finding the perfect outings....

A.J. loves the historical significance
these displays show

Choosing a little time-out excitement during the holiday break, we decided to find some local sites for a tourist's view of what we have on offer....

Before we could decide on the first venue, the weather had other ideas, so we found ourselves locked inside as the wind and chilly days take over the little amount of sunshine we get.

After a few days pass the sun sneaks in just long enough to tease us into a false perception that the spring season might finally be here, when the weather changes yet again and takes hold with drizzly rain for yet another few days.

So now A.J. has settled in his room with the latest electronic game and needs to be coerced out for a break and a snack. As most would know it's easy to see our kids become fixated to extremes on the latest trend or obsession they've discovered.

As with any child this seems to be more-so in the form of technology.

So anything we can find to distract them from the dreaded screen has to be a plus.

Progress......

a rare pic of me, taken while assisting the kids at our Open day 

Coming to the end of yet another school term I am still over-the-moon with how well A.J. has handled facing the many changes and new experiences that high school life has placed before him.

I am so proud of how he has maintained self-control, with a willingness to be open and try new things.

To think that only 12 months ago we were facing daily meltdowns and repeated phone calls from his primary school requesting he go home as they couldn't (or wouldn't) handle his “outbursts”.

Understanding now how those outbursts were more a cry for help as those around him refused to accept his diagnosis and were treating him as a disobedient child needing to be 'punished', when in reality he was fading away from those who were actually exacerbating his condition.

'Helping' our kids manage Meltdowns and Sensory Sensitivities.

A.J. -remembering back
and always staying positive

When people view our little one's Meltdowns they are quick to label them as 'Tantrums' and being 'Brats', believing we should find ways to discipline their behaviour.

The first thing I like to say and acknowledge is that “Punishment does not produce Learning”

In general, the notion of a punishment is used as a technique to reinforce specific learning, with the expectation that there are consequences to what is seen as “Logical” bad behaviour, due to the teacher/parent/person believing that a rule has been broken.

Although in reality a 'meltdown' is the child reacting to the “Natural” forces of nature and an uncontrollable physical action/reaction by their body in relation to unknown sensory sensitivities.

Therefore the outcome of any punishment will be additional confusion to the child, knowing they have not “intentionally” acted in a negative or disobedient way.