Need help finding activities ideas for dd13 (long)

[ElizabethB]

I grew up in the Seattle area.  You just need to dress right!  We biked and walked and hiked year round.  I also lived in Germany for 4 years, similar climate, a lot of rainy days, the Germans go out and do their walks, bike, walk to their shopping, etc. in every type of weather, they dress for it.

You need waterproof shoes with a good tread, a long rainproof jacket with a hood (hood, no umbrella) and lightweight waterproof pants to go over whatever pants you normally wear. Zip on or button on waterproof pants to make it easy to take on or off if it stops raining and you start to overheat is nice.

There are a lot of nice hiking trails and areas in the PNW.

She might have more social success with children younger than her, or helping out younger children with something she is moderately good at, through church, 4H, in the neighborhood, etc.  

Here is an example art idea that anyone can do, even if you have no artistic ability, doodle in your traced hand with designs.  (I have no artistic ability, LOL, my children's art turned out better than mine from age 5 up, there is artistic ability on my husband's side.). You can also do this with animals or any solid shape, trace a shape and fill in with doodles.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/55943220343851585/

 

[ElizabethB]

I've kept up with one of my volunteers from my first group class about 10 years ago.  She was helping raise her Grandkids with her single son.  Her son died and she was the one relative her Grandkids had, she was in poor health and didn't want to leave them on their own.  She posted her walks on social media to help chart her progress and ensure accountability.  At first, she could barely walk a block.  Within a year, she was doing 3 mile walks!  A bit after that, she was doing more challenging 4 and 5 mile hikes!!  Charting her progress was motivational for both her and people who followed her on social media, she encouraged many to be more healthy.  

She is also a strong Christian woman with interesting posts in that area; her life has been challenging but she always perseveres and tries to find God's will and strength in everything.

[Jaz]

If you're looking at fitness classes, you may want to try weight lifting. My gym has great weightlifting classes to music. Students ages 13+ can join. 

[Meriwether]

I was going to recommend martial arts, but I see that you've already considered that and it won't work. Could she volunteer at an animal shelter? Maybe she could walk the dogs. Would she like geocaching? One parent I know who has an autistic child requires 10,000 steps on the Fitbit before he can have screen time. I don't know how that would work for other kids. I think it helped them, because it was something concrete that he could control.

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[Tap]

7 hours ago, ElizabethB said:

I grew up in the Seattle area.  You just need to dress right!  We biked and walked and hiked year round.  I also lived in Germany for 4 years, similar climate, a lot of rainy days, the Germans go out and do their walks, bike, walk to their shopping, etc. in every type of weather, they dress for it.

You need waterproof shoes with a good tread, a long rainproof jacket with a hood (hood, no umbrella) and lightweight waterproof pants to go over whatever pants you normally wear. Zip on or button on waterproof pants to make it easy to take on or off if it stops raining and you start to overheat is nice.

There are a lot of nice hiking trails and areas in the PNW.

She might have more social success with children younger than her, or helping out younger children with something she is moderately good at, through church, 4H, in the neighborhood, etc.  

Here is an example art idea that anyone can do, even if you have no artistic ability, doodle in your traced hand with designs.  (I have no artistic ability, LOL, my children's art turned out better than mine from age 5 up, there is artistic ability on my husband's side.). You can also do this with animals or any solid shape, trace a shape and fill in with doodles.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/55943220343851585/

 

I agree about the right clothes, but I work and don't get home till evening. It isn't just damp, it already dark or getting dark by the time we could go, walk and get back to the car.

[Tap]

10 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

 

Special Olympics does vary by state.  Special Olympics brands themselves as being specifically for individuals with Intellectual Disability, and it sounds like Tap's daughter doesn't meet that strict standard, but many states will extend eligibility to individuals with other developmental disabilities (e.g. ASD or CP) who need similar levels of support, and some may extend it even more widely.  In my state and the neighboring one, based on what Tap has described, her daughter would qualify.  

Another thought I had is whether she's motivated by money, and would be interested in walking dogs or other activities that would get her out and moving.  Logistics might be challenging though.

This post led me to search to see what the qualifications are. She does meet the qualifications. Her IQ is 70, she is diagnosed with slow processing speed, find motor skill delays, and Autism. She is in 7th grade and read/writes at 2nd-3rd grade level. She is 13 and was diagnosed with all the above a few years ago. 

1. IQ is below 70-75
2. There are significant limitations in two or more adaptive areas (skills that are needed to live, work, and play in the community, such as communication or self-care)
3. The condition manifests itself before the age of 18

[Pen]

@parent wow what an awesome agility run!   

[ElizabethB]

On 2/2/2020 at 8:17 PM, Tap said:

This post led me to search to see what the qualifications are. She does meet the qualifications. Her IQ is 70, she is diagnosed with slow processing speed, find motor skill delays, and Autism. She is in 7th grade and read/writes at 2nd-3rd grade level. She is 13 and was diagnosed with all the above a few years ago. 

1. IQ is below 70-75
2. There are significant limitations in two or more adaptive areas (skills that are needed to live, work, and play in the community, such as communication or self-care)
3. The condition manifests itself before the age of 18

I would talk to your local area coordinator.  The Autism may combine with the IQ to make her eligible, they may have latitude.  

[Pen]

2 hours ago, ElizabethB said:

I would talk to your local area coordinator.  The Autism may combine with the IQ to make her eligible, they may have latitude.  

 

She seems to clearly meet the eligibility without special latitude 

[Pen]

@Tap this is a nice brochure though from Ontario not Washington:

https://www1.specialolympicsontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/definitionofintellectualdisability.pdf

[Tap]

2 hours ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

Many people and organizations set the IQ line for ID at 69 (plus other criteria) or below, others will extend it to include individuals with IQs up to 75 under certain circumstances. So she’s in a gray area.   This is one of the reasons why accessing appropriate services for adults with IQ’s in the 70s can be so challenging.  My guess is that if Tap had to look up the criteria the school district hasn’t documented an ID diagnosis.

Having said that, in every state I’ve had experience in, a kid with an ASD diagnosis who clearly needs extensive support would be allowed to join Special Olympics.

 

 

She does have an ID diagnosis at school.  She was diagnosed by neuropsych eval and the school district holds that as the golden rule here.  It helps with her IEP status, because her math/reading scores are so low. She learns but  doesn't retain. For the past 4 school years, she has started math at 2nd grade level. No matter how far they get in her math book in the school year, she loses the material and starts over at 2nd grade (addition/subtraction) in the fall. Even through the school year, she looses any progress on material they aren't actively using.  I think the school likes the diagnosis on her record, so it doesn't look like they aren't doing their job. LOL She also has an Autism diagnosis via a highly regarded psychiatrist (it is listed as a diagnosis on her neuropsych and IEP as well).  When the school tried to do their own testing of her, she destroyed an office and hid under a desk. The examiner tried to test her 3 different days, and each day she refused to finish the tests. They were happy to have the existing testing, so they could stop putting her and the examiner through the evaluation process.