OliverStop.com

Archive for October, 2009

Author: Jay Ashley

Special children should be given a great deal of help. Special education is offered to children to help them live normally and deal with their society. When you are helping an autistic child, there are instances that you may feel a little frustrated or disappointed.

Special education conducted to these children should have continuous, multi faceted and special approach of intensive guidance and care. These autistic children with 60 to 70 IQ rating have better chances of learning compared to children aged 5 to 6 who have spontaneous speech.

Here are some special education guidelines and tips that can help you take good care and provide special attention to autistic children.

1. You have to make your child feel that he is a part of the family. However, it is better if he feels that he is not the center of attention in the family just because he is special or disabled. Like normal children, special children need proper attention to help them when dealing with their environment.

2. You may use behavior modification skills to change those common undesirable behaviors that your child portrays. You may use practically known rewards that he usually likes. In this way, you will be teaching him how he can increase his motivation.

3. It is advisable that you compliment him with good praises. You may provide him ten complimentary statements for every effort of change and corrections.

4. You should always look attentively to his warning signs. Make an effort to observe and study his movements. You may teach him how he can recognize and follow some basic instructions and directions.

5. You should allow your child to observe you as you show him that he is special and should be treated differently. Usually, most autistic children are confused with the changes that are happening in his environment.

6. You should find the best educational institution that can provide him the needed skills and best childcare program. Know your child’s special needs so that you can assess the educational program that you choose. There are early intervention programs that offer special education to autistic and disabled children who are not yet ready to get into schools.

7. You should always be consistent in providing him the needed knowledge and assistance. You may create a special routine that he can easily notice. Special education programs can provide you guidelines and tips things regarding child behavior and mental development.

8. Make sure that you have an organized and well-executed movements and routines. If you are trying other things and you are unsure of the things you are teaching him, he may be confused and will tend to lose focus.

9. Special education programs suggest that you use the same set of words or statements every time your child is praised or corrected. Many autistic children do not easily learn well from experiences. They just follow an organized routine that they see and hear from the people attending to them.

Finding a support group in your community is one good way in motivating your child and the whole family. You may join a parent groups that have the same case of having autistic children. Most importantly, love is the most important factor that will help your child learn and cope with his environment

About the Author: Jay Ashley
Jay is runs an education website at http://specialeducationdegree.info where you can get information about making education choices and learn about the benefits of online degrees.

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Author: Charles Kassotis

Even if college is years ahead for your son or daughter, or if you aren’t sure whether you plan to go on for university study following high school or community college, it never hurts to set aside savings that can be used for this worthwhile plan when the time comes. College costs continue to rise each year, with some institutions increasing tuition rates by five percent or more. It’s a good idea to start saving now so your money can compound at a decent rate and bring in a profitable return for future studies.

1. Start a savings plan. Have an affordable sum deducted from your paycheck and placed directly into a savings account. Forget about the money except occasionally to check on interest rates and balances. Over time, it will add up, and after several years you will have a fair amount to apply to college expenses.

2. Set aside a portion of cash gifts. Instead of spending it all in one place or for several things, take ten or fifteen percent out of a cash gift and add it to your savings account. If you get $100 for a Christmas present, put $10 into your savings account and spend the rest. Do the same for any unexpected windfalls.

3. Contribute a portion from each annual paycheck increase. If you get a five percent raise, divert one-half percent to savings. Do the same for year-end bonuses or other cash gifts associated with your job. You won’t miss the money if you do this up front, and the savings plan will increase that much more rapidly.

4. Get a part-time job. Whoever is destined for college could tackle this option, placing most or all of the income into a college savings plan. The job might take just a few hours each week or over the summer, as well as Christmas and spring breaks. Have the college-bound person keep track of the savings.

5. Invest in a mutual fund or money market account. Request that relatives give savings bonds instead of candy or toys for holidays and birthday gifts. Use these, and part of the monthly allowance, to open a mutual fund account. Adding $25 monthly can make a difference over the long haul, especially if the stock or the fund performs well.

Odd jobs, inheritances, and small scholarships won in high school can go into the savings account as well. The important thing is to keep depositing money into the account, don’t take anything out, and be patient as you wait for the account to grow with interest to become the financial support you need to make college dreams come true. Even if you are unable to save all of your college costs, you can save a sizable amount that will go a long way toward paying that hefty tuition bill, book and lab fees, or general service costs.

About the Author: Charles Kassotis
Find out more about college opportunities, admissions, and funding when you visit College Retriever.com at http://www.collegeretriever.com

Author: Mila Sidman

Your lovely little baby has now turned into a lovely toddler, one problem though… He won’t sit still or worst he runs off every chance he gets. What’s a mom to do when your toddler is on the loose? Here are a few recommendations for keeping your toddler close.

Action = Consequence – at this age your toddler won’t really understand a long winded explanation about why running off is dangerous. Instead use simple commands and show your toddler through actions that if he runs off there is a consequence, ie. He has to sit in the stroller or hold your hand.

Once you take the decision make sure you stick to it, even if it unfortunately means dealing with a small (or big) tantrum. This will teach your toddler through actions that running of is unacceptable and hopefully he won’t do it again. If he does simply repeat the process until he stops.

Give him Freedom – That may sound like a contradiction to the above but your toddler does need a certain amount of freedom to learn and help establish her limits. Choose a safe place away from busy roads and that isn’t too crowded and allow your child to walk next to you on her own. Simply explain “mommy is going to let you walk next to her on your own like a big girl but you must stay close.” If she does run off give her one warning and if she does it again follow through with the above consequence.

Slowly your toddler should begin to understand that if she stays close to you she can have a certain amount of freedom and be a “big girl”.

Reward your Toddler – Every time your toddler manages to walk next to you without running off reward him. Show him how pleased you are of him by giving him a big hug and smile. As well as the negative consequences it’s important to remind your toddler how proud you are of his achievements and after all walking next to you for a few minutes is a big achievement for a toddler, so reward it.

About the Author: ila Sidman
Have a toddler at home? Moms Talk Network provides you with free toddler tips, support and resources all conveniently located in one place and created with your needs in mind. Join us, it’s Free! http://www.MomsTalkNetwork.com

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Author: Deanna Mascle

People are constantly looking for help and strategies for effective parenting. They always strive to be the best possible parent they can be and often feel that they come up short in terms of their own parenting skills. Regardless, the search for better ways of effective parenting is a lifelong search for many parents. The notion of living up to expectations as a parent is often very near to the heart of many parents, creating a fear over parenting that often leads to insecurity and a lack of confidence in personal parenting skills.

Many people, when looking for strategies for effective parenting, turn to a parenting book. There are a number of options available on the market for these books, many of them from bestselling authors with loads of parenting experience. A parenting book can be a great way to shed some light on some of the deeper mysteries of parenting without sacrificing too much by way of cash or time for the cause. Most parenting books are approved by parents all around the world for teaching tips for effective parenting to parents of all shapes and sizes.

Some people look for parenting advice in any place they can find it. Many ask friends or family for parenting advice because of the experience that they may have. Parenting advice is something special; it can work from generation to generation and create a long-lasting effect on a family. Many people seek out advice from their own parents or family members because they have seen the workings of that style of parenting firsthand.

In any form, parenting help can be a great thing. There are many different ways to seek out parenting help, from family or friends and even therapy or psychological help with parenting skills. Many parents refuse to seek out parenting help because they do not feel they “need it” and they feel that they would rather struggle through parenting on their own. The best way to parent is through a network of support that will enable family to bind together and lean on one another. With that kind of support, parenting help can make all the difference in the world.

All in all, getting good parenting help is the gateway to effective parenting. Without assistance and advice, many parents simply go it alone and wander aimlessly through the struggle of parenting. Often times, it can be a shock to the system to acknowledge the need for help. Parenting should not be about ego or lack of humility; it should be about raising the child with the best information possible. In this aspect, using all of the resources possible, from parenting books to general parenting advice, is the best option to practice effective parenting techniques.

Essentially, it takes a village to raise a child. Effective parenting skills will inevitably reflect this notion, as more people start learning to create solid networks of support for their kids. In this respect, society benefits from people helping one another. This notion helps society grow and, as it would appear, leads to effective parenting skills from one generation to the next

About the Author: Deanna Mascle
Renaissance Woman Deanna Mascle shares more good parenting advice at http://renaissancewomanonline.com/family.php

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Author: Jeff Burchell

The first year of being a father was one of the greatest years of my life. I had no idea what to expect and there was no lack of learning. Everyday was a new challenge and a new experience. There were ups and there were downs. At times I felt like I had no idea what I was doing, but sometimes everything just seemed to fall into place. Every minute of the first year I cherish and will forever hold in my heart and memory. I can still remember the first day bringing Oliver home from the hospital like it was yesterday. I had never put a car seat in a car before and it was a nerve racking experience. I was so concerned getting it tightened in correct that I actually pulled it to tight and it sat Oliver almost straight up. Of course he could not control his little head so when I put him in the seat his little head flopped over to the side. Kristi road in the back with him and made sure his head stayed in the right place. It was a pretty good glimpse of what I had in store for me. There was going to be a whole lot of learning and figuring it out.

We had all the stuff a bassinette, changing table pad, bouncing chair, and lots of little blankets. We tried putting Oliver in his bassinette, but that really did not go to well. We actually let Oliver sleep in the little bouncy chair for about the first six weeks. We would set the bouncy chair up next to the bed put him in and turn it on. Putting it next to the bed really did not go that well either. I have learned now that babies wake up many times a night, and not necessarily to eat. Oliver would wake up and make some noise so we would wake up thinking that we needed to do something. It took a few nights of this then we decided to put him right outside the bedroom door in the living room. Then we got to get a little more sleep because we would only hear him when he was hungry. After about six weeks we tried the bassinette again, but still with no luck so Oliver spent the next couple months sleeping in his swing. The movement really helped him sleep, and it also let us get some sleep.

I soon realized that you can read books, magazines and look up information on the internet but every baby is probably going to be a little different. I believe that most of being a parent is common sense and intuition. There are certain things that will just come naturally and then some things I had to reprogram myself to do. I tried to avoid the experts and just go with what little I knew about babies. Kristi had much more experience than me having worked at a day care for a couple years, being a nanny and just babysitting in general. I counted on her for a lot of advice and the more technical aspects of being a parent like taking a babies temperature, which could be a whole topic in its self.

The first year of feeding Oliver was fun when we finally got away from the formula and started feeding him baby food and then eventually solids. I really enjoyed seeing his reaction to new foods. It was a whole event in the house, there was no new foods introduced to Oliver if both of us were not there to see his reaction. Some reactions where much better than others, there were some foods he did not like at all on the first taste that ended up being his favorites. You don’t realize how convenient it is to be able to eat until you have to spoon feed a baby three times a day. It was a great day when he figured out how to eat on his own.

So sleeping and eating where nothing compared to mobilization. The first six months Oliver pretty much stayed in one place, he might have rolled over of scooted but never got too far. Then came crawling and that was something different entirely. Now it was time to truly baby proof the house. It was time to put the outlet plugs, put up the baby gates, and make sure none of the furniture could fall over. Everything changed as he was starting to develop a little sense of independence and control of his body. That was a fun time and I remember thinking “I can’t wait until you can walk” then my wish came true. One day he crawled over to the couch and managed to stand up by himself. It was only a couple weeks later that he was taking steps and not to long after that he was walking. At first he needed help standing up then one day just as if he had been doing it all along he stood up and took a few steps on his own. There has been no stopping him since that day!

It has to be one of the hardest jobs in the world being a parent, but the rewards are far greater than anything else. Of course there was much more that happened in the first year, but honestly I want to be able to write about them separately. There are moments of that first year I will never forget and will always fill my heart with a warm feeling every time I remember them. I can hardly imagine a life without my son and I feel truly blessed to be given the gift of being a parent!

About the Author: Jeff Burchell
Jeff Burchell is Oliver’s Dad and created www.OliverStop.com as a way to share to wonderful experience of being a parent. There are many questions new parents face as they raise their babies to toddlers and beyond at www.oliverstop.com we have ideas and activites for children of all ages.

Published at: www.oliverstop.com

Author: Emily Watson

The art of creativity is vital in the development of children. Yes it is fun for children, but it also helps them to develop a variety of ideas and concepts about the world around them. The act of creativity helps all children communicate their inner thoughts and feelings by expressing these thoughts and emotions in visual and auditory ways. Creativity can be engaged in a variety of ways. Children love to sing, create, move, and think is new and inventive ways and it is our job as parents and educators to help encourage the many expressions of creativity.

Benefits of Creativity Development

Creativity encourages a child to express him or herself and to understand the freedom involved in committing to a project they are in the process of creating. Creativity development provides a child a sense of ownership in their creation and fosters mental growth by encouraging the child to try new things, new ideas, new ways of thinking, and problem solving. As a child creates, it gives us the opportunity to celebrate the child’s uniqueness and sense of self.

Way to Encourage Creativity

It is not hard at all to encourage creativity in our children. With a little planning, thought, and a fun spirit, you can help blossom your child’s creativity and help them enter a world of unique expression and FUN!

Encourage Creativity Tip #1: Schedule it!

Set aside time each and every day for some sort of creative expression for your child. Let’s face it: life is busy with children and unless we make a conscience effort to do something, it may never get done! Put together a schedule where you can see it everyday and make sure your child is engaging in a creative activity each day.

Encourage Creativity Tip #2: Plan it!

Really work on providing one scheduled creative activity each day. There are hundreds of books out there that provide ideas for art projects and other creative activities for children that you can pull from. I have a book that provides all sorts of ideas for toys to make from items found around the home. Each night, I look forward to curling up with this little book and choosing a fun activity my children and I will enjoy together the next day.

Encourage Creativity Tip #3: Need some ideas?

First, take into consideration your child; their age, attention span, likes, dislikes, personality, etc. Tailor your scheduled activities around your child interests and you can’t go wrong! Some ideas my children enjoy are: playing dress-up, Playdoh, building blocks, coloring, pudding painting, finger paints, dancing to fun music, creating music with household items.

Encourage Creativity Tip #4: Join in!

It is rather easy and FUN to encourage creativity in children. What is fun as adults is to relax our own mind and enter the world of our child and see how their mind creates and perceives the world around them. It’s not hard to get your child excited about a variety of activities, especially when you’ve channeled your silly side and joined in on the fun!

About the Author: Emily Watson
Get Your Free Report On 16 Proven Ways To Motivate Your Child To Do Better In School…Plus, receive a “Live Demonstration Inside Our Unique 1 On 1 Online Classroom.” Go to http://www.tutorfi.com/parents/

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