Hello and welcome to the 10th Issue of HSSN TidBits!
If you are new here, welcome to my website and monthly newsletter about all things special needs, life skills and homeschooling. We are already in February, and it is almost over (such a short month), but Easter is coming up. Did you enjoy your long weekend for President’s Day? Some of you may still be on break and others only may have received just a short weekend, but whatever and wherever you are on your vacation, I hope that you are creating memories. Here’s to an awesome week with your families and that you learn something along the way as well.
~M.
How to stay Motivated: 6 pointers of Reassurance
So, you got your motivation mojo working, good for you. Perhaps you were encouraged by the words of a motivational speaker or got a blunt dose of truth from a friend or family member. Like the quote goes “Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working”, halfhearted attempts equal halfhearted results. Let’s turn those motivational attempts into fulltime rewards with these 6 tips.
- Remember the pain points. In sales jargon, pain points are problems
that come about when the solution being offered is not taken. Try to keep
in mind all the things that could or will happen if you don’t stay the course.
For example, if you were once motivated to go running three times a
week, think about what will happen if you don’t give your heart the
exercise it needs.
2. Don’t play leapfrog. Feelings of motivation can sometimes slip into the
category of finding the next high. Instead of bouncing from goal to goal,
make sure you finish what you start before getting motivated about
something else. For example, if you really like language and made a goal
for yourself to learn French, learn it before you switch to learning German,
and then Italian, or whatever else.
3. Know Thyself. When you try to accomplish goals that other people set
for you, your motivation can wane. Take a look at your goals and make
sure, they’re goals you have for yourself…not goals that other people want
you to achieve. If they’re not, you may want to set them aside and
reassess where you’re going.
4. Visualize. Picturing the end result of your goal can go a long way
towards continuing your motivation to succeed, and it has some seriously
awesome side effects. The positive energy you build around that imagery
will affect you at a subconscious level, while the mental affirmation that
you can achieve it will do loads for your self confidence, which will also
help you stay the course.
5. Let go of stuff beyond your control. When it comes to motivation, it can
be easy to give up because things don’t’ go according to plan. Learn to let
go of things beyond your control, otherwise they’ll reduce your motivation
to succeed.
6. Get organized. If you want to stay motivated, you need to work a little
bit to keep the motivation alive, otherwise it will just slip into the traffic
stream of life’s feelings that inevitably comes over everyone—just like
happiness, sadness, or anger, motivation will just be another feeling unless
you concretize it. Put your goals on the calendar and make an action plan.
Homeschooling When Your Child Has a Disability
If you feel that your child suffers from a disability that seriously hampers his ability to stick to routine, then homeschooling is your best choice. The child will be constantly under your supervision. But he will be gaining a lot of quality education, in spite of his disability. This is rather surprising, considering how children with disabilities are stigmatized in public schools.
Goal setting is an important part of homeschooling a child with disability. Set the number of working hours per week for the child. A child with a disability may have his bad days. Structure the learning hours according to the needs and interests of the child. Use the computer. This way, he will have all the necessary information right at his fingertips while staying within the confines of his home.
Field trips and other educational activities are just as important. Get help from your support group. Visit places of interest and interact with other children in the group. Take your child out for some activities, so that he can socialize. Let him set his own pace with making friends. This will help in strengthening his self-esteem.
Above all, remember that homeschooling is just the same, even when your child suffers from a disability. You will just need to look for the right opportunities and the easiest alternatives to achieve the same goals.
Welcome to my Monthly Blog,
I post things about what is going on in that moment, season, news, and all the things in between of raising a special needs child. It is not easy by any means, but my hope is that my struggles/challenges help with other moms or parents of special needs children feel that they are not alone. Enjoy this month’s post.
Ice Cream Sundae (Life Skills)
The Journey Ahead after the first diagnosis of Autism
After our son was diagnosed with autism in 2011, we were confused, sad, scared…I guess all the emotions you would feel after getting news like this from your child’s psychologist or doctor. I started doing a lot of reading and really just getting to work advocating because we both knew the road would not be easy. At the end of the day, show up, be and advocate for your special needs child/teen/adult for as long as you can. Here are some of the books we read in the early years and what to do, in regard to advocating and prepping for each stage. Wherever you are in your journey keep going. It does get better and sometimes it gets harder, depending on your situation. At the end of the day, do something so that your son/daughter can be successful in this crazy life. Make it beautiful!
Book Recommendations:
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