mamakven Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 So my twins just turned 3 at the end of july, Asher is in preschool, he has autism, and we just really NEED the break from him and don't have any other way of getting it, and so he's gone from 8:30-11:45 about, but his twin, Elliott, is home, and is kind of attention deprived, so as precious as school time is around here, i think i'll take the first half hour or so to play with elliott one on one... the others, ages 13, 11, 8, and 6 can do independent work, or therapy (dc 8 and 13 have neurological issues) I'm thinking maybe helping him with eye hand stuff, cutting, folding etc, and reading with him. After that, i'm trying to think of things i can do with him so he doesn't burn the house down- he's one of those WAY too smart kids who are kind of scary... does anyone have any ideas or resources? i've not quite trained him to clean up after himself yet, most of the other kiddos just played with a toy, cleaned it up, and put it back, so maybe i should head in that direction, i want to try and make our home a bit more friendly for that too, but with asher, i'm limited in how accessable stuff can be, and also i need some time alone at home to DO that, ugg. any websites, ideas, tips, would be awesome!!! R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakven Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Wish I knew! I had easy toddlers, and then I had Sebastian. :lol: I'm just gritting my teeth and pushing through! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Could you set up some activities on plastic trays or in baskets that he can get out one by one? Put them on a shelf in the room where you are schooling, and turn the shelf to the wall when Asher comes home? You'll probably be most successful with simple activities that you first show him how to use. Are you on Pinterest? There's marvelous toddler/preschool stuff there. You could also set up a sensory bin (again, in the same room so you can keep an eye out), a cutting box (a box he can sit in and cut paper in--junk mail, scraps, classified ads, yarn...Tie the scissors to the box and all scraps stay inside the box), a gluing tray (tray with a sheet of pretty colored paper and shapes to glue on with a glue stick, to start with, or use stickers to make a collage), a playdough tray...Give him the boundary to stay on. Just show him first, and when he shows some competence, he can choose it on the shelf. You can also use a mat or small rug ala Montessori. On the shelf ideas--a puzzle (use on a mat/rug), pattern blocks and a couple of bases to put them on, sewing card, sorting something, acorns into egg carton numbered 1-3 or whatever he can do, beans and large tweezers to put in a small cup, pegboard (Discovery Toys has a nice one), geoboard and those potholder loops (if rubber bands are too hard), golf tees to hammer into styrofoam, etc. You could also put out a workbook like a Kumon if he likes that sort of thing. I have a ton of ideas--pm me for more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakven Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 Thanks Chris! i AM on pinterest, and if you see my page, http://pinterest.com/mamakven/ you will see that i have ZERO excuse for being stumped! i have every idea on the face of the universe!!!! its implementing it that's stumping me. I'm awesome at research, not so great with follow through. and the problem is, i have a really tight space for school... i do have a shelf in our living area- within reach of ash that i can have access to, the one in the dining room with most of our stuff is gated, so he can't access that one. But i LOVE the ideas you have there... i have some of the super cute oriental trading company trays they used to sell, so maybe i'll find somewhere during the day to lay them out for elliott to choose. i like the idea of tying the scissors to the box :) You must know Elliott :) he's industrious and creative and once tried to flood my bathroom :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 OMG--I am in Pinterest heaven, looking at your boards! Sooo interesting! Just introduce one at a time, along with some sort of activity (one or two) he already knows how to do--like a book basket or some stuffies and clothes he can dress them in, or a book on tape. Every day or so, introduce a new activity on a mat or rug or tray. Do it with him. Then put it away, just like he would, and tell him to watch you carefully so that he'll know where it goes. Try to find a space for him. This is what we do in Godly Play, too, our church's Montessori-based Sschool curriculum. Even if you just clear one shelf on your bookcase, and set out two activities on the shelf each day. YOu can put them up before your other little one comes home, like in a covered bin or something. Having them out for your ds ON the shelf, and getting him used to putting them away ON the shelf will translate later to him cleaning up well. Teach him to roll and unroll his little rug, and that no one bothers what's on his rug--it's his space, and even he shouldn't walk on it during his work. Have him roll it up at the end of his work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakven Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 Thanks Chris!!! LOL about my pinterest boards :) yeah, kinda crazy about the pinterest :) Thanks! i'm going to do exactly that. i DO have a low shelf that he can use, and i could totally stash the stuff elsewhere before ash gets home! Thanks!! i like the rug idea too! R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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