Welcome to “On the Horizon”

Issue 124:  Lessons on Co-Regulation

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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New Ideas

A Note from Nicole: Fall-Season Activities; New Horizons Website

Idea of the Week:  Cardboard Tube Marble Maze

Feature Article: Lessons on Co-Regulation

The Horizons Team Recommends: Do Something Daily

Allergen-Free Recipe of the Week: Vanilla Cupcakes

Upcoming Events:
Horizons Events & Workshops

Hi Everyone,

My family and I have been busy doing lots of fall-season activities recently.  We’ve gone to the pumpkin patch, raked endless piles of leaves to jump in, had donuts and cider, chosen Halloween costumes, and enjoyed the gorgeous fall weather.  Fall is my favorite season of the year as the temperatures are very comfortable and the changing colors of the landscape are beautiful.  Unfortunately it’s the shortest season we have here in Michigan, but I try to make the most of it while it’s here!

For the feature article this week I chose to reflect on the connections between playing a piano duet and engaging in co-regulated activity with another person.  Co-regulation is an essential component of being in relationships with other people, and it is something generally lacking in individuals on the autism spectrum and with related disorders.  Engaging in simple co-regulated activities is one of the first things my colleagues and I work on with parents and their children during treatment.  I hope the article helps you understand the importance of both your role and your child’s role in developing co-regulated activity together.

This week I am so excited to announce that our new Horizons website is complete and ready for the world!  It has been a work in progress for many months, but I know you will enjoy the easy-to-navigate format, valuable resources, and fun content we have put together for you.  I invite you to pop on over and check it out at www.HorizonsDRC.com.  While you’re there, take the new quiz on the homepage entitled “Who’s Driving the Bus in Your Family?”.  It will add a dose of humor to your day while also helping you determine if there are issues that need to be addressed for your child and family

See you next week!

Looking to the horizon,

Cardboard Tube Marble Maze

Start saving your empty cardboard paper towel, wrapping paper, and toilet paper tubes for this project! Once you’ve gathered at least 5 or 6 tubes, you can use heavy-duty tape to connect the tubes into a line. Longer tubes make good paths and smaller tubes can be used to make curves in the run. You can prop one end on a table or chair (or just hold it in the air) so that the marbles flow through the maze easily. When you’ve got it all set up, start placing marbles in the elevated end and watch them come out the other side. If you cut some holes/shapes in the tops of the tubes you can watch the marbles as they roll through. Decorate the maze with paint, stickers, or markers if you want to make it look fancy. Keep adding to the maze over time as you collect more tubes – see how high you have to hold the end so the marbles make it all the way through!

Lessons on Co-Regulation

By: Nicole Beurkens, M.Ed.

As I observed my son’s piano lesson recently the concept of co-regulation came to mind.  He had practiced a song by himself for a week, and after he played it for his teacher she suggested they play the duet together.  She joined him at the piano and they played the song together – my son doing the part he had practiced and his teacher doing the more difficult part.  The thing about a duet is that both people play different notes, but they have to play in a synchronized way with each other.  If one person plays their part without any regard for what the other person is doing it is very unlikely that the song will sound like it’s supposed to.  In fact, it will probably end up sounding like two people playing two totally different songs at the same time.

The essence of playing a duet is co-regulation – each person has a role to play and there must be continuous awareness of what the other is doing.  They must check with each other for readiness to start and to stop.  Each must constantly monitor their tempo/pace in relation to the other.  Each must continuously check their volume in relation to the other.  If one person fails to do their part and takes off on their own, one of two things happens.  Either the other person constantly adjusts their actions to stay coordinated or the entire thing falls apart.

Read more …

Do Something Daily Calendar

Do you dread hearing your child complain, “I’m bored”?

Struggle to think of something fun you can do together?

Have trouble squeezing one-on-one time with her into your day?

That’s why we created the Do Something Daily Calendar. The Calendar offers a daily dose of inspiration and ideas for spending time together–whether you have 60 seconds or 60 minutes.

In addition, $1.00 from every calendar sold goes toward research to improve the quality of life for those with autism, through a donation to the Foundation for Autism Research and Remediation.

For more information, click here.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Whether you have just started a special diet with your child or you have been following one for years, it can be difficult to come up with what to serve. We decided to try to make that just a bit easier by providing you with a new allergen free recipe each week. While it is impossible to meet every person’s unique food sensitivity needs, we hope you will find these recipes helpful and delicious. Please feel free to adapt the recipes to meet your needs and taste buds; we do it all the time.  Enjoy!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Makes 6 cupcakes

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

Get the complete recipe…

Please join us!

• Horizons Parent Education Day
  (for Horizons client families only) Call the office to RSVP
  October 23rd from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Mom’s Group
  (for Horizons client families only) Call the office to RSVP
  November 9th from 9:30-11:00 AM
• Horizons Family Holiday Party
  (for Horizons client families only) Call the office to RSVP
  December 4th from 2:00-5:00 PM
  bring the whole family to enjoy holiday foods, crafts, activities, and photos with Santa