We are on week two of our walking socials. I am seeing some happy students each week. Not only during our walk but on Zoom too. I spent some time thinking about this, its community. Over time, the students that see each other often, start to build lasting connections. They look forward to seeing each other every week. Its a break in their routine, a break from loneliness. A chance to share and be heard and listen to others. Lets face it, the mental health of many ASD youth is affected by the lockdown. Small things like, meeting online once a week for a class or social, connecting to each other in group email exchanges, or getting out of the house for walk really makes a difference. Parents, take advantage of what is being offered locally for your ASD child, trust me, it helps, I see changes from just the small steps we take weekly.
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If you are looking for money towards March break camps, see Heathers note below. Spectrum Insights is running a Social & Life Skills camp for March break. This funding may help your child attend.
This is From Heather Fawcett's Newsletter: Some funding opportunities for families. Please distribute to families as you see fit. 1. One-time payment from provincial government to help offset costs during the 2020-2021 school (up to age 21 for special needs students). Deadline Feb. 8, 20212. Autism Ontario March Break Fund - Deadline Jan. 22, 2021 All social Groups in November
With the recent restrictions we are limited to 10 people total for socials and must be 6 feet apart. This limits what we can do for November and seriously impedes all games options the kids gather around. (unless programs for special needs youth have different rules? Id love to hear about it!) W/ the exception of Group coaching, we will be running events to keep 6 feet apart:
I recognize this may not be your child's fave reason to attend, especially when it comes to movies. Ill be doing something different and picking DVD's that are pre 90's. Hopefully expand your child's movie horizon w/ some classics from the vault!
info@spectruminsights.ca An election is coming up for our U.S friends. For the sake of our ASD kids and students, lets not lose our minds, demonstrate B&W thinking nor teach the impressionable that it is ok to put others down for different values and beliefs. Let us teach them to see two sides of one coin and recognize the good in others. The news and social media has become adept at taking one picture and presenting a different angle completing ignoring the other angle. It teaches us and our children to be divisive and dismissive of others. Instead teach them the value of Democracy, the freedom of choice, talk about why some people make different choices than we do. Take your lens and show them how to see the other angle. Lets sow peace, not discord during the election. Our kids are impressionable, they hear us speaking when we dont think they are listening and they learn from our behavior. Sow the seeds of peace, open minded thinking and acceptance. Our Kids and students will become wiser adults and less black and white in their views.
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Spectrum Insights is in the news:
Click the image below to hear our interview on CFRA with Dahlia Kurtz Archives
January 2021
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