Monthly Archives: May 2011

The magic of perspective and the perspective of magic: teaching sleight of mind

Posted on May 28, 2011 by

There can be surprising effectiveness in addressing an issue from an unexpected angle or finding another way. Thus, I have been teaching H the skills of a magician and encouraging him to do ‘magic shows‘ for friends and family. This … Continue reading →

Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Intervention, ToM (Theory of Mind) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Contemplating the box and living on the edge

Posted on May 24, 2011 by

Even when I was a child it was suggested that I was a different kind of thinker. “Wow – you really think outside the box…” I always feel a kind of pride in this as for me thinking outside the … Continue reading →

Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, promote social understanding, Social cognition, Social Thinking, Special Education, Teacher, ToM (Theory of Mind), typical | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Coping with Anxiety: the power and message of a parent’s response

Posted on May 16, 2011 by

My child experiences anxiety. Unfortunately, anxiety is often one of the tag-along companions on the journey of a child with autism, along with attentional issues (ADHD), sensory issues, tic disorders, and speech and language challenges, to name a few. Today … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, ASD, Aspergers, Autism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Let the tears come: dealing with grief and letting go

Posted on May 13, 2011 by

Today I am thinking about another Mom of a child with autism who is facing some very difficult challenges: gut-wrenching, soul-tearing, strength-testing, heart-breaking decisions that will likely make life better for her beautiful son, and her family, and herself. I … Continue reading →

Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Grief, Tears | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Lego Poem: One Brick at a Time

Posted on May 12, 2011 by

This post is a mix of old and new. The poem, below, is from 2006… this part is from today. I realize that I have stated before that it is over time that we can see the cumulative effect of … Continue reading →

Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, poem, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Mom, mom, mom… mom… mom… mom…

Posted on May 8, 2011 by

It is Mother’s Day and I am thinking of myself and other moms who have had to deal with the unexpected… and the mundane…  the miracles of little things, and moments of sheer joy….  the fear of loss, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Parent | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Building a Social Ramp: supporting those with social cognitive challenges

Posted on May 7, 2011 by

A few weeks back I was working with a group of educators from Simon Fraser University who are completing a graduate diploma in Supporting Diverse Learners (SDL). I was explaining that we need to build a social ramp for our … Continue reading →

Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, ToM (Theory of Mind), Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Looking back and next steps: the power of pause

Posted on May 4, 2011 by

It is critical sometimes to stop and observe where we are at and to notice how H is growing and developing. The changes are small and incremental (though at times these little things can seem HUGE to us) and might … Continue reading →

Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Diagnosis, Goals, Intervention, interventionsist, label, language, Parent, Play Therapy, Social Thinking, Speech and Language Therapist, Teacher | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments