Family Meetings

Family meetings are times for families to come together and discuss issues that affect the household. Topics can be about anything, from school, to chores, to vacation planning. You could also hold meetings just as a way to ensure that your family spends time together on a regular basis, with no agenda to the meetings at all. Family meetings are a great way to promote open discussion between yourself and your children. Children whose families engage in regular family meetings are less likely to get into trouble, abuse drugs or alcohol, develop depression, or have poor self-esteem. Any member of … Continue reading

What Happened at Kyle’s IEP Meeting

Having a son with autism who is now a teenager means that, for me, IEP meetings are taken in stride. I drove up to the junior high school, parked, entered the building, and immediately saw Kyle waiting in the hallway by the office. A wide grin spread across his face when he saw me, and he began to stoop over and clap to himself. “Hello, Kyle!” I said, hugging him exuberantly. Then we went into the principal’s office, where Kyle’s special education teacher, principal, speech and language pathologist, and art teacher were waiting. (I have started to notice, interestingly enough, … Continue reading