Welcome to “On the Horizon”

Issue 99: To Control or Not Control

On
the Horizon is an award winning
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who want simple, effective strategies to reduce stress, support their
child’s development, and improve quality of life for the whole family.

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Ways to Improve Your Quality of Life

A Note from Nicole: It’s March Already?

Idea of the Week:  Back to Basic: Wash Dishes by Hand

Feature Article: To Control or Not Control

The Horizons Team Recommends: Workshops

Upcoming Events:  RDI® Parent Teleseminar

Hi Everyone,

Where did February go?  It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming in the New Year, and now we are at the start of March!  This is an incredibly busy month for all of us at Horizons, as we have many events, speaking engagements, and workshops scheduled.  We love having the opportunity to meet many of you in person, so if you see us out and about at various events this month please introduce yourself and say hello.

Speaking of events, this Friday is the last day to register for our March workshops for parents and professionals.  If you are looking for simple and effective ways to dramatically change your child and family, then the March 13th event is for you. If you are a professional who wants to be more effective with your students on the autism spectrum, then the March 12th event is for you.

This week’s feature article by Michelle provides us with important reminders about controlling and letting go.  There are times in life when we need to control, and also times when we should let things go.  This article provides great food for thought about which option we choose and why.

Enjoy the week ahead!

Looking to the horizon,

Back to Basic: Wash Dishes by Hand

Have the whole family help out by washing the dishes by hand. Assign each member of the family a specific job to do. This is a great co-regulation activity, plus it gets the dishes washed and put away quickly! To add some variation, switch jobs around so each family member can experience all the different roles.

To Control or Not Control

By: Michelle VanderHeide, M.Ed.

It drives me crazy when I just finish cleaning the kitchen and my husband sets down a dirty dish – right next to the sink and above the ever so welcoming dishwasher. Why can’t he just take two seconds longer, open the dishwasher, and put it in? I could let that burn, and get angry. I could nag and beg him to change his ways; but I doubt it would change anything. Is it worth putting the energy into such as slight issue? Does the nagging improve my relationship with him? Does it really matter?

It’s human nature to try and have control of our lives and the lives of those around us. Situations come up several times a day in which we have to decide what’s the best way to respond, and we often make the decision without much thought. Some of these situations are important and others are not; but isn’t it true that we often burden ourselves with situations we can’t control? Learning to let go of the not so important and uncontrollable situations in our lives, and knowing when to fight the more important ones will both empower us and decrease the many burdens and energy draining issues we face on a daily basis. Consider the questions below when making decisions on how to respond to situations you face daily.

Is it important that it changes? How important is the situation and that something really changes? What makes it important or not important? Does it need to be a priority? Is somebody at risk of being hurt? Are there health concerns involved? What’s the worst that could happen if you let it go?

Continued…

HorizonsDRCWorkshops.com

You Have Questions.
We Have Answers.

Join us for learning experiences designed to provide you with the information, tools, and motivation you need to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Horizons Workshop Opportunities

• Evaluating for Autism: The Nuts and Bolts of Quality School-Based Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluations

• Autism in the Classroom: Simple & Effective Strategies to Learn Today and Use Tomorrow

• Day of Change: A Groundbreaking Workshop for Parents of Children with Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders

• Extreme Makeover: Autism Education Edition

For more information, click here

Please join us!

• RDI® Parent Teleseminar: Topic: Q & A with Dr. Wycoff
  (Horizons Families Only)
  Thursday, March 18, 2010 from 11:00-12:00 PM EST
• Workshop – Evaluating for Autism:
  The Nuts and Bolts of Quality School-Based Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluations 
  
• Workshop – Autism in the Classroom:
  Simple & Effective Strategies to Learn Today and Use Tomorrow 
  Friday, March 12, 2009
• Workshop – Day of Change:
  A Groundbreaking Workshop for Parents of Children with Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  
  Saturday, March 13, 2009
• Extreme Makeover: Autism Education
  Edition
  August
  4-6, 2010