Tell Your Child How Great They Are

In our day to day lives, with all the stuff that happens and the various activities we must attend to - or just when we are stressed - it’s very easy to forgot to remind your kids just how great they are.

Praising kids can have profound effects on their emotional and psychological development, as well as boosting their confidence and sense of self-worth. Reminding them every now and again just how special they are reinforces the things you like about them, and just as importantly, the behaviours you like them to repeat.

It helps to remind them they are valued and loved. It is extremely easy to feel the whole world is against you and you can’t do anything right, particularly when you hear it all the time. Even if you’re not focussing directly on the negative, not mentioning the positives, can still have a significant effect.

Experts commonly recommend “focussing on the positive” behaviours - finding things to give praise for. This is a great idea, as it has the effect of reinforcing that behaviour. It is particularly important when you are teaching a child certain behavioural patterns such as how to behave in public, using manners or to avoid hitting or hurting others. It is very very easy to take notice of, and react to negative behaviour that impacts on others regardless of whether it is verbal or physical.

Some children behave negatively just for attention – any attention, even being yelled at to some children is better than being ignored. Therefore, noticing and commenting on the more positive behaviour is not only beneficial, it also stops the child having to be so reliant on bad behaviour to seek attention.

Really, though, we all just like being acknowledged and praised for the things we do. It’s also really nice just to hear someone say “you’re great"! Kids are no different.

It is not essential to reward with gifts or treats, nor do you even need to go out of your way to do something special. Reminding your child how great they are also needn’t be an analysis of why, how or what they did. A simple “good job”, “you’re great” or “I love you” as you walk past them can considerably boost a child’s day.

Systemising

Children with symptoms of Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome can often be very inflexible. They love their routine and have difficulty varying from it. I have heard many parents worrying out loud about what the future holds for their ASD children.

This video is really interesting. The inflexibility of your child could actually be linked to a preference and understanding of systemising. By systemising, I mean the processes that go on around us every day. For children that can be simple routine - dinner, bath and bed. As they grow up their awareness will extend further into the world.

Have a listen to the clip and I’m sure it will mean a lot to you.

In-Car Entertainment

Heading off on a road trip with kids in tow can be a bit daunting unless you are well prepared.

Sitting in the back of the car for long periods of time is a bit boring for anyone, but for children who require consistent levels of stimulation it can be a real challenge.

For those who require sensory stimulation it’s a good idea to provide some new sensory toys for the journey, as experiencing and experimenting with new sensations can be a positive way to keep them occupied for quite a while.

We have some great toy options for back seat travellers, including our recent addition, the Sensory Easter Pack. Having a couple of sensory books like Diggory Dog Dress Up Book and Pet Tails Book also provides a different avenue of entertainment.

There are many different game options designed for travel like the Zingo! Travel Game that make it easy to keep all of the pieces together. String my ABC's is also great for journeys so little ones can practice their beading and fine motor skills while learning the alphabet! And for the older kids try Word Spin - a fun filled, easy to play, go anywhere word game suitable for the whole family.

If you travel regularly, try to take some different toys on each journey, as doing the same things every time can make them lose their charm.

Computers and Autism

Studies have shown that using the computer can help pacify kids with Autism Spectrum and encourage the development of their communication abilities. Because of their very limited and focused attention, autistic children may feel threatened with face-to-face interaction, so much so that they retreat into their own world and can be very hard to communicate with.

However, it has been found that this trait could be improved by the use of computers. This is because it helps the user to combine different focuses effectively. It also provides a comfortable environment where individuals on the Autism Spectrum can experience beneficial transactions involving communication, social interaction, and imaginative play instinctively. And because they can actively control computers, they feel less threatened, which prevents them from withdrawing into their own world.

Another benefit of using the computer is that it creates a safe environment where they can explore, play, and be creative without the pressure of verbal communications.

Computers are also seen to be therapeutic to those with:

• Virtual tracking and scanning issues
• Learning or memory problems
• Eye-hand coordination difficulties
• Planning and organisation concerns
• Spatial analysis and synthesis issues
• Problem-solving difficulties

While computers can be beneficial tool for those affected by Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism, excessive use can lead to obsession and problems arising from inappropriate materials being viewed. It is always a good measure to limit use, as well as set some rules to protect children from Internet scams and bad materials.

Overcoming Bath Time Fears

For most children diagnosed with Autism, bath time is something that's hard to go through. This is because some of them are hypersensitive to touch and every action that's associated with bath time, like soaping the body and hair or drying with the towel becomes a torture. Their sensory receptors are overloaded.


As with many children at bath time, the best thing you can do is to distract them with some games or activities.

If it is waterproof, allow them to take their favourite toy with them so they can play with it in the water. That will give them a whole new experience with that item. There are lots of games designed for bath play. Bath squirts are always fun and a little water mess is a sure sign of fun!

Toys like tea sets and dolls are great for bath time, too. Children mimic the adult world by learning to wash and dry plates and cups or washing dolly’s hair. Sometimes, by being able to wash the doll as you are washing them, the child learns to understand the routine and becomes less stressed. A clever doll to use in the bath is Wayne Needs a Bath (or Julia needs a bath for the girls). Dirt marks printed on the doll are treated with heat sensitive ink. When put in warm water of 32-35, the marks will go away.

Another handy toy is the Farm Friends set with soft foam animals that stick to the tiles when wet.

Pet Fashion in the Tub is very clever. It is a set containing a foam dog and cat and 32 different accessories that they can be dressed up in.

Each of these sets packs away neatly for use next time.

Toys are great tools to help children learn to cope with life. If bath time is a problem, bring out your favourite toy to help.

Autistic Girls

“Females are biologically and socially expected to be nurturing, intuitive and empathetic, and yet autism is primarily a social-emotional disorder that profoundly affects relationships and social behaviour. For girls, the collision between autistic characteristics and social expectations can be especially difficult -- and almost unsurmountable during the teen years.” (Autism in Girls Poses Unique Education, Social Challenges)

The issues facing a teenage girl diagnosed with autism are very unique and need to be addressed and dealt with quite differently to teenage boys facing the same diagnosis.

Social Interaction
The friendships and networks of teenage girls are very complex and demanding, especially with the rise in popularity of social networking sites, email and text messaging. Autistic girls find it difficult to have empathy and connection and be involved in fast paced communication with a lot of unspoken or hidden messages.

Anxiety and Depression
There has been a lot of research into the links between autism and depression. Although the ratio for autism affecting boys vs. girls is 1:4, over half of autistic patients with mood disorders were female.

Hygiene
Sensory and awareness issues mean that for some girls they are unaware of the need to bathe, shave or wax, wear deodorant or generally look after themselves.

Eating Disorders
Recent research suggests a link between anorexia and autism. Around one fifth of girls diagnosed with anorexia have autism spectrum features. To confound this, being undernourished and underweight only exaggerates autism traits.

School
In addition to problems interacting socially, keeping up with fashion and teenage girl communication, more than half of girls with autism spectrum disorders have been bullied, frequently truant and avoid participating in sports.

There really needs to be an investment in programs aimed at teenage girls affected by autism that will help raise awareness and build social skills, aim to correctly diagnose and treat depression and eating disorders. However, developing real friendships is one thing that could make all the difference.

Baby Time

It has been baby season lately, with new little beings arriving in my end of the world. There is nothing as lovely as the feel of a newborns skin, is there?

I have been looking for some special gifts for these special people and I have found some wonderful items that I'd like to share with you.

Your Cheeky Monkey specialises in online baby products and the range is wonderful. I couldn't go past the Sophie the Giraffe collection especially this teether toy.





















At ILiv Cards I found some stunning birth announcement cards These are gorgeous and by adding the photo of your newborn child the card becomes a keepsake and heirloom.














I also found some useful and stylish personalised baby blankets at Blanky 4 Me and for this time of year they would be a great gift. You can buy them for kids and adults, too.





















Of course I can't forget our range of sensory baby toys which are so great to play with and so good for baby's development. I admit to a fondness for Boris, the PJ sheep. He is soft and feels wonderful but he's also useful in storing your child's pj's.



There are so many wonderful baby product available online that there is sure to be something for everyone.