Put a Son-Rise Playroom Around Yourself

FROM : Brandi Davis

Before I began my training to become a Son-Rise Child Facilitator, I would often make myself small and hide from the world around me. I learned to find great comfort in my own predictability. People, to me, seemed to change like the wind and I made myself feel uncomfortable with this belief. I hid from others, so that I could feel safe and as a result I gave great power to the pains and fears of my yesterdays. I soon discovered that I was only hiding from myself and that the very way I viewed my past, was the same way in which I viewed my future and present moment. Now, as I have begun to re-construct my past and view it differently, my future and present moment also looks and feels very different. Full of joy, inspiration, comfort and a constant flow of love. I practice embracing these gifts every single day.

Son-Rise has inspired me to step from behind my walls with arms open wide and a bigger love to share. Don't forget that we too are on the same journey as our courageous Son-Rise children. The view may be different, but the road is the same. To connect with ourselves and the world around us in a more deep and meaningful way.

INSPIRE YOURSELF AND INSPIRE THE WORLD!!!

Games Games Games!

Good Morning!

This weeks game from the Autism Treatment Center of America is called - "Worldly Travels".
It is designed with many components under the umbrella of one game- this adds variety and helps your child to want to attend for longer than they normally would.





Enjoy playing this game with your child!

Son-Rise Songs!

FROM BECKY: There is nothing like a good song to lift our spirits and help us get in the mood for a loving and fun playroom session. Here are some songs that help me embody the Son-Rise attitude!

Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles

It's a New Dawn it's a New Day - Nina Simone

Let Go - Frou Frou

I'm Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves

Sweet Soul Music - Arthur Conley

The Climb - Miley Cyrus

I Can See Clearly Now the Rain Has Gone - Jimmy Buffet

A lovely Day - Bill Withers

All You Need is Love - The Beatles

You Are the Sunshine of my Life - Stevie Wonder

Have fun!

All You Need Is Love : A Chapter from the Son-Rise Program

From: Brandi Davis

My goal for tomorrow is to prioritize loving and accepting myself. After all, isn't that what we inspire our children to do every single day? In the playroom, I want our beautiful children to experience love from their heads to their toes. I want them to be proud of exactly who they are, right now and at all times. I cheer them on with heart and soul when they try to make an "ee" sound over and over again. I admire them when they are challenged by making eye contact, but they do it anyway. I am humbled when they laugh with pure delight, as they sit in the corner loving their exclusivity. I believe that every single child and adult that I have worked with is perfect. WOW! NOW THAT IS LOVE!! Can you imagine if you lived and breathed that same existence for yourself? What would happen if you chose to find beauty in your own challenges? What would it sound like if you cheered yourself on when you felt challenged by those events in your life? What would it feel like if you inspired yourself every single day? Don't forget to love and accept yourself inside and outside of the playroom. It is the greatest tool that we can model!!

Walk Beside Us ... A Walk to Remember

FROM JAMIE: The first day of our walk for Tyler and I was February 27, 1994, the day she was born.

She was a beautiful girl though her head was larger than normal. An MRI taken at Chidrens Memorial in Chicago, IL showed an arachnoid cyst at the base of her brain. The neurosurgeon said no need to be alarmed right now, we will continue to watch for changes. At age 14 months, Tyler stopped babbling, lost eye contact, and was in her own world. On November 14, 1995 Tyler was diagnosed "Severe Organic Brain Dysfunction" and was given no hope. I always believed there was hope and searched for the best way to help Tyler ~ to help Tyler be a part of our world. I found the Son-Rise program and never looked back. At times I felt like the real characters in Wizard of Oz ~ as we walked our path, people would throw apples at us and try to stop us from where we wanted to go. We werent going down the same path that the majority were taking. We took the path we wanted for us! The path that was leading to limitless possibilities and hope. I felt alone many times even though I knew I was never alone .... Tyler and God were right there beside me all the way. You see, this journey is for me. Tyler's not asking me to save her. I want her to be a part of our world. The journey has taught me so many things and I am certain we took the right path. In a world of wanting so much for a special needs child, you dont find fields of roses and extra help and support every where you turn. In fact, the people closest to you are sometimes the ones throwing the most apples. I use to take steps backward when apples were thrown, but I have found that my dream will never be the dream I want for Tyler unless I stand strong and keep moving forward. As Tyler and I have continued on our walk in this most loving journey, we have found friends that have helped keep us strong and keep us moving forward. They are walking the walk beside us! What a difference that makes to be around people that are uplifting and cheer you on and believe in Tyler and myself. Now I only allow people to walk beside us ~ never again will anyone walk in front of us to stop us from where we want to go. For those of you already walking beside us and holding our hand, my deepest gratitude to you all! To be a Force of Nature is an amazing experience! So, my friends, you are always invited to Walk Beside Us for A Walk to Remember <3 Never Ever Give Up .... Run your Race to the END!

Lots of Love to you all, Jamie

Game-Storming EQUATION!!!

From:Kim
In The Son-Rise Program Intensive here at The Autism Treatment Center of America we help parents create game ideas specifically geared toward promoting growth and development for their individual child!

These games are often created from our secret (only joking) Son-Rise Program GAME-STORMING EQUATION!!! Today I reveal that secret equation!!!




Pair together:
a) something your child is motivated for

+

b) an area of growth you would like to help your child develop
(e.g. a goal chosen from The Son Rise Program Developmental Model)...

then presto chango... you have yourself a game!!!!


For Example:

a) Your child is motivated for ride games - piggy back rides, swing rides, spin rides, etc.
b) You would like to help them grow their ability to use clear single words

The GAME:

• Write down each letter of a word such as “spin” on separate piece of paper. Attach each letter to a different corner of the room. When you get a green light (such as your child looking at you) give them a few spins while modeling the word, and then pause. As soon as your child makes a sound or an approximation of the word "spin", give them half a spin. Continue the game by encouraging your child to say the whole word while giving them half spins or full spins depending on how much of the word ("spin") they say.

Have fun with your children and this fun Game-Storming Equation!!!
Love,
Kim

Budget Games!

FROM BECKY: I was recently asked for easy ideas for props/themes and games to play in a Son-Rise Program playroom that don't break the bank and are convenient for people living in areas where there isn't easy access to the places that are easy to get funs props and matireals (e.g. dollar store, thrift store, etc).
Here are 4 ideas:



1) A cardboard box/Laundry basket! If your child likes rides, pretend it's a spaceship. If your child likes songs, pretend it's a boat and sing "Row Your Boat" or a bus and sing "Wheels on the bus". If your child likes vibrations, pretend it's a washing machine and shake him/her in it.



2) A bucket! If your child likes music, play it like a drum. If your child likes slapstick humor, put it over your head and bump into things with it. If your child likes to watch things fall, fill it with stuffed animals or packing peanuts and pretend it's raining cats and dogs or snowing in the playroom.


3) A balloon! If your child likes anticipation, blow it up slowly, bigger...bigger...bigger and then let it go crazy flying around the room. If your child likes to be competitive, see how long you can both keep the balloon up in the air wothout using your hands If your child likes Pictures or letters, draw something on the deflated balloon so your child can see it getting bigger as you blow it up.


4) A paper towel tube. If your child likes animal noises, pretend to go around the room looking for endangered creatures with your telescope making fun sounds for him/her. If your child likes soft physical sensations, gently blow through the tube onto his/her neck or arm. If your child likes whispers, whisper gently in his ear through it.


More ideas welcome!


Love Becky

First a Social Prince or Princess!

FROM WILLIAM: In our Son-Rise Program Start-Up training course we have parents who's autistic children / teenagers / adults are High Functioning or have Aspergers Syndrome. During the course we have session where we discuss all the dynamics and issues around helping such children become more socially successful.

One particular topic that is often talked about is teaching "please" and "thank you", saying "hello" to aunt Mary when she visits, etc. - essentially the social niceties of social interaction. Yes these are important when interacting yet not as important as helping children with High Functioning Autism or Aspergers learn to be more flexible, spontaneous and to more fully enjoy socially interacting with all the individuals they encounter throughout their day.

So when working with your child prioritize helping them to be social, to enjoy interacting with others, to be flexible and spontaneous, etc. This may mean as your child develops their social ability they also become a Prince or Princess! Once you are at this point then you can socially polish them by guiding them to say please and thank you, to open doors for other people, etc.

Stay focus on what is most important - helping your child love interacting with others - mom and dad, siblings, peers, teachers, etc.

With Love and smiles

William

Games Games Games!

Hello!
This Friday The Autism Treatment Center of America brings to your home another set of creative ideas you can bring into your Son-Rise Program playrooms to help your autistic child lengthen their interactive attention span.

Just click on the video below to see what games you can do with the hats you already have in your playroom.

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Remember that the magic ingredient is not the game but the fun and delightful energy YOU bring.

With love Kate

Last Post on Getting Volunteers!

FROM BECKY: Here are some more helpful things to take into account when creating the "Dream Team" of volunteers to work with your child for your Son-Rise Program.

Once you have decided who you want to now take on as a volunteer with your child, you are ready to really see how suitable this person is for your team. If you hold a one month trial period then you can get more of a feel for this person. You will see if they are open (moving on and implementing feedback), and if they are committed (coming to sessions on time, reliable, curious, etc).

After the one month trial period is over you can then make more of a commitment to them. If they know that the first month is about seeing if your program and the volunteer are a good fit for each other then it will be a more effective use of your time. Tell them at the beginning in a sweet and loving way that you really want this to work and that not everybody is cut out for the playroom. That's why you are going to have a one month trial period to grasp whether this program is suitable for them. You will be pleasantly surprised by how open they will be to this. The trial period takes the pressure off bith you and them if they end up not being cut out for your program.

You are giving them an incredible gift that they can't buy in any store anywhere in the world! Most of us Teachers and Child Facilitators at The Autism Treatment Center of America Started our Son-Rise Program journeys out as volunteers. For me personally, becoming a volunteer lead me on an amazing journey of self discovery and a voyage to creating more happiness in my life. I became more accepting of myself and others, I became more confident and lived with more purpose, I stopped worrying so much about what others thought of me and started doing more of what I wanted. I completely turned my life around in a very positive way. You are giving your prospective volunteers an opportunity to do the same. Know it, believe it, and own it!

Have fun finding volunteers and please let me know if you have any more comments or questions.

Lots of love,

Becky

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

FROM GERD: This blog is dedicated to all of you out there, who have considered taking a program at The Option Institute, but for many different reasons and supported by many limiting or even undermining beliefs, have not done so.

Some of the reasons/beliefs may be: “I can’t get away from my kids and family”, “I am afraid to be in class with a lot of strangers”, “I am beyond help at this point in my life”, or “I just don’t have the money right now.”

As most of you who follow our The Option Institute family are aware of, we consistently are looking for evidence to support these beliefs and disregard a more quite, but no less powerful part inside of ourselves who knows: “I really want to change some things in my life”, “I want to take control of my life rather than being a victim”, “I really want to overcome my depression”, “I want more meaningful and deeper relationships with friends or with one significant other”, “I know I can do a better job as a mother or a father, a sister or a brother, a son or a daughter.”

These are some of the beliefs I am hearing when consulting with individuals and families from all over the world; who are on the cusp of picking up the phone and register for a program and then don’t do it, or who just can’t quite book that flight to the Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut or a bus ride to a convention centre in London. Or some of you who actually put a deposit down and then find once again evidence to support the beliefs that you deep down know will jeopardize what you know is best for you and either cancel or postpone getting the help and support you know you want.

My questions to all of you to whom these words “ring a bell” or something “resonates” inside are these: When will you take action? When will you fulfill a promise you have made to yourself to actually do it? We all know that unless we give our “wants” arms and legs, it’s only words, and nothing…nothing will happen on its own.

As a way of saying, I love you, I want to help you and I want to support you, I simply like to offer an email I got from a wonderful courageous woman and a Son-Rise Program® Mom, who just attended the Fearless program at The Option Institute. Her words speak for themselves and are very inspiring, powerful, sincere and honest.

And after reading her email, you decide…will you wait a month, put it off for a couple of days, or act right now… to pick up that phone, to book that flight, to “make it happen” because as we all know in our wonderful Option family: YOU are your own best expert on your beliefs; YOU are the only one responsible for your actions.

"Hello Gerd, I hope you are well. I just wanted to tell you that I am so grateful that you encouraged me to go to Fearless. I appreciate everything you did to help me get there. When I talked to you, months ago, it sounded like a good idea. But then as I thought about it, I convinced myself that it just wasn't a good time.

Then after Jeff talked to you, he decided to make it really easy for me to go. He booked everything. Even then, I wasn't sure I should go. I knew we couldn't afford it, and Ben was just starting school.

In the end, I went. I am SO glad I did. So many things I was struggling with, things I didn't understand melted away and I finally understood. It used to bother me to read Happiness Is A Choice it felt insensitive, like someone saying "quit whining" or something. Like someone didn't want to hear how I felt and that I should just pretend to be happy so no one would be bothered with me.

But I get it now. It really is a choice. I was looking at things in a way that didn't serve me well; it only served my misery and unhappiness. I love myself for the first time. I can be loving to everyone else too. Whatever they do, or say or think is their thing, how they are taking care of themselves. It has nothing to do to me. I no longer measure my worth through the actions and words of other people. I am no longer a victim. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My connection with Ben is better than ever. We have so much fun playing. I have so much more energy. I have released so much guilt and agony. Ben is learning a new way to think now too.

Fearless was such a gift. I have signed up for 3 more classes and know I will take many more. I no longer have nagging horrible thoughts. If they come up, I am present with myself and do a quick inner dialogue. I am taking better care of myself, and loving myself. I am happy. I am free. Thank you again. I can't thank you enough. It is such a blessing.

Much love, Teresa

P.S. While I was there, my roommate Minta and I became very good friends. We stayed up late every night talking and laughing. When I got back I found I also have friends I didn't realize I had. Again, such a blessing. My heart is full."

What kind of World would you like to share?

FROM KATRINA: Hello wonderful friends, I've missed talking to you all. I have been traveling the country and visiting special friends all over the place. Just recently I had a new addition to my extended family, a nephew was born. As I was holding this beautiful child I started thinking of all the things I would love to share with him, and what kind of world I wanted him to experience.

Then I remembered a Q&A I did with a family who had a variety of different therapists working with their child and how they asked me all kinds of questions about what tasks I was focusing on with this little boy, what did I want him to learn? I told them I was focusing on the relationship, and I wanted him to learn that people were "cool" and the world was a fun place to be in and that was the most important thing. I saw them all nodding their heads and scribbling notes as if a light bulb just popped on, to think that liking people might be more important than stacking blocks, what an awesome concept!!!!

I smile now, but it really is an important thing to remember. Autistic children have a hard time in our "real" world. People are not predictable, or easy to understand. Other things are so much more controllable. One of our most important "tasks" when working with these children is to show them how easy people can be, how fun, how helpful, how worthwhile it is to share time with another person. I want you to always be thinking of what kind of world you are showing your child, I hope that it is one of joy and excitement and of course love.

Wishing you all a happy holiday season, I will try to write more soon!
Love,
Katrina

Ideas for the Holidays

Hello Everyone,

This weeks video blog gives you lots of creative ideas to do around the theme of the holidays. As you listen allow your own creativity to help you come up with many more ideas you can do with your children this season.




Enjoy!
With love to you all
Kate

Blog Feedback!

FROM BECKY: Hey all you beautiful people! I have noticed that some of the blogs we post do not get any comments. I read many comments that our blogs are useful and we would love to hear which ones are especially working from you. If you find one of our blogs helpful to you, please leave a comment as to why or simply "Like" the blog. This way we can keep giving you all what you want and use the blogs in the most helpful and supportive way.

Thanks so much!

Love Becky xxx

Screening Volunteers!

FROM BECKY: Here are some more helpful ideas that will help you to get the volunteers that you want for your Son-Rise Program.

1) Why do you want to be a volunteer? This is one of the most important questions to ask prospective volunteers, remember, at the early stages of recruiting, you are feeling out the type of people you want and separating the men from the boys. Simply by asking this question, you will gain insights to their character and intentions. It is one of the most commonly asked questions in a job interview.

2) Trust your instincts! It is your prerogative to choose who you want. When companies hold interviews for a job, they don't just take the first person who walks in the door, they ask questions and use instincts and information about that person to recruit the best person for the job. Being your child's friend is your volunteers job and you are the director of your program. If you don't like the feel of someone then you are not obliged to take them on.

3) Two simple qualities! Your volunteers don't need to have a wealth of experience with children or a Masters in Special Education, as long as they are open and interested, they are trainable. Open being, they want to learn about the program and take on any feedback, suggestions you give them. Interested being they show up, they look enthusiastic!

More coming soon!

A Nutritional and Flavorful Punch to Mealtime!!

From: Kim
By pureeing healthy eats like spinach, green beans, sweet potatoes and more into recipes we can add a nutritional (and flavorful) punch to most any dish we make for our children!
Here are a couple Make-Ahead Recipes that I found online at
http://www.blogger.com/www.thesneakychef.com :

Make-Ahead Recipe #1: Purple Puree

3 cups raw baby spinach leaves*
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries, no syrup or sugar added
½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water
*Note: I prefer raw baby spinach to frozen spinach for this recipe (more mild flavor); if you must use frozen spinach, only use 1 cup of it.

Raw baby spinach should be well rinsed, even if the package says “prewashed.” If you’re using frozen blueberries, give them a quick rinse them under cold water to thaw a little, and then drain.

Place the spinach in the food processor first and pulse a few times. This will reduce the spinach significantly. Next add the blueberries, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of water; puree on high until as smooth as possible. Stop occasionally to push the contents to the bottom. If necessary, use another tablespoon of water to create a smooth puree.

This recipe makes about 1 cup of puree; double it if you want to store another cup. It will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days, or you can freeze 1⁄4-cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Make-Ahead Recipe #2: Orange Puree

1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 medium to large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
2 to 3 tablespoons water

Place the carrots and sweet potatoes in a medium-sized pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, until carrots are very tender. Careful - if the carrots aren’t tender enough, they may leave telltale little nuggets of vegetables in recipes, which will reveal their presence to your kids—a gigantic no-no for The Sneaky Chef.

Drain the carrots and sweet potatoes and put them in the food processor with two tablespoons of water. Puree on high until smooth – no pieces of vegetables showing. Stop occasionally to push the contents to the bottom. If necessary, use another tablespoon of water to smooth out the puree, but the less water, the better.

This recipe makes about 2 cups of puree; double it if you want to store more. Orange Puree will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or you can freeze 1⁄4-cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Have fun making delicious and nutritious meals!

Smiles and Son-Rise hugs!

Kim

More About Volunteers!

FROM BECKY:

This is the second part of a series of blogs about getting, training and keeping volunteers for your Son-Rise program.

Screening prospective volunteers for your program is one of the most effective ways to recruit and keep the kind of team that you want for your program. Here are some helpful ideas about screening.

You don't have to commit to anyone until you have a feel for them. Imagine this.....you have your posters up, you've advertised on Craig's List, you did a presentation about your program in the local community and you get your first call with someone interested in volunteering.

You are so excited that someone is interested you say "When can you start?", you spend hours upon hours training them, giving them feedback, holding their hand and getting them ready to do two sessions per week in the playroom. During the first month, they are late for their session three times, they completely forgot to come to one session, they are defensive when you give them feedback and you see them texting their boyfriend in the playroom when you think they are doing The Son-Rise Program with your child.

You are so grateful that they are taking time out of their schedule to do this.....and not getting paid for it either. You are afraid to ask for more from them. You stop giving them feedback, and within 2 months they have left...and so, you start the process again.

Instead of saying "Yes" to the first person that is interested in volunteering with your child, try saying "Great! I'm so excited you are interested. I am currently recruiting and would love to send you an application form!" You don't have to commit to anyone. This is your child, your program and your life! You have a right to choose who you want.

More about screening volunteers on Friday!

Lots of love,

Method Joining?

FROM SIMONE - I had an incredible experience this weekend! I was attending a workshop about PLAY, what is to play, the many different stages we go through in play and how us adults really play for as long as we live or we would die really. This aspect in particular was very interesting to me as the more I see a sense in what my child does the more I will be able to respect it and join my child in his activity.

We don't think about it but we, in our every day lives, engage in various types of play even sensory play such as for example when massaging an aching shoulder or having a warm bath and staying longer as it is so cold out there or stroking the cat.

My amazing experience came from an exercise in which in pairs we needed to "be" our child for 10 minutes doing their favourite type of play, in my son's case exploring all the textures around by tapping on them, tapping on myself, bouncing on the gym ball, making white noise. The other person then would join me just as we do in Son-Rise. Now, I have joined my child for about 5 years but when I had to "become" my child for another person getting the exact idea of what he was like, I felt so amazing, I knew exactly what I needed to do, I came to each object and I did what he would do, I reacted to noises as he would do, to smells as he would do and I found myself really enjoying the experience. When the 10 minutes were over I wanted to be my son for some more.

What occurred to me, in analogy, was that when I joined my son I was being an actress that read a script and played a part, but when I "became" my son I was feeling like he does and I was able to really experience what he does, such as the famous "Method actors" such as Robert de Niro who notably really "live" his characters staying in character even when they have breaks from filming. Now I have heard other actors such as Anthony Hopkins saying such style of acting is crazy but although I consider both great actors there is no doubt that Robert de Niro has made an impact with this style of very realistic acting and it left me wondering how my son would react if I brought my "method joining" I achieved in this course to the playroom, perhaps that is what I was meant to be doing all along and although I understood that I had never achieved it in practice, I had never "felt" the activities the way I did this weekend.

Although I had done exactly the same exercise before at a Son-Rise workshop, I at the time was new to my son's autism and now perhaps after knowing him so well I was able to really absorb the experience. It also brought home to me the importance of really observing your child before joining them such as it is suggested in the joining tutorial of the DVD Autism Solution from the Autism Treatment Centre of America

My son is poorly this week but as soon as he is up and running I will keep you posted on his reaction to my super joining it will be interesting to see and if any Anthony Hopkins of autism calls me crazy I don't mind I have been called crazy many times and I am, crazy for joining!

FROM BEARS: Thank you...

THANK YOU... to everyone who comes to our programs, who writes to me after you read one of my books & who posts the most delicious, thoughtful & loving notations on my Facebook wall. THANK YOU for all the kindness & tender thoughts/for being part of my extended family. WE HAVE ALL CHANGED BECAUSE WE BELIEVED WE COULD. Love, Bears

HappyRon H. - Thanks for everything bro!
Stephanie C.S.- and thank YOU and your amazing family for your love,generosity,honesty and ability to truly be present.
Diana Paige S. - Thank YOU for everything you share with us!
Bernadette G. - And Thank God for you, your family and your ability to share you belief with us. God's blessings on you all x
Colleen F.E.- I CAN'T WAIT to attend my next program...Empower Yourself in May!!! I'm there some days and "wobble" more other days. I can't wait to be rock solid!!!!
Avak A. B. - HIP HIP HOORAY to everybody!! :))
Vanessa H.H. - We are so excited to come to the Intensive. Just three more days.
Brian M. - Thank you Bears--It has been an incredible year since my February Start-Up, Mary Ellen's June Start-Up, my Calm Amid Chaos, Mary Ellen's Now Frontiers and listening to your cd's until some of them wore out. Best of all is Noah's progress with the best yet to come as we'll all be coming for the Intensive in July. You guys are going to have so much fun with Noah and Noah with you.
Alison S.T. - THANK YOU BEARS for creating THE OPTION INSTITUTE so that I could come. Coming on programs has been like bringing my little ship into the harbour during a storm so that I could learn to love riding the waves. I love how there are no limits ...on anything - no limits on happiness, or love, or persistence to go after our wants, or the number of people that we can have in our extended family - I'm looking forward to coming home again next year to see you and all the other wonderful people who come there/work there, and learn some more. Love and hugs ♥
Yvette R. - At Neighbourhood Unitariian Universalist Congregation in Toronto the topic of discussion this Sunday Nov. 28 will be - "Happiness Is a Choice" and I will be sharing how finding you and your books in the early 1980's has changed my life. Spreading the word and sharing the magic that is Option !!
Natalie A. - Thanks Bears - you and your amazing family have done so much for my family where others gave up and said my son wouldn't succeed with The Son-Rise Program he is showing us all the Amazing things he can and that never to give up xxx thanks so much xxx
Christine A. - I went with my husband to the conference in Salford UK
Elizabeth G.Y. - You know funny you mention that. Your book "Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues" was one of the only books my library had when my son was Dx and from that day, it has been over 4 years, I have never stopped believing he could get better. They actually had a few of your books and I was so impressed with your writing that I read them all including the one on death about a month before my father died. While reading it somehow me and my father got into the conversation about him dying and I started to cry. It was if God put the book in my hands and my father knew he was going to die. All of your writing brought me such great comfort. You are truly blessed as a writer and a lovely human. I loved reading your books. Whenever the question comes up as to who I would want to meet if I could meet anyone it is always your family. God Bless
Nancy R. - Dear Bears and Option Family, Thank you for your wonderful classes. I know that I have personally changed as result of your teachings. There isn't a day goes by that I don't shift my thinking/change a belief.There is a new and different person created in me each day.
Alexandra O. - THANK YOU Bears, and Samahria, and Bryn and William and Raun and Kate and Beverly and Clyde and Brian and Jan-Marie and Zoe and all of your amazing team!!!! Love to you all!!!

Deepening The Interaction

From Kate Wilde:

This weeks video blogs talks about two concepts - "moving away" and "anticipation" and how you can use these within a game already in progress to encourage your child to lengthen their eye contact and deepen their interaction and connection within the game.




Enjoy your children and all they offer you this weekend.
with love
Kate

FROM BEARS: Thanks/Giving

Thank you universe/God for my ability to have sweet thoughts and feelings. Thank you Samahria for being the angel of my life. Thank you my children for the adventures & nourishing of caring and giving & loving. Thank you our students for honoring us with your wanting to learn & grow. GIVING means being kind & loving & USEFUL to those you thank. Love, Bears

From Cassie N.W.:
When Elijah was diagnosed with Autism I found you two and your son in the 70's on youtube. My sister says I am so much like Samahria! I can only hope so :)

From Heather R.A.:
We are thanking God for Bears and Samahria and the Option Institute! We love you!

From Jan J.S.:
Thank you Bears and Samahria and all of those at Option for inspiring and helping us to be all that we can be.

From D.H.:
Bears, many thanks for the gift of your amazing self. And much love to your sweet family.

From J.C.:
Bears, thank you doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the deepest sense of gratitude I have for you and the staff at Option. I came back home a changed person after completing Start Up, I learned more about myself & daughter that I ever imagined was possible and I realised how much useful it was to be hopeful. From the depths of my heart THANK YOU xox

From Rebecca S.:
Bears xxxxx my gratitude for you and Samahria and Option would not fit into this little comment box, it would take pages and pages, extends way beyond and deeper than the depth of my heart (which is deeper now because of you!) xxxxxThank you always for being the incredible people you are xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

From Jenifer C.W.:
Thank you Bears for my wonderful dialogue yesterday and thank you for smiling and loving me as I travel to Iowa today with an intention of being loving, authentic and playful! Greatest love and thanks to you and your entire family for your special process, your love of our family, and all that you do to help so many people all over this planet. Hugs and love, Jenifer!

From Alison S.T.:
Dear Bears, for everything you are and all that you mean to me, for everything I am because of the things you taught me...thank you thank you thank you. I love you, please tell me how I can be useful ♥

Inspirational!!

FromKim:
Today I write this blog as a dedication to my amazing and inspirational teachers here at The Autism Treatment Center of America and The Option Institute. To Bears, Samahria, Bryn, William, and Kate!

I am so very grateful for each of you...

For the desire you have to help me grow, learn, and develop!
For the questions you ask that help me find my OWN answers- the empowerment of knowing myself is an incredible gift!
For helping me see the beauty of opening my senses to being present in my life and appreciating each moment- ahhh this is so huge!
For the constant loving encouragement you share with me on my journey as a student and as a leader!
For challenging me to grow myself in ways I had not even imagined possible- seeing these changes in myself daily is exhilarating!

You believe in me- and I feel it, see it, and appreciate it each new day walking onto campus at The Option Institute and the Autism Treatment Center of America! Thank you for Believing!

Dear Son Rise parents out there, I share this dedication with you as a bit of inspiration in running your Son Rise Program at home. You are the leaders of your program, and as leaders and teachers of your own team of volunteers, you too can provide the most loving system of support for those who work with you and your child!

Reach your hands out with love!
Challenge them to grow!
Encourage and CELEBRATE them!

We are all students and always growing, the power of feeling believed in and loved our journey of growth is something that can only nourish this experience.


Much love,
Kim

Brooms Away!

Happy Friday - May it be filled with much love, laughter and games.

This week The Autism Treatment Center of America brings you games you can play with a broom. Click on the video below to see some fun and silly games to encourage your child to want to play with you, talk to you and look at you.






Have fun and most of all be outrageously silly!!!!
with love
Kate

Volunteers!

FROM BECKY: My next series of blogs are going to be about volunteers for your Son-Rise Program. I would also love to get your input on ways that have been successful for your programs in finding and keeping the team that you want. Here are some ideas that you can use when implementing volunteers in your program.

1) Go for the gold! When I ask families how many posters or flyers they post in their communities, often their reply is "Lots", when asked specifically "How many", they will answer "Three" or "Maybe 10!" Go for a gold medal team! If you put out a handful of posters, you may get one reply. That volunteer may be a bronze medal standard, you are looking for the gold medal team! Put out 100 posters! Now you may have 10 replies, from those 10 candidates, you can select the 3 or 4 that are going to be commited and open.

2) Connect! Making connections with people is the best way to drum up support for your program. If you go to universities and ask them to put your posters up without educating them about your program, there's a chance they may get buried or actually even end up in the trash! Make a point to find one person to talk to and tell them a few sentences about your child. Share something specific and meaningful with them, such as one way your child has grown since you started your program or something that you, yourself have learnt from your child. The more they can relate to you, the more effort they are going to make to help you.

3) Target a variety of places. Just as you want your child to experience having many friends of different personalities in his/her life, you also want to look in diverse places. Try going to theatre groups, gyms, and all departments of the universities (e.g. music, drama, etc and not just
psychology and education departments).

Please let me know if you have any other specific questions on this topic and I will keep helping!

I wish you all the best

Inspiration

From Kate Wilde

I often ponder the question:

"How do we inspire another person to do something they were not really intending to do?"

Because that is what we are trying to do when we work with our autistic children using The Son-Rise Program. Our childrens' challenge is being able to deeply connect and interact with the people in their lives. Often they are so busy taking care of their bodies and sensory systems doing their many and varied isms that it may not even occur to them to look at or talk to the people in their lives.

This is where the Son-Rise Program attitude comes into play - part of inspiring them to want to interact with us is:

1.Making ourselves so compelling and interesting that it is fairly impossible not to notice us.
2.To join in with their activity with such delight and passion and non- attachment that they are amazed at the idea that another person likes what they like as much as they do.
3.To join in with their activity with such passion and delight that our children think to themselves that they are just like us, that they have something in common with us- a friend that they might like to hang out with.
4.That we celebrate each time they interact with us with such intensity and sincerity that they want to do it one more time just to feel the warmth of our love.

We feel more, we love more, we make ourselves irresistible.

with love to you
Kate

Social Curriculum

FROM WILLIAM: Yesterday I taught a class in the Son-Rise Program advanced training course (New Frontiers) on using the Developmental Model and creating goals for their children. It was a wonderful class and everyone enjoy plotting where their child is in their social growth on all four of the fundamentals - Eye Contact and Non-Verbal Communication; Verbal Communication; Interactive Attention Span and Flexiblity.

One of the big delights for the parents was seeing that their child was further along in their social development, compared with when they attended the Start-Up program. Their children were now more interactive and social. They were growing in the way that their mothers and fathers wanted.

From my point of view it was also a big celebration for these parents because they have changed themselves in order to help their children. This week they are continuing to grow themselves to be a bigger and brighter version of who they are today, in order to help their children.

As your child develops don't forget to celebrate yourself for helping to make it happen. Use the Development Model to clearly see your child's growth.

With love and smiles

William

Getting them to eat

From Gaby:This morning I was looking through some recipes in a magazine to see if there might be some interesting GFCF diets I could use for Christmas. Okay I know it is a bit early but seeing how they very often aren’t that easy to find and I had a bit of free time on my hands and a cup of cappuccino besides me, it was a great "moment to take care of myself" time . A real energy boost for me and we all know how important that is.
All of a sudden I was reminded of a moment a month ago. Garfield has started asking me every day what we are going to eat for dinner. Something his sister used to do. On such an occasion he asked it again. I told him we were eating rice. “I hate rice” he said. Even though I had suspected this, he never had said it to me. It came out really funny too as he said it with lots of feeling.” I know" I said "but sometimes we have to eat what other people like to eat so just do your best okay?” He looked at me with a look as if he didn’t really agree with me but at dinner time he ate his whole plate up without problems. I was so proud of him. Over the years I had tried introducing rice to him as it’s a good GFCF product but he always spit it out. It was only since a small year that I got him to eat small amounts but I never gave up. I always hear Samaria say "persistence persistence persistence" at such moments. Not too often and never with pressure I would offer him a plate. I would eat my own plate saying how much I enjoyed it. It shows never give up and even though it will probably never be his favorite food he became so flexible as to eat it!Hurrah for Garfield!and Samaria.

Games Games Games!

From Kate Wilde

Its Friday - Theme day!!

This week The Autism Treatment Center Of America brings you a quick and simple game that is designed to help your child share their personal thoughts and opinions. Our children on the Autism Spectrum are usually excellent at relaying factual information, but find it challenging to express more personal thoughts and opinions.

Focusing on helping our children express these will add a meaningful dimension to their style of conversation - making it more attractive for their peers to want to converse with them.




Remeber that you can modify this game in anyway to adjust it to your child motivations and skill level.
Have a fun packed - game filled weekend with your children.
With love to you all
Kate

Transitions Outside of the Playroom

FROM BECKY: I recently had a question from an amazing Son-Rise Mom who is having some challenges outside of the playroom with transitions in her and her child's daily routine (e.g. taking her other child to school, running errands, etc). Of course in an ideal world, the answer is to have volunteers in the playroom with your Son-Rise child while you get these things done (I have some blogs on getting volunteers coming soon so watch this space). Until this happens, here are some helpful things to keep in mind.

1) Our children need control and predictability! If they didn't then they wouldn't spend a large part of their day doing repetitious and exclusive behaviors. In an unpredictable world, they are seeking ways to make the things feel more safe and maneagable. One way we can help make things easier for our them is to have a printed or written schedule or calendar.

If we know that we are doing the school run, or need to pick up some items from the grocery store, decide in the morning what time those things will occur and then put together a simple schedule with times (perhaps even a picture of a clock next to it if). Show your child the schedule in the morning so that they know what's going to take place later. Stick it to the wall, of the playroom or on the fridge so they can see it throughout the day.

Often we can suddenly spring these things on our children, when they are busy engrossed in something else and we are suddenly putting their coat on and herding them out of the door. If they know what's coming in advance then they will have some time to prepare their sensitive sensory systems for the transition.

2) Use plenty of explanations! We need to explain more thoroughly, more often and more exaggeratedly with our special children than with our Neuro-Typical children. Along with having processing delays and their need for things to be predictable, the more we can let them know what's coming, the more they will be open to the change. Explain three times throughout the morning where you are going to go, what time and exactly what will happen, the more detailed the better.

3) Plan ahead. Ask yourself "Do I really need this loaf of bread today?" If things can wait, then put them off until your partner comes home, or ask a family member to watch the kids while you go alone. Even having your special child around the house and not in the playroom will be more useful to them and less distracting.


More coming soon!

Deeply Caring - Pain and Anger!!

FROM WILLIAM: "As I grew up I watched my mother be angry to get what she wanted, I see my see sister being angry to get what she wants and I am aware of myself getting angry to get what I want." This is what a Son-Rise Program mother recently shared with me in a discussion we were having about how she felt about her life, her autistic child and her relationship with her partner.

As she explored the reasons behind the anger she realised it was a way to stop the pain she was feeling. She was feeling pain about the possibility of her child not changing, staying autistic and having to go into a care facility or group home. She dug deeper in herself and came to understand that her pain came from how she had learn to love and care. For her pain and distress was a way to show she loved, to show that she care and to show that it matter what happend to her son. Her pain was like a badge she wore to show herself and the world how deeply she cared and loved her son - yet all the world saw was an angry person.

Through this understanding she made a connection within herself that she had never had before. She understood where her anger came from and why she was using pain and unhappiness. From this new awareness she changed. She now was going to be loving and caring without pain and without anger. At the end of our time together she said, "I feel lighter, today I have understood and changed something deep within myself, something that I have not been able to change for over 20 years."

Using unhappiness (anger, pain, etc.) to show ourselves and the world we care results in not feeling good within ourselves and in addition all the world sees is an angry unhappy person.

The next time you get anger or frustrated at yourself or someone else ask yourself why? Know you can deeply care and still be loving and accepting.

Love and smiles

William

Living the Dream... or the Nightmare, it's Up to You

FROM SIMONE - I have a recurrent nightmare. Every now and again I dream I am in my chambermaid years in Amsterdam and I have 100 rooms to clean in a couple of hours but the clock is running really fast. Even though I am working really fast and I am doing so much when I stop and check what is done, not even one room is finished. I used to be a chambermaid in Amsterdam, fifteen years ago.

I think dreams are a great subject for discussion because it is really tempting to say, well, I don't choose my dreams, they just happen. I will just go with this logic for a bit and actually it doesn't take me long to realize I don't actually keep dreaming of the day my son was born or my first date with my Husband or when I was on the Holiday I most enjoyed in my life. I don't dream about any of these things that I consider to be the best moments of my life.

The question I put myself was why do I keep dreaming about an experience that happened 15 years ago and I didn't judge it to be pleasant? The answer is in my last comment, I applied a meaning to the experience, it wasn't pleasant, thinking about it, the meaning I applied to it was that it was terrifying, for three years every single week day I scared myself of not finishing a job I was given. And there it was, staring at me my belief: I am scared of not finishing a task I am given. I didn't even know I was scared of this then all over my daily life, in my Son-Rise Program, in my relationship with my Husband, my volunteers, I found traces of the nightmare I created for myself "when someone doesn't finish a task he or she was given this person deserved the Capital punishment". It sounds bizarre and extreme, but that is how our self-made nightmares are like, they have no meaning when you detach them from the array of meaning you have given them and they sometimes sound funny and absurd.

If there's a constant thought in your head no matter if you are awake or asleep just go explore it, dive into it and discover the amazing power of our beliefs, how they grow and take shape and are shaped into dreams, or nightmares, it's totally up to us! Using the Option Process Dialogue as a tool is so invaluable to your Son-Rise Program as a feeling that comes from another part of your life can leak into your Program and affect the way you see your volunteers, yourself and your child. Unveiling beliefs is really useful to "clean" your head of personal grudges which most of the time has nothing to do with the person you have the grudge with but with your own beliefs.

Have fun exploring your beliefs today!
Simone

Different Does Not Mean Worse!

FROM BECKY: Have you ever seen your child doing something with you that he or she doesnt do with ANYONE else? Maybe only in your session do they constantly try to get out of the playroom? Perhaps they want you to only sing Row Your Boat and with anyone else they will play all kinds of different games? Does your child only want to talk about ice-cream with you? or have you pretend to be a baby for a whole hour? Perhaps you are a volunteer, with you, they put you in a corner and tell you to be quiet?

Often I hear from families and volunteers in Son-Rise Programs, "He/she only ever does it wth me!" If you see yourself having a different type of session than everyone elses, consider yourself lucky! Different is just different, it doesn't mean it's bad, or worse, it's simply different.

Perhaps your child wants to create predictability and gain control and feels like you are a safe bet to do that with. Maybe no-one else in the world can top your baby impression! Could it be that they are getting something out of the reaction you give them?

When we judge that our sessions are not as productive, fun or as successful as someone else's then we are not accepting ourselves and our child as doing the best we can. As a result of that we could be reacting to what they are doing and pushing to change it. That will be an interesting experience for your child and they may push that boundary extra hard.

Feel good about your different session and embrace it as not worse, just different. Often we can see our children be more flexible and change themselves when we embrace such things.

I would love to hear what your child does with you and you only!

Love

From Kate Wilde:

I got up this morning reflecting upon how I wanted to spend my day - not from the perspective of what I was going to do, but from how I was going to feel. I wanted to have a day filled with the fullness that I get from deeply loving the people I encounter. As I was thinking about this I became aware that I wanted to be deeply loving not for the sake of the people I meet today - but because it gives me so much - it feels so good to move through the world this way.

When I am loving I am more creative - I have more energy - I feel warm and excited - I become more affectionate, and see so many things in my life that are working. I feel more embraced by the people in my life, ........food even tastes better!!!!

By having this intention I am really loving myself - and giving myself the best experience of my day possible.
Here's to a day filled with love :  )!!!!!!

What's your day going to be filled with?

Chair Games

Good Morning!

This Friday we bring you Chair Games! Bring a chair into your Son-Rise Program playroom and add a creative twist to old games and introduce new games.

Just click on the video below to see.



Let us know what other games you get up to with your chairs.

With much love to you
Kate

A Note About Shouting/Whining

FROM BECKY: Do you have a child who sometimes shouts, whines or screams as they tell you what they want? I have worked with many children and adults using The Son-Rise Program, where this has been a way that they have communicated at times.

What to do when this happens is to simply explain or ask them to use their regular voice. Know that they are doing the best they can to communicate something in that moment, they also have learnt that using that voice has worked to get them what they want in the past and then sweetly and lovingly, help them to know that it's not helpful to them and they can use their regular non shouty/whiny/screamy/ voice instead.

As a contrast to this, celebrate and respond quickly when they do use their regular voice. Go for it! it works like a charm!

All you need is Love

FROM SIMONE - Have you noticed some days you cook a meal following the recipe exactly the same way as any other time, use the same ingredients, but it tastes much better? Some people joke when this happens that it's because they have used LOVE as an ingredient or in other words it was made with love.

Far from a joke, your love, excitement and enthusiasm when performing any action helps determine the success of the final product you are working on.

Most people however fall in the belief pattern that you need to be dissatisfied enough with what you have at the moment in order to effect any change, there must be a negative for a positive to happen.

Where their autistic children are concerned they then fall into the pattern of judging autism and any so called autistic behaviour as something undesirable that they must hate in order to change.

When I talk about going in my son's playroom with the most possible energy, excitement and enthusiasm or joining his repetitive behaviours with excitement a lot of people judge it to be wrong because following their mindset of "I must hate something to change it" they are just respecting their logic when telling me what I am doing is utterly wrong.

My argument then always is that if you come from a place of hate you have no energy and having no energy you can not effect change. Any change or creation can only be effected with energy and nothing has more energy than love, hate can not beat love. Love can change, mend, heal, create, perform miracles. I just had this experience first hand when my Dad was condemned by the Doctors, in a coma, but now is nearly recovered after I asked for all my friends to pray for him all over the world.

Back to our cooking, in analogy, hating your child's autism in order to change it would be the same as buying the worst eggs, the cheapest flour and sugar in order to make the best cake possible. Love and Acceptance is the road to change.

From: Kim
A belief to share!!!

Hello everyone I am moved to share with you something I continually come back to... the belief that everything we have to offer is more than just enough... its absolutely perfect!

When we go about our days... waking up in the morning... driving to work... walking the dog... working... cooking... cleaning... spending time with our children... spending time with our significant others... eating... spending time in the Son Rise Program Playroom... etc...

WE have the amazing OPPORTUNITY to take on a belief that who we are and where we are are absolutely perfect for that moment! Sinking into this belief opens the door to a world of staying present and in the moment - we are not judging ourselves or thinking about another place, or another time... we are present... and therein opening our eyes, heart, and minds to new and wonderful experiences in the things we may have once called "a daily routine"!

I share this belief because it has only enriched my experience in my everyday life and my many incredible moments spent in the Son Rise Program Playroom!

Have fun discovering something amazing you may have once passed by!!!
Big smiles,
Kim