Welcome to “On the Horizon”

Issue 126:  Experience Sharing Communication

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:   Playing Catch-UP

Idea of the Week:  Fun on the Go

Feature Article: Experience Sharing Communication

The Horizons Team Recommends: Learning As We Grow

Allergen-Free Recipe of the Week: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Upcoming Events:
Horizons Events & Workshops

Hi Everyone,

I’m playing “catch-up” this week in the office after being gone all last week.  My husband and I took a trip together without the kids for the first time in a long time, and it was great!  A little time away to a warmer climate was just what we needed, especially as we gear up for the busy holiday season ahead.  Thank goodness for wonderful grandparents who can stay with the kids while we are away!

Speaking of the holidays coming up, the idea we are sharing this week (see below) is some fun ideas for managing long car rides with the kids.  Preparing a bunch of supplies and games ahead of time can make those trips more enjoyable for everyone involved!

The feature article this week is one Erin wrote about Experience Sharing Communication.  This is an essential concept for parents and educators to understand when working with individuals who have autism and related disorders.  Read the article and post a comment to let us know what you think about the topic!

Make it a great week!

Looking to the horizon,

Fun on the Go

At this time of year you may be traveling for the holidays to go see grandparents or other family members, and being in a car for a long period of time can be boring for the kids.  A great idea is to get a Rubbermaid bin and put some items in it so that you’re ready for the trip ahead.  Here are some ideas to keep the kids busy, fed, and clean!

• Small dry erase board to play games like tic-tac-toe, hangman, etc.
• Music/Story on CD’s
• Variety of snacks in Ziploc bags – trail mix, crackers, etc.
• Hand sanitizer
• Water bottles with children’s initials
• List of fun games:
  • ABC game – find billboards & license plates with letters – be the 1st to complete the list of A-Z
  • Lines & Dots – make a grid of dots – connect 2 dots together and then it’s another person’s turn – once you complete a square you put your initials inside – the person with the most squares wins!
  • License Plates – for long trips see how many different states you can find and keep a list
  • Rock/Paper/Scissors – the traditional game

Experience Sharing Communication

By: Erin Roon, MA CCC-SLP

Take a moment to read this short conversation between a mother and son.  As you read, think about what is being communicated.  Are you able to get a picture in your head?

“Hey mom, you’ll never believe this!  I saw a baby turtle in the road.”
“Really, I wonder how big it was.”
“Very small, only this big (indicates the size of a half dollar with hands).”
“Wow, I’ll bet he was scared being in the middle of the road.  Maybe he was lost.”
“I didn’t think about him being scared; maybe I should move him out of the road.  Do you think he was trying to get to the lake?”
“I think it would be very nice if we go back down and move him out of the road.  I bet he was trying to get to the lake to take a swim.  It’s a hot day, and I think turtles like to swim just as much as little boys.”

Vignettes like this are very common place among parents and children.  This is an example of experience sharing communication at its best.  The majority of the communicating we do is for experience sharing purposes.

Now read the following conversation between a mother and her son.  Do you notice a difference?

“Hi Jimmy, how was your day?”
“Fine.”
“What did you do at school today?”
“Nothing.”
“You didn’t do anything?”
“No.”
“Did you read any books or do any math?”
“Yes.”
“What book did you read?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you go to gym today?”
“Yep.”
“What did you do in gym?”
……And on and on it goes.

Read more …

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Muffins

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!

Pumpkin Pie Muffins Recipe

1 ½ cups blanched almond flour

¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt

½  teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

1 pinch ground cloves

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

½ cup agave nectar

2 large eggs

1 cup fresh baked pumpkin (or winter squash), well packed

Get the recipe…

Please join us!

• Autism and Special Needs SeminarGovernors State University in the Chicago area
  Horizons will have an exhibit table
  November 20, 2010
• 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