller home-less to doSmaller home-less to do Do your children really need to Do your children really need to
do so many extra-curricular do so many extra-curricular activities?activities?
Try to keep the family’s extra-Try to keep the family’s extra-curricular and leisure activities curricular and leisure activities close to home or AT homeclose to home or AT home
The ResultThe Result
Surrendering to the reality of our Surrendering to the reality of our life sets us emotionally freelife sets us emotionally free
We can create a world that is in We can create a world that is in balance with our realitybalance with our reality
Our life is structured according Our life is structured according to a plan to a plan
Our life runs much more Our life runs much more smoothlysmoothly
An Ever-Changing ScenarioAn Ever-Changing Scenario It will need an occasional tweakIt will need an occasional tweak There may need to be major There may need to be major
changes when major factors changes when major factors changechange
Needs will change-our life will Needs will change-our life will changechange
Flexibility Flexibility FlexibilityFlexibility Flexibility Flexibility
DDelegatingelegating If you have a natural talent at If you have a natural talent at
organizing and centralizing, you organizing and centralizing, you probably will have issues with probably will have issues with delegating. The reverse may be delegating. The reverse may be true as well.true as well.
Natural organizers are Natural organizers are perfectionists which often make perfectionists which often make them poor at delegating.them poor at delegating.
But you can learn….But you can learn….
Of course, I am Of course, I am referring to referring to
myself.myself.
Benefits of Benefits of DelegatingDelegating
How To BeginHow To Begin
ME
YOU
Delegating TipsDelegating Tips
If delegating seems to be tough for If delegating seems to be tough for you, go slowly.you, go slowly.
Utilize everyone-including your child Utilize everyone-including your child with special needswith special needs
Designing a job chart in your house Designing a job chart in your house with the appropriate rewards will help with the appropriate rewards will help to promote successto promote success
Try hard not to criticize others even if Try hard not to criticize others even if they don’t complete the task as well they don’t complete the task as well as you would do it.as you would do it.
Other Ways to Improve Your Other Ways to Improve Your LifeLife
Take the
Life Satisfaction Survey
Set GoalsSet Goals
Leisure ActivitiesLeisure Activities Family LifeFamily Life CareerCareer Your Child with Special NeedsYour Child with Special Needs Your Other ChildrenYour Other Children Community ServiceCommunity Service
Take Care of YourselfTake Care of Yourself
Working OutWorking Out Taking VitaminsTaking Vitamins Eating wellEating well Getting sleepGetting sleep Relaxation TechniquesRelaxation Techniques Visualization TechniquesVisualization Techniques Develop HobbiesDevelop Hobbies Music as therapyMusic as therapy
New Philosophy:New Philosophy:You FirstYou First
Make Friends With Other Make Friends With Other Parents with Special Needs Parents with Special Needs ChildrenChildren
Join Support GroupsJoin Support Groups VolunteerVolunteer Family ClubsFamily Clubs Parent Co-OpParent Co-Op Special Needs PlaygroupsSpecial Needs Playgroups
History of the Family ClubHistory of the Family Club
•Started in 1999
•The purpose was to offer community-based activities for families
that have special needs individuals
•We recognized that it is often difficult for
these families to participate in regular community activities
Why Our Are Events Why Our Are Events SuccessfulSuccessful
•We ask establishments to modify the environment to make
it more conducive for our families
•We always cover fees for the special needs individual
•We often cover fees for the other family members or
arrange for discounts
•We are able to be relaxed since we are together as a group.
•WE ARE OPEN TO ALL FAMILIES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
INDIVIDUALS!!!
Here are some of the fun activities that we do:
FUNFUN
MOVIESMOVIES
The Metro ZooThe Metro Zoo
Families enjoyed a private tram tour of Metrozoo.
Mom’s Night Mom’s Night OutOut
Summer BowlingSummer Bowling
PartiesParties
The Parrot JungleThe Parrot Jungle