Autism Learning Tools DIY

When you have a child with Autism, you soon realize that it costs a lot of money to provide your child with all of the alternative learning tools that they need to stay attentive in school. Since money doesn't grow on trees, this week we bring to you a list of tools that you can make yourself!

(1) Fidgets

A fidget is a small toy that a child can hold while being expected to pay attention in class. Amazon offers stacks of options for wonderful fidget toys, but if you're feeling crafty, you can easily make your own. You'll need; balloons, a funnel, rice/sand/flour and scissors. Fill the balloon with rice, flour or sand and tie the end. Add at least 3-4 balloon layers over the original balloon, because these fidgets can break and make a huge mess!

(2) Weighted Blankets

This will take a little while to develop, but you can make your own weighted blankets with rice, duct tape and ziplock bags. 

This is part one of a YouTube video by user karena02 - if you're interested, check out part two on YouTube.

(3) Chewies

If your child chews on everything, you can find plenty of chewing-appropriate items for sale online. To save money, you can make your own by picking up some food-grade tubing at your local Home Depot . Add some to the end of some pencils, thread it on some colorful string to make a necklace or a bracelet. You can find kid-safe necklace clasps at craft stores like Beverley's, Joann Fabrics or Michael's. 

(4) Sensory Bins

Fill a large plastic bin with dried beans, rice and lentils. Running your hands through one of these is so calming by itself, but you can also create games by hiding items in the bin. 

(5) Flash Cards

Emotions, number sense, sight words and more can be learned from flash cards. The good news is that you can make them yourself! Customize your child's flash cards to exactly what they need help in learning. We recommend that when teaching emotions, you take photos of your own child making faces instead of using "smiley face"/emoticon type faces, because that's not what real faces look like. 

Happy Crafting!

SF Guide to Entertaining Special Needs Kids

Looking for something to do in San Francisco with a child who has some social differences? We have some ideas for you!

(1) House of Air
Located in the luscious green fields of the Presidio, the House of Air is a big ole' airplane hangar filled with trampolines. The under-7's have a bounce house to contend with because they aren't old enough to handle the big trampolines yet, but nevertheless, the House of Air will absolutely wear your kids out.

PROS:
- Many kids with Autism have a hard time sleeping - the extra exertion of energy can help.
- Some kids on the spectrum may be reluctant to play sport, and be uncomfortable with physical activity. Trampolining provides healthy movement, yet gives personal space.
- Sensory-seekers can indulge their wild side with relatively no real danger.

CONS:
- Can be loud, if you have a sensory avoidant child, pack some ear plugs.
- Can be busy, choose an off-peak time and you may just get the place to yourself!

(2) Randall Museum

PROS:
- Free! Not many places in SF can boast free admission for kids these days. And there's a free parking lot.
- Great for a rainy day "Plan B".
- Kids can go to the museum repeatedly and yet still find things to do.
- Indulges many typical special interests for kids on the spectrum - history, earthquakes and a train room!
- Live animals/petting zoo, teaching kids to care about living beings and helping some kids who may have fear of animals.
- Fields outside for kids to take breaks from indoors, as well as hiking opportunities next door. There's a beautiful vista of SF to be seen - good for the whole family's sanity.

CONS:
- It's quite a small museum, especially if you have loud kids! You might want to try going when less kids are around, or take your children outside for a break every 20 min or so.

(3) California Academy of Sciences

So much to see, do and learn!

PROS:
- Very educationally diverse.
- Live animals.
- Rooftop garden.
- Rainforest.

CONS:
- Can be very overstimulating! Be warned! Your kids may need breaks in quiet places, or some noise-canceling headphones to soften to stimulation onslaught.
- The aquarium is gorgeous but very dark, and there are a lot of tunnels/places to hide. Keep a close eye on your kids because in the blink of an eye they may dart off in different directions. Nobody likes losing their kids in a dark, crowded room!

(5) Dolores Park

Updated and fresh, the new Dolores Park playground is a great space for your kids to have fun in the Mission.

PROS:
- Very new, and therefore pretty safe.
- Multisensory approach, there are noisemakers and different textures around the place.
- Made for a high volume of kids, so even when it's crowded there are things for your kids to do.

CONS:
- It's BIG, and therefore easy to lose track of where your kids are. You may want to dress your child in a bright color or loud pattern that's easily recognizable.
- The playground isn't totally fenced, and there is a bridge which can lead them out of the playground.
- There are a lot of adults milling around, especially on weekends, try to keep an eye on people who seem like they aren't accompanying a child.

(6) Hiller Aviation Museum

Granted, this one isn't in SF (It's in San Carlos) - but if you have a child who loves planes, you HAVE to go to the Hiller!

PROS:
- Very welcoming environment for kids with special interests in planes, and social differences in general.
- Loads of history and information on aviation.
- Summer Camps available!
- Real plane for the kids to explore, play pretend and sit in the cockpit.

CONS:
- Can be super boring for kids with no interest in planes.

Summer Camp!

Are you looking for a safe place to send your kids this summer?

Many children "fall apart" behaviorally and academically during their summer break, making the transition back to school harder than it needs to be. Partnering with Lorenza Arnal from Compass For Families, Kahlon Family Services' summer programs are designed to help children with special needs flourish throughout their time away from school. We have staff skilled in providing; a weekday routine, structured activities, tailored educational support and staff who seek to understand your family's unique challenges.

Our approach is different from regular camps, as we focus on five main areas:

• Social Skills
• Executive Functioning Strategies
• Behavioral Support
• Academic Tutoring
• Yoga for self-regulation

Ages of kids attending our camp will vary, due to group dynamics. We strive to create successful matches with our attendees, allowing for the most engaging experience possible. 

Camps will be running on the weeks of:
June 9th & 16th
July 21st & 28th
August 18th

Camp costs:
$590 for one week
$1100 for two weeks ($550 per week)


If you are interested in keeping your kids "sharp" this summer, consider placing them in a Kahlon Family Services Summer Program. Email info@kahlonfamilyservices.com for more details.

Alternative Seating for the Classroom

(1) T-Stool

For kids who; tip on their regular classroom chair, typically don't work with their feet on the floor, have a hard time paying attention, are frequently tired, wigglers who need frequent movement.

What does it do? The T-Stool is a one-footed stool that provides active seating to the user. Kids using a T-Stool need both feet on the floor for balance, which promotes a grounded position for optimal learning.

(2) Camp Chair

For kids who; rock back and forth, have a hard time knowing where to sit or how much space to take up, have difficulty orienting their bodies while sitting on the rug, have a hard time with personal space.

What does it do? The camp chair shows a child where to sit, which direction to face, provides sensory input (like a hug) and allows for some movement if the child tips back and sits in a "V" shape.

(3) Wiggle Cushions

For kids who; work best while moving, need more core support, respond well to tactile input and interesting textures.

What does it do? The wiggle cushion is partially filled with air so that the user will need to use their core muscles to stabilize themselves on the cushion. It can be used on the rug, or atop the child's regular classroom chair. The cushion has a smooth side and a bumpy side to provide a variety of sensory experiences. The wiggle cushion also works well with a small weighted blanket over the child's lap for stronger sensory input.

(4) Bean Bag Chair 

For kids who; need a safe place to chill out, seek out physical contact frequently, respond well to deep pressure, or seek experiences where their body is squeezed.

What does it do? Being in a bean bag is like being enveloped in a hug. Young children who exhibit disruptive or dangerous behaviors at preschool might require frequent "breaks". These kids may be too overstimulated to be held by an adult at this time, and a bean bag can work as a great alternative. The adult can sit beside the bean bag and wait until the child is ready to repair the situation. Of course, you can also seat a wiggly child in a bean bag for circle time, or book corner etc. if the space is big enough to accommodate for the chair. 

Interview with Amber Williams

This week we were lucky enough to score an interview with Amber Williams - certified postpartum doula, baby nurse and sleep training consultant. In other words, this girl knows everything there is to know about babies! 

Enjoy!

(1) Tell us a bit about what you do, and how long you've been doing it for. 

I help people know what to do with their baby! I have been working with kids, and more specifically, the under 3 years old age, for 7 years. It all started as basic nanny work and slowly has transformed into this career that I love!

(2) At Kahlon Family Services, we are passionate about building strong families in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Your work, specifically with babies, adheres to the same desire - making the family unit work! What are some common areas of concern for San Franciscan families? 

Raising a baby is hard. Raising a baby in San Francisco deserves a medal. Most parents don’t have family around here, the hills are not stroller friendly, and it’s expensive! Because of this, families are packing up and shipping out. I want to change that. If I can be that support to a new mom that doesn’t have her own mother around, I’ll do it. If I can teach a family the easiest way to get groceries with a babe in tow, let’s go grocery shopping together and I’ll teach you. I am passionate about teaching families how to blend a child into their life, not feel like the have to recreate this world that revolves around the child and the child only. That’s not real life! Real life is learning to work with others and know that you are part of something bigger. We have to bring about a small culture change and make raising a family in a city the norm! 

(3) Babies don't come with an instruction manual. Your services provide help to those who need some extra support. What are some common areas of raising a newborn that seem to catch parents off guard?

No matter how many books you read or how much nesting you may do, a baby will come barreling in, take the next 3 months and turn them upside down. There are few things most new parents are always so surprised about including: how little they eat at first (fun fact: at newborn’s stomach is the size of a marble!), that you have to teach them the difference between day and night, and how much movement they actually like. I joke that 90% of my job is just ‘normalizing’ things for new parents. “Yes, that rash is normal” “Yes, he looks healthy” “Yes, you are doing great”.

(4) Obviously adequate sleep is vital for the necessary sanity related to running a family. Why are structure and sleep so heavily intertwined?

Your baby’s first job in life is to learn how to eat. Their second is to learn how to sleep. A solid structure that introduces good eating and sleeping habits will ready your child for solid growth in so many areas later on. Keeping in mind that there is grace and some times we all just have bad days, including babies, overall babies thrive off structure. I am a huge fan of the French model of “this is the frame, the expectations and boundaries you have, and within that frame you have free will”. Not to mention a structure allows for a more productive family unit. Mom and dad then know when they need to be home for naps and when they have an hour or two to get out of the house!

(5) Some people are reluctant to putting their infant on a schedule, and this is an area of controversy in many parenting circles. How do you foster a healthy attachment cycle within the boundaries of structure? How is flexibility different from inconsistency? 

I actually refuse to give out a solid model of my sleep training philosophy because I believe each child and family is different. Of course, there is a basic idea of Eat Play Sleep Repeat, but within that framework you have flexibility. I always spend sometime getting to know and observing my family and babe before implementing goals. I refer to them as goals not rules because, once again, we need to have grace and flexibility. Sometimes baby isn’t going to eat or sleep or be completely content and happy because guess what, they are human! All those things like growth spurts, teething, and sickness are temporary and as long as after a few days you go back to your basics and work in the goals again, you are doing great.

(6) What is the funniest thing that's ever happened while working with babies? 

This isn’t necessarily a baby story, but a good one… A few years ago I was a live in nanny for a family with 2 kids. The baby was 3 months old when I started and he stole my heart right out the gate. His parents went out of town one weekend and sister went to stay at the grandparent’s house so it was just us. He was about 1 ½ by this time and loved going out to dinner to a place that had this huge open field with balls and toys for the kids (this was in rural Wyoming to paint a picture). Well my baby was OBSESSED with sunglasses and lost his in the field. We couldn’t find them to save our lives. He kept crying “MY EYESSSSS, Mamer ("Amber"), my EYESSS”. So I told him “I’m sorry love we’ll have to go to the store tomorrow and buy new eyes.” That got him in the car and in bed. At 6am the next morning I woke up because I could just sense someone looking at me and sure enough, he was standing next to my bed “Eyes, eyes, eyes…” “Wait, how did you get out of your crib?!” “Eyes, eyes, eyes…” And that is not only how I ended up at Kmart waiting for the doors to open, but also how I learned he needed his crib lowered.

(7) What advice would you give to parents struggling to get enough sleep, now that there's a new baby in the house? 

No matter what book you may read, you will read these two things: There will never be ‘enough’ sleep and if your baby is asleep you should be asleep too! And what is the first response new moms have for me? “But I can’t sleep! What if something happens!” To that I say, lie down and rest. Bring baby into bed with you if that makes you feel better. This is not the time to do laundry or dishes, see visitors…nothing! There are only 2 exceptions to the resting rule: You want something to eat or a shower. I say this because it is so important for mom to have all her situational needs met. Most women that are suffering from light postpartum depression just need a shower, a meal, and some sleep. Of course, if at anytime you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or are having troubling thoughts, please reach out to your doctor.

If you have any further questions for Amber, or for us, contact us on info@kahlonfamilyservices.com