Having It AllHaving It All

Enriching the Lives of Parents Enriching the Lives of Parents of Special Needs Individualsof Special Needs Individuals

DedicationDedication

The inspiration for this The inspiration for this presentation has come from the presentation has come from the many parents of special needs many parents of special needs individuals that I have had the individuals that I have had the

pleasure of meeting throughout pleasure of meeting throughout my 28 years as a speech my 28 years as a speech

pathologist and from being a pathologist and from being a mother to Blake, my child with mother to Blake, my child with

autism. autism.

We Are DifferentWe Are DifferentWelcome to Welcome to

the Clubthe Club

How the Heck Did How the Heck Did We Get Here?We Get Here?

Depending on the Depending on the disability, the disability, the journey begins at journey begins at different timesdifferent times

Is This My Life?Is This My Life?

Sometimes, the stress Sometimes, the stress takes it’s toll….takes it’s toll….

What About MeWhat About MeI love my child(ren) with special needs, but….

But is It Possible ?But is It Possible ?

YESYES

Val’s Journey-How It BeganVal’s Journey-How It Began

Perfect Life?Perfect Life?

Heavens, No!!!Heavens, No!!!

But I am fulfilledBut I am fulfilled

How Did I Get HereHow Did I Get Here

The Method to My MadnessThe Method to My Madness

OOrganizingrganizing

CCentralizingentralizing

DDelegating elegating

OOrganizingrganizing

Making ListsMaking Lists Scheduling to Maximize Time Scheduling to Maximize Time

and Effortsand Efforts PrioritizingPrioritizing

Master Lists and SchedulesMaster Lists and Schedules

Grocery ListGrocery List Monthly Meal ScheduleMonthly Meal Schedule Cleaning ScheduleCleaning Schedule Family JobsFamily Jobs Trip List by Climate and ActivityTrip List by Climate and Activity Family Medication ScheduleFamily Medication Schedule Weekly Therapy ScheduleWeekly Therapy Schedule Extra-Curricular ScheduleExtra-Curricular Schedule Monthly Bill ScheduleMonthly Bill Schedule

Dynamic Lists and SchedulesDynamic Lists and Schedules

Weekly Social ActivitiesWeekly Social Activities Exceptions to the norm such as Exceptions to the norm such as

School Holidays School Holidays

Prioritize Your Prioritize Your ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

CCentralizingentralizing

Your child with special needs Your child with special needs needs to be the center of your needs to be the center of your existence. Meet the needs of existence. Meet the needs of this child first, and then this child first, and then everything else will fall into everything else will fall into place. Do it in reverse and your place. Do it in reverse and your life will be constant chaos.life will be constant chaos.

The Center of Your UniverseThe Center of Your Universe

Identifying who is your sun and Identifying who is your sun and what are the planets in your what are the planets in your world that revolve around your world that revolve around your sun…If you get my driftsun…If you get my drift

My Sun My Sun

Get Over the Get Over the Guilt-What it Guilt-What it

Doesn’t MeanDoesn’t Mean

What We Will Be DoingWhat We Will Be Doing

We will base many decisions, We will base many decisions, both significant and not as both significant and not as significant, on the needs of our significant, on the needs of our special needs child(ren).special needs child(ren).

We will create our life around We will create our life around their needstheir needs

Little DecisionsLittle Decisions

Big DecisionsBig Decisions

Reduce the Size of Your Reduce the Size of Your UniverseUniverse

Smaller home-less to doSmaller home-less to do Do your children really need to Do your children really need to

do so many extra-curricular do so many extra-curricular activities?activities?

Try to keep the family’s extra-Try to keep the family’s extra-curricular and leisure activities curricular and leisure activities close to home or AT homeclose to home or AT home

The ResultThe Result

Surrendering to the reality of our Surrendering to the reality of our life sets us emotionally freelife sets us emotionally free

We can create a world that is in We can create a world that is in balance with our realitybalance with our reality

Our life is structured according Our life is structured according to a plan to a plan

Our life runs much more Our life runs much more smoothlysmoothly

An Ever-Changing ScenarioAn Ever-Changing Scenario It will need an occasional tweakIt will need an occasional tweak There may need to be major There may need to be major

changes when major factors changes when major factors changechange

Needs will change-our life will Needs will change-our life will changechange

Flexibility Flexibility FlexibilityFlexibility Flexibility Flexibility

DDelegatingelegating If you have a natural talent at If you have a natural talent at

organizing and centralizing, you organizing and centralizing, you probably will have issues with probably will have issues with delegating. The reverse may be delegating. The reverse may be true as well.true as well.

Natural organizers are Natural organizers are perfectionists which often make perfectionists which often make them poor at delegating.them poor at delegating.

But you can learn….But you can learn….

Of course, I am Of course, I am referring to referring to

myself.myself.

Benefits of Benefits of DelegatingDelegating

How To BeginHow To Begin

ME

YOU

Delegating TipsDelegating Tips

If delegating seems to be tough for If delegating seems to be tough for you, go slowly.you, go slowly.

Utilize everyone-including your child Utilize everyone-including your child with special needswith special needs

Designing a job chart in your house Designing a job chart in your house with the appropriate rewards will help with the appropriate rewards will help to promote successto promote success

Try hard not to criticize others even if Try hard not to criticize others even if they don’t complete the task as well they don’t complete the task as well as you would do it.as you would do it.

Other Ways to Improve Your Other Ways to Improve Your LifeLife

Take the

Life Satisfaction Survey

Set GoalsSet Goals

Leisure ActivitiesLeisure Activities Family LifeFamily Life CareerCareer Your Child with Special NeedsYour Child with Special Needs Your Other ChildrenYour Other Children Community ServiceCommunity Service

Take Care of YourselfTake Care of Yourself

Working OutWorking Out Taking VitaminsTaking Vitamins Eating wellEating well Getting sleepGetting sleep Relaxation TechniquesRelaxation Techniques Visualization TechniquesVisualization Techniques Develop HobbiesDevelop Hobbies Music as therapyMusic as therapy

New Philosophy:New Philosophy:You FirstYou First

Make Friends With Other Make Friends With Other Parents with Special Needs Parents with Special Needs ChildrenChildren

Join Support GroupsJoin Support Groups VolunteerVolunteer Family ClubsFamily Clubs Parent Co-OpParent Co-Op Special Needs PlaygroupsSpecial Needs Playgroups

History of the Family ClubHistory of the Family Club

•Started in 1999

•The purpose was to offer community-based activities for families

that have special needs individuals

•We recognized that it is often difficult for

these families to participate in regular community activities

Why Our Are Events Why Our Are Events SuccessfulSuccessful

•We ask establishments to modify the environment to make

it more conducive for our families

•We always cover fees for the special needs individual

•We often cover fees for the other family members or

arrange for discounts

•We are able to be relaxed since we are together as a group.

•WE ARE OPEN TO ALL FAMILIES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

INDIVIDUALS!!!

Here are some of the fun activities that we do:

FUNFUN

MOVIESMOVIES

The Metro ZooThe Metro Zoo

Families enjoyed a private tram tour of Metrozoo.

Mom’s Night Mom’s Night OutOut

Summer BowlingSummer Bowling

PartiesParties

The Parrot JungleThe Parrot Jungle