Welcome to “On the
Horizon”
Issue 74: Five Tips for Parents Making School-Related Decisions
On the Horizon is an
award winning weekly ezine for parents of children with developmental
disabilities 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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Information for Parents
 A Note from Nicole: Weekend in Mackinac
Idea of the Week: Chocolate Fondue
Feature Article: Five Tips for Parents Making School-Related Decisions
The Horizons Team Recommends: SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com; Horizons Academy
Upcoming Events: Q&A Teleseminar; RDI Parent Teleseminar
 
Hi Everyone!
I just got back from a wonderful weekend in Mackinac with my family. We had a great time biking around Mackinac Island, swimming, eating fudge and ice cream, and enjoying all the touristy things in the area. It is truly one of the highlights of the year for our kids, and so nice to get away for a few days before the school year begins.
Speaking of school, I thought it would be appropriate to include a feature article about school-related decisions this week. I know some of your kids have already started back to school, and some are scheduled to start in the next few weeks. It’s a good time to stop and think about what you really want for your child, and how to think
outside the box a bit when it comes to schooling. I hope you find it
helpful.
This week we’re featuring my colleague Joan’s resources, and I
encourage you to sign up for her newsletter. She has lots of great
information to share with parents of children who have special needs.
Have a fantastic week!
Looking to the horizon,
Chocolate Fondue
Melt 1 cup chocolate chips, 2 tbsp butter or margarine, 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, 2 tbsp water, and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat until it is thickened and everything is
melted. You may keep in the saucepan (you don’t need a fondue pot). Serve this warm with anything you want to dip into it – fruit,
marshmallows, pieces of cake, etc. What a great way to try different kinds of fruit by dipping them in chocolate (who doesn’t like
chocolate?!) for a fun, delicious treat!
 
Five Tips for Parents Making School-Related Decisions
By: Nicole Beurkens, M.Ed.
School-related decisions seem to be an ever-present issue for all
families, but especially for families with a child with unique learning
needs. Here are some tips I find myself frequently providing parents in
regards to their child’s education:
-
Just because a service or option is available doesn’t mean you have to take it. Go with your gut feeling and do what you believe is right for your child. If you don’t think the speech sessions are helping then stop them. If you don’t want the weekly home visit from the early intervention specialist then don’t do them. If you think your child needs to be home with you rather than at school for some of all of the day, then do it. Do not allow what “other people” say or do to steer you in the wrong direction with your child. Do not allow “the professionals” to over-ride your own good judgment about what your child needs. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain or make a different choice in the best interest of your child and family.
-
Don’t hem and haw over the next 15 years of your child’s school career when you only need to be making a decision about what to do for right now. I have met with too many parents who are paralyzed at the thought of pursuing something different from the status quo because they wonder what the ramifications will be 10 years down the road. Schools make decisions about placement and services one year at a time based on the current needs of the child and parents should do the same. You may feel that something is important for your child right now, and feel completely different about it a year from now. None of us can predict the future with certainty – no matter how hard we try! What is important is making the right decision for this point in time, and re-evaluating as you go along.
www.SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com Joan Celebi
A Wealth of Free Resources for Parents of Children with Special Needs
Do you know about all of the excellent free resources available from
SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com? You won’t want to miss these! Discover
Special Needs Parent Coach Joan Celebi’s Lunchtime Teleseminars, Overwhelmed No More Newsletter, checklists, guides, articles, and more — all with practical, proven tips and strategies to help you successfully navigate life with a child with special needs. Here’s just a sampling of what
you’ll find:
- Your Special Needs Back-To-School Checklist
- How to Find, Train, and Keep Great Sitters When Your Child Has
Special Needs
- A Professional Organizer’s Secrets to Life as a Special Needs Mom
- Your IEP Action Plan: 16 Strategies for Surviving your Next
IEP Meeting
- Inspiring Quotes for Parents of Children with Special Needs
- and much more!
Horizons
Academy
Many parents express concerns about educational options available to their children with impairments. It seems there are few
ideal educational settings, and even fewer that take a developmental approach to working on the core deficits of student difficulties.
Our instructional program, available for children
ages 3 and older, is individualized to meet the
unique and specific needs of each student. Parents and
the instructional team work together to determine priority goal areas,
which often include communication, problem solving / flexible thinking,
socialization, sensory-motor development, academic skills, and
self-care skills.
A certified Special Education teacher / CORE Approach Program
Certified Consultant oversees the program. This program runs from
September through June and is limited to a small number of students
each year.
To learn more about our Instructional Program, call us for more information at (616) 698-0306.
Please join us!
- CORE Approach Parent Teleseminar:
Q&A with Michelle & Courtney (Horizons
Families Only)
Monday, Sept. 14 from 1:30-2:30pm EST
- CORE Approach Parent Teleseminar: Pediatric Vision Specialist Guest Speaker Dr. Jeff Kenyon (Horizons Families Only) Thursday, Sept. 17 from 11-12pm EST
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