Welcome to "On the Horizon"

Issue 206: Why is this important?

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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• A Note from Nicole: Holiday season is here
• Feature Article: Why is this important?
• Upcoming Events
• Recommended Resources

Hi Everyone!

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is already here again! I hope all of you in the US had a great Thanksgiving last week with family and friends. We enjoyed a few relaxing days with family and lots of food. This time of year helps all of us to pause and consider the abundance in our lives and the many things for which we are grateful. I am thankful for all of you who continue to be part of our growing community!

This week’s feature article by Erin addresses the important topic of "why bother". All of us feel more motivated when there is a purpose behind our activities. This is important for parents and teachers to consider when planning tasks and activities at home and school.

And now for some big Holiday Shopping News…
Starting today 11/28 through Monday 12/17 you can save 40% on ALL of the products and resources in our online store! Choose a book for your child’s teacher, an audio series for your family, success cards for yourself – anything and everything in our store is 40% off until December 17th. Visit our store at www.HorizonsDRC.com/store, select the products you want to purchase, and enter the coupon code HOLIDAY12 at checkout. Shop now and save on meaningful gifts for the holidays!

Enjoy the rest of your week,

Why is this important?

By Erin Roon, MA CCC-SLP

The title of this article, "Why is this important?" has been the subject of many conversations in the office lately. I have had this discussion with parents and with a few of the teenagers that I see. People, no matter their age, need a reason or a purpose for doing the things they do. We want our actions to be meaningful.

I recently had a session with a teenager that I see for feeding difficulties. He was asking me why eating more and a bigger variety of foods is important. Trying new things is very difficult for him, and causes him stress. We had a discussion about how tired he feels, and his lack of motivation to do physical activities; and how this is tied to the fact that he eats very little. We then talked about how proper nutrition and eating enough food to support your brain and body is important for keeping you healthy. He is still struggling with how this will affect him long term, and why anyone cares whether he is really skinny and doesn’t have the strength to do much physical activity. Because of this he has a hard time being motivated at home to complete the assignments I give him. We still have work to do in terms of helping him answer "Why is this important?"

Click here to read the rest of this article…

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Upcoming Events

Hear Nicole Speak

Upcoming dates and locations where Nicole Beurkens, PhD will be speaking:

Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Practical Strategies to Improve Processing

February 6, 2013 in Bridgeport, CT

February 7, 2013 in Cromwell, CT

February 8, 2013 in Warwick, RI

Recommended
Resources

It’s likely you have already started your holiday shopping – and maybe some of you are already close to being finished. Don’t forget that we are holding a very special holiday sale on all of the products in our store through December 17th. If you haven’t already ordered now is the time to take action!

Just visit our store at
www.HorizonsDRC.com/store any time before 12/17, enter coupon code HOLIDAY12 at checkout, and you’ll instantly SAVE 40% on your entire purchase.

Whether you need gifts for teachers and other school staff, would like to purchase something inspirational for a friend, or just want to get some new ideas for yourself, you’ll find great options in our store.