tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post1993765500040920797..comments2024-03-28T21:36:55.157-04:00Comments on Love That Max : A little way to help our kids feel really, really goodEllen Seidmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01433429847255621203noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-89592499468669100982011-06-29T08:14:57.133-04:002011-06-29T08:14:57.133-04:00Whenever I have moments like this (realizing that ...Whenever I have moments like this (realizing that steps to independence need not be cosmic and are obvious, right in front of my face), it's so very humbling. But at the same time, I think that our brains get overloaded with stuff and thoughts, we're trying so hard to cover all the big bases (and oh there are so many of them!!!!) that the little stuff falls through the cracks. Then I don't feel bad about myself and realize that each minute of each day, I'm doing my best. And I thank God above there are OTs, teachers, therapists, doctors who are there to point out stuff as needed. <br /><br />Thanks again for your blog. I love reading your perspective on this mommy gig!Susan Raihalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03018860599601419989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-48032435765223841442011-06-23T09:22:22.742-04:002011-06-23T09:22:22.742-04:00I would encourage you to give Max chores as well. ...I would encourage you to give Max chores as well. In our house,there are Summer chores & school year chores. I expect a little more out of Sierra during the summer. In addition to setting /clearing the table,she feeds the dogs straightens up & puts her toys away Before bed,brings her dirty dishes out & puts them in the sink,etc. This summer we are working on being more independant. She has learned to rinse her dishes & put them in the dishwasher,make toast in the toaster(by her self)and pour milk from a small container-placed on a lower shelf in the fridge) She is so proud of herself (and I am proud of her as well) Sierra is 8 & has mild CP,so we are blessed that she can do things,but I think most children w/disabilities want to be part of the family & have some independence. They have to learn to help out,we can't take care of them forever,eventually most of them will want to be on their own & get jobs. We have to prepare them for real life now(while they think chores are fun)to be productive adults & maybe even one day parents.Kathynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-91799146627161462282011-06-23T02:12:44.044-04:002011-06-23T02:12:44.044-04:00Nice story! my kids start to help me in the kitche...Nice story! my kids start to help me in the kitchen. They are rotating washing the dishes,sometimes they arguing who's assigned for the day..<br />good job!Charleshttp://www.auctionslondon.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-6992975670441697092011-06-22T22:56:12.925-04:002011-06-22T22:56:12.925-04:00Hi Ellen! Relatively new special needs mommy blog...Hi Ellen! Relatively new special needs mommy blogger here! Thanks for your wonderful blog. <br /><br />I agree, I try to give all four of my girls chores, well, because I am tired lol :). But also, I want them to take pride in what they can do. And although they are all different, they can all contribute. Looking forward to learning more from you.gillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16388843035018332740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-22401776104070130082011-06-22T19:43:28.713-04:002011-06-22T19:43:28.713-04:00I love you blog Ellen! You, Max and you're fa...I love you blog Ellen! You, Max and you're family are so beautiful and I've learned a lot from your posts. =)Always on the clockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13238828069555806638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-41220370155610666972011-06-22T16:12:06.672-04:002011-06-22T16:12:06.672-04:00It is so weird that this post came up at this poin...It is so weird that this post came up at this point...only in that I was just printing pics of my little guy on a little green tractor also.<br /><br />Coincidence? NOT.<br /><br />I know Bennett isn't nearly ready to go where Max is, but man am I learning tons by watching how you guys relate to each other.blogzillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08268388544631653375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-72258388524813093842011-06-22T14:58:48.075-04:002011-06-22T14:58:48.075-04:00This last year at school they've been giving M...This last year at school they've been giving Maxwell a different job every week. He's done laundry, vaccumed and dusted. It honestly never occured to me to have him help until I got reports he was doing things like that at school.Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08986080963534940625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-50065486326955736092011-06-22T13:12:30.668-04:002011-06-22T13:12:30.668-04:00Chores are good, even easy ones like toys back in ...Chores are good, even easy ones like toys back in their places, laundry in the dirty clothes sack (and when it is full, bring it to the washing machine), dishes in the sink (or more likely, in the trash can, since we use paper plates a LOT), and of course, in winter, snow shovelling for places that grampa's plow can't reach! They don't shovel very well, but it gets them out in the air and spending time with all of us on a common goal!<br /><br />We've always had chores--you live here, you pitch in; that's just expected!Felicianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-9184593481761484722011-06-22T12:52:49.654-04:002011-06-22T12:52:49.654-04:00Loved this post. D does not seem to be too behind...Loved this post. D does not seem to be too behind in many areas at this point, mostly just gross motor skills with some weaker fine motor skills, but then he's much younger still. We've been trying to slow down a lot more and let him "help" and stir and wipe, etc. It makes things go much slower (and we never have nearly enough time) and he creates a huge mess sometimes, but I do think it helps him. It's a good reminder that it's good to let the kids try and participate as much as possible, both for our sake as well as theirs.Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07392283239050083712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-26291681258250494272011-06-22T12:19:22.003-04:002011-06-22T12:19:22.003-04:00I'm SO guilty of focusing on helping my daught...I'm SO guilty of focusing on helping my daughter and not having her be a helper. We keep talking about having her help out more but then get caught up in the day-to-day. It doesn't help that she is our only child, so I forget (or don't always know) what "typical" kids would be doing at her age. Summer break would be the perfect time to get her helping out more!KarenPhttp://thingsfromscratch.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-11316694428067687812011-06-22T10:41:50.102-04:002011-06-22T10:41:50.102-04:00For those who are interested, I have a whole set o...For those who are interested, I have a whole set of posts on teaching children functional tasks. In the right column on my blog, scroll down to the category cloud and click on 'functional tasks'. Oh, heck, here is the url: <br />http://www.therextras.com/therextras/functional-tasks/<br /><br />Another one of Ellen's fans, <br />BarbaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-1554585010311402882011-06-22T09:45:37.861-04:002011-06-22T09:45:37.861-04:00Well, Dani, you need to share some of your ideas! ...Well, Dani, you need to share some of your ideas! I'm actually putting up a post you are going to love later today, so please come back and share some tricks!<br /><br />I'm so grateful to all of you adults with disabilities who come here and offer wisdom and encouragement. Thank you for the reassurance and guidance. <br /><br />OMG, I totally laughed at the idea of Max riding a lawn mower. He would take off down the street and we'd never see him again, I think!!! Either that or we could hire him out to do all the lawns in our neighborhood. Hmmm....Ellen Seidmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01433429847255621203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-83205456135069903372011-06-22T09:37:10.617-04:002011-06-22T09:37:10.617-04:00I have to say that, as a current OT student intere...I have to say that, as a current OT student interested in paediatric OT, I absolutely love reading your blog. Reading about raising a child with special needs from a parent's point of view is so informative and fascinating! And I'll admit I'm stocking up on ideas from this blog.Dani (@dani_reviews)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465661258150199273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-26464902832172030362011-06-22T07:48:38.619-04:002011-06-22T07:48:38.619-04:00I have also been thinking about the chores thing. ...I have also been thinking about the chores thing. We often don't have our 6 year old do anything because Brendan really can't but he loves to try. He loves bringing forks to the table and as long as you dont mind his hands all over them, possibly his mouth and some wheelchair wheels it's all good. :) I think once he is a bit older the riding lawn mower will be calling his name!<br /><br />Nisha, dont ever think your mom resents you. I have to help my son do everything and resentment is far from any thought.We take it day by dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18249059310750320147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-25719726940302938702011-06-22T07:43:05.362-04:002011-06-22T07:43:05.362-04:00I think this is a great idea. Gracie loves helpin...I think this is a great idea. Gracie loves helping out and it is a great way for her to feel good about herself. I love watching the the pride in her smile when I tell her thank you for doing a good job.The Henryshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17878410407082384985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-1026879376768355742011-06-22T05:52:08.255-04:002011-06-22T05:52:08.255-04:00That's what I've been trying to tell you a...That's what I've been trying to tell you all this time <em> children rise to expectations </em> and that is perhaps one thing my mom has been guilty of she has lower expectations of me because I have CP and as a result I still have to be bathed and taken to the toilet by her at the age of 20 it is humiliating not to mention she's starting to resent me because I imagine it takes a toll on her body to carry another human being to and from the bed and bathroom.Nishahttp://nisha360.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-48855439244697262092011-06-21T22:58:58.764-04:002011-06-21T22:58:58.764-04:00Yes, give him chores. I did things around the hou...Yes, give him chores. I did things around the house when I was little. It gave me independence and a feeling that I was a regular part of the family. It also helped me to figure out how to navigate an inaccessible world in a way that worked for me later in life.emailmarcynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-56465682165629558412011-06-21T19:31:17.313-04:002011-06-21T19:31:17.313-04:00That's the kind of stuff I wish my mom would h...That's the kind of stuff I wish my mom would have known to try with me; I always wanted to help, even in our totally inaccessible environment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401303964563152307.post-34112347306223540972011-06-21T16:21:36.536-04:002011-06-21T16:21:36.536-04:00I'm never the first one on here Ellen:) I thi...I'm never the first one on here Ellen:) I think that it's ok to give Max some responsibilities. As a person with a disbility when we do stuff, it might be little to an able bodied person but it might not be little to us. For example, when I started drinking out of a straw I was showing everybody...for an able bodied person that might seem kind of nuts. But for Max or I..I know for myself I need lots of encouragement to do things, lots. Otherwise I won't do it. Good Luck!!! and Good Job Max!! (for helping)Toonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13035308590730363327noreply@blogger.com