A review of the book was shared via an autism educators group in which I participate, so I'm passing it along: http://the-art-of-autism.com/book-review-smile-succeed-for-teens/ From the review: "The book is easy-to-read and peppered with fun illustrations and quotes from teens and inspirational quotes from others. "

Images and suggestions for helping pollinators http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/go-wild-with-native-gardening-pollinator-slideshow.xml?intc=nature.hp.volunteer

Here are the searches that gave me the best results (for you to choose from): "first person to third person generator" "How to change a sentence from first to third person" Apparently, this is a common editing problem. : )

If you right click on an image, you can ask Google to search for it. Use that trick if you find another dress you love. : )

Shyness- I am restrained in new situations, prefer not to meet new people, take my time. Social anxiety- I don't want to leave the house, I get agitated or upset if thrust into a new situation, I cannot attend social functions, am unable to make an appointment to see a new doctor, am exhausted after having to interact with a group, I worry excessively about every interaction.

Step one is to change your perception from "this is defiant" to "my beloved child is struggling and it is my job to learn how to help him."

Well, that was really cool. The attorneys got maybe 60 seconds of their argument out before the judges just started hammering them with questions. Rapid fire for 25 minutes then the next attorney's turn. Went overtime b/c of judges' questions. So the other guy gets to close out, he gets hammered again. You want to study logic- listen to these judges run circles around both lawyers. 1.35K people were tuned into the live stream.

He or she can listen to the hearing over the recent U.S. entry order at the following link. It is a teleconferenced hearing, so no visual on this one. There's a chance that this case will make it to the SCOTUS at some point. So, it is an opportunity to witness the event from start to finish. (If your kid is really interested.) I noticed that the sidebar has lots of other appellate cases, video and/or audio. So your student could choose a different case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEK8FCBMkMQ&feature=youtu.be

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C11F-DQW8AAdOeE.jpg It's a link to the comic drawing. "Condolences on your failed experiment, ..."

This February 2017 marks the first time that the National Museum of African American History and Culture will be open to the public during the celebration of Black History Month. ...On February 26, a concert celebrating black composers will be performed live and streamed via webcast from the museum. Past video streams from the museum are available for viewing at UStream.tv. To view these videos, you’ll have to register for a free account.

(I had to research strategic planning last week.) Then, I read a post here discussing uncertainties and was reminded fo the reasons for creating a strategic plan. When you plan, you set goals, evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and set measurable performance indicators. Anyway, here are some homeschool specific planning resources: https://edsnapshots.com/plan-year-part-1-creating-homeschooling-goals/ https://www.homeschooltracker.com/get-smart-about-setting-goals-for-your-homeschool-year/ http://www.design-your-homeschool.com/homeschool-planning.html Good luck!

Hate when a character program attracts the worst kind of leader.

My middle son isn't diagnosed with dyslexia, but he did well with Explode the Code online. He hated it, but he learned. I'm using the online version of Sequential Spelling right now. But, we've just started using it so I can't tell how it will go. I used the parent-led version in the past and liked it.

I would think a child experiencing this would become mentally fatigued pretty quickly: "By the time he does all the things that must be done to recognize the word 'cat,' he'll have performed at least 4,000 times more computations in his brain than the other children," https://www.dyslexia.com/articles/living_with_dyslexia.html Dyslexics can have sensory meltdowns as described in this article: A meltdown is a reaction to feeling overwhelmed. https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/sensory-processing-issues/the-difference-between-tantrums-and-sensory-meltdowns

Do people, including children, really want to spend their time having meltdowns? I assume the best of my kids. Just because I can't understand what they are thinking or feeling doesn't make their feelings or thoughts invalid. Imagine how frustrating it would be to be trapped or betrayed by your own mind. I imagine that would make anyone want to meltdown. Especially if the people whose opinions they value don't understand.

If your brother is stuggling with a mental illness, then why respond in that way? Pray for him, pity him and accept that you can't make him be well.

Three out of my four children have distinct signs of ASD or ADHD. One has been diagnosed. What has made my life infinitely better is to give each child in my household the benefit of the doubt- always. At some point, it doesn't matter what the dx is, every child can be helped by a parent who seeks to instruct rather than punish. So, if a child is struggling, I help them cope. If they are out of control, I help them regain control. In some situations, that means the child has to go to his or her room to cool down. I do believe it is my job to force my child to conform to my will today, but to help them successfully navigate the world at large tomorrow. Keep your focus on the long-term benefits of behavioral training rather on the short-term gains of compliance. :grouphug:

Free downloads of the student workbooks for Draw 3D https://markkistler.com/the-draw3d-student-e-workbooks/

Yes, years of public school didn't help me a bit. :lol:

As you make this decision, bear in mind that your child isn't necessarily always going to do "better" than a child in public school. There are no guarantees. Homeschool because you believe it is the right thing to do. Have confidence in yourself. But don't count on being able to prove anything to anyone. Every child is unique. I have four children and they are all over the place with regard to math and reading levels, despite having the same "teacher." If I threw out my delayed reader as proof of my skills as a reading teacher, I wouldn't look so great. If I put that same child out as proof of my skills in math instruction, I'd look like a superstar. If you put yourself in a situation where you have to demonstrate that you are doing more, better, greater things than the alternative then you'll feel pressured and so will your kids. Set goals and stick to them, but be realistic. :grouphug:

Both of my coffee drinkers use chocolate soy milk as their base and then mix in a good dose of instant coffee (I have it this way, too). It's a quick and easy mocha latte. Obviously, I'm not on the "no sweets" bus. Soy because my oldest is allergic to dairy so I don't keep liquid dairy in the house to avoid the risk of spills and contamination. Intuniv aka guanfacine is a blood pressure medication that is sometimes used for agitation, etc. It has worked for us. I think our doctor avoided stimulants because he wasn't sure what other conditions were going on with my kid.

We use punishments or consequences as a last resort. Punitive measures are for people who won't listen to reason. So you get discussion, then you get a chance to comply, then you get warned that we are moving out of the discussion phase and into the 'because mommy said so' phase.

You can follow it on Twitter, or here are some images that The Atlantic has curated: https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2017/02/superb-owl-sunday/515712/ Here's the Audubon's contribution: http://www.audubon.org/magazine/january-february-2015/whos-who Wonderful pictures of owls. : ) My 7 y.o. is going to love these. Oh, and don't forget the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet.

I can see my child visibly calm within 30 minutes of having coffee. We are using this now to avoid prescription medications. Two members of my household use non-stimulant medication. One also needs coffee (that'd be me), the other does not.