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

Quiet Hands

The Wooden Puzzle Fidget

This post is for parents and teachers who are driven crazy with children who are constantly tapping, poking and touching. For those of you on the edge of insanity, we have a few ideas to help keep their hands amused... at least for a little while!

We've found that most fidgets have the capacity to drive people crazy after a while. Also, not every fidget is a good match for every kid - so we've listed our Pros & Cons for your enjoyment. All of the products have links to their website, or Amazon - just click the title.


(1) CRAZY AARON'S THINKING PUTTY

PROS: Super fun to play with, comes in a LOT of cool colors, can be magnetic, can really help some kids to pay attention while sitting for long periods of time.

CONS: If left sitting on a surface, it will "melt", so don't leave it on carpet! If you're not careful, it may stick in hair, too.


(2) THE TANGLE

PROS : Very calming, great for kids with tactile needs, very quiet, no mess.

CONS : The pieces come apart, and may be a hazard for very young children. 

(3) ISOFLEX STRESS BALL 

PROS: Very durable, attractive tie-die cover, great for hand exercise due to firm texture.

CONS: Can easily be thrown at and by kids in a classroom setting.


(4) WATER WIGGLERS

PROS: Super fun! Wet, squishy, relaxing, interesting and kind of cold to the touch.

CONS: If it breaks... water and fish everywhere.

I QUIT!

Recently, one of our behavior specialists told a story about being involved in a Third Grade class learning some new recess games. One girl, who struggles with sensory integration and an attention deficit, decided that the game was too hard and she wasn't going to play. The specialist was struck with a dilemma; these were recess games, and therefore optional. But, on the other hand, they were learning the games in class time. Every so often these situations arise, where as adults, we have to really think about where to guide these kids.

Everyone does things that they don't want to do - that is just how life goes. When you think back on your life, we're willing to bet that many of your life's successes can be traced back to an adult telling you to do something mundane or difficult that you didn't want to do. This particular specialist told the story of being a young child at a music camp - armed with a trombone and a lot of strangers, she did not want to go to the camp. In addition, her main teacher was a man with a dry sense of humor that she didn't understand, and she had trouble keeping up with the work. She went home and proclaimed, "Mom! I do not want to go back there. I quit trombone."

Did her Mom let her quit? No. Did she try to find out what the real problem was? Yes. When she established the problem, she asked her to practice that trombone until she improved. The next day, the girl went back to the camp. She was uncomfortable, but she learned to face her discomfort. Isn't that a picture of adult life, though? We've heard that most of life's successes come from just 'turning up'. Obviously you need to do more than just turn up, but first things first!

Take a step back, and look at the big picture. Asking your child to stick with something isn't about exerting your power. You're not being bossy or unreasonable. You are setting your child up for a life of productive habits, employability and committed relationships.

Interview with Leah Kalish

This week on the Spectrum, we were lucky enough to interview Leah Kalish, from Move With Me Action Adventures. Enjoy!

We love your work Leah! Tell our readers a bit about what you do.

At Move with Me Action Adventures, we are a small group of educators offering a unique integration of story + exercise + self-regulation that engages the whole child, helps prevent obesity, and improves focus, fitness, learning readiness, and social-emotional skills.  

Our mission is to support children in being physically fit, emotionally stable, and learning able by delivering affordable, and easy-to-implement, instructional active play and embodied social-emotional learning resources to teachers, care-providers, and parents.  Our movement story video programs, accompanying health / self-regulation flash cards, and comprehensive curriculum are developed with children and can be used at home, in classrooms, and in childcare settings. . 

We sell to First 5’s and other early childhood organizations, Head Starts, preschools, early elementary classrooms, childcare and daycare centers, parents, and libraries as well as lead in-person and online trainings. 

In 2013, Move with Me™ was chosen by Partnership for a Healthier America as 1 of the top 10 best ideas for ending childhood obesity (see 2 min. video!).  Our  “Adventure Skills” regularly appear in LA Times Feature about self-regulation for kids .  This year, Foundation - End Obesity Now, is ready to fund an implementation project.

How have you seen movement and mindfulness enrich the lives of preschoolers?

Movement and mindfulness activities offer a playground which develops the body-mind awareness, coordination, and control that lays the foundation for self-regulation and learning.  Physical skills, which movement & self-regulation are, empower kids because they pave the way for cognitive and emotional-emotional skills.  Usually, when I walk in,  I see kids light up.  They know that they will have fun exploring what their bodies can do and discovering what their minds and inner resources can offer.  When they experiment with the yoga, movement, and simple tools I share, and feel better, find focus, re-direct impulses, and even calm and soothe themselves, they gain a whole new level of confidence in every area of their lives.  I know enrichment is occurring when a parent tells me that their child told them to “breathe and use finesse”, or when a teacher reports that their class showed the principal how to “avoid a meltdown”.

Why did you decide to develop your business, 'Move with Me'? What got the ball rolling? 

After being Program Director for Yoga Ed., an organization that brought the yoga-based PE and classroom wellness programs I developed to schools, from 2000 – 2009, I was inspired to return to early childhood for two reasons.

One -  I wanted to do something about young children not getting the physical activity and self-regulation instruction they need for optimal weight and development.  Two – I was asked by a former trainee to help develop her wonderful movement story classes that taught yoga and Brain Gym® based health & self-care techniques into a curriculum.  I saw that by producing engaging and empowering video classes and accompanying educational materials, we could give parents and teachers expertly taught resources they could easily and affordably implement to provide much needed PE and SEL enrichment.

Since then, our Scooter & Me Movement & Mindfulness Bundle has won four awards, evolved into a 30-week curriculum, and earned the support of the Foundation – End Obesity Now.

Preschoolers are hilarious! Tell us about a funny story that has happened while working with preschoolers.

One of the first lessons I teach preschoolers is to sit tall, breathe fully, and move into their “Rainbow Body”.  This inspires good posture and vibrational coherence.  We sing a lively song about the powers of our colors –strong, happy, confident, caring, honest, smart, and understanding.  And then, like blowing a kiss, or sending an email, we can choose to send our rainbow.  We experimented with each other and discovered that if we focus our rainbow energy toward someone else, they will feel an uplifting warmth, tingle, or peacefulness.  So, we send rainbows in class when someone is crabby, or sad, or not feeling well. We also send rainbows to people we love and care about who may be far away. 

One day, the school administrator interrupted our class saying that Callie’s mother was on the phone and just felt she needed to check in.  Callie, hearing this, jumped up and said: I was sending her a rainbow!  Sometimes, when I miss her, I send her a rainbow.  That’s one powerful preschooler J

What advice would you give to teachers and parents interested in incorporating more movement and mindfulness into their children’s lives? 

Remember that developmentally, preschoolers are designed to discover who they are and to master skills through play.  So make a “special time” to play full-on with your child(ren) every day – let them choose what!  And share all the everyday activities you can with them – making the grocery list, scheduling the doctor’s appointment, washing the dishes, making the bed, cooking, etc. 

Also, prioritize your own health and well-being over your TO DO List.  If you want them to become healthy and self-regulating, you must model exercising, eating well, and behaving well.  Take time through-out the day to consciously self-regulate and at home, share what you are doing with your little ones and teach them specific techniques to help them when they are emotional, frustrated, etc.  

Examples:  

            If your child is challenged, or tired, or disappointed, invite him/her to slow down and be curious with it rather than resistant – feel where is it in the body, what color or texture it is.  Ask what s/he might do allow and shift, or offer a tool that you use.  Schedule time for self-care so that your child gets to regularly rest, reset, recharge and feel ready and able for the next activity.  

            After you’ve had a tough day, rather than being withdrawn, phony, or irritable, you could explain that you are stressed and crabby from something that happened at work so, before you play, or make dinner, or whatever,  that you need to practice some breathing or stretching, or take a walk around the block, or have 20 minutes to meditate – so that you then can be fully present.