Enjoy the Super Bowl

Super Bowl Sunday is fast approaching.  

Here are some fun ways to include your kids in the Super Bowl 50 fun!

Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos in San Francisco

1. Prep game snacks and food together.  Search the internet to turn your favorite ingredients into a delightful treat.
2. Point out shapes on the field: The field is a rectangle, the ball is oval, the uprights are almost a square, the coins used for the toss are circles.  See how many different shapes you can find.
3. *Football scoring is odd.  Make it a math game. 
4. Bingo.  Laura at makelifelovely.com made free printable cards.  You can find them here:  bingo cards     
5. Talk with your kids about the colors, teams, players, rules, and sportsmanship. 
6. Learn about the teams’ home cities (Denver and  Charlotte) online before the game or at half-time.  Have you been there?  Would you want to visit? Why?
7. Have a dance party during half-time.  Coldplay and Beyonce will be playing.
8. Get moving.  Decide ahead of time what signals on the field will mean for your group.  Give different categories of commercials a body movement, too.  Here’s what I will be doing:

• false start: 5 jumping jacks
• field goal: 3 push ups
• touchdown: run in place for 30 seconds   
• candy commercial: jump 10 times
• car commercial: pretend to drive

I hope the whole family enjoys the game,

Elizabeth

*Most common scores:

• touchdown = 6
• kicked point after touchdown = 1
• 2-point conversion after touchdown = 2
• field goal = 3

  

Developmental Milestones

In the past few weeks many parents have been asking me for information regarding developmental milestones that occur during the toddler years.  I wanted to share a few websites that are awesome resources about what types of skills should be seen during that stage and other ages.  I also want to mention that not all kiddos follow this timeline.  Some may develop skills earlier or later than the specified ages and that's okay!  If concerns arise always follow-up with your pediatrician or talk to a speech-language pathologist :).

Development and Behavior Resources 

Speech and Language Milestone Chart

I hope you find the sites helpful!

-Cassee

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Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

As we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy today, I'm reminded of his amazing "I Have a Dream" speech.  In it, Dr. King spoke eloquently about equality and inclusion.  I wanted to share another example of inspirational words that I was shown early in my journey toward becoming an SLP:

A Credo for Support:

This document, read in the video above by individuals with disabilities, was one of the first examples of advocacy that I was exposed to when I began working with individuals with disabilities and their families.  It has remained something that I try to revisit frequently so I don't forget to apply its lessons in my work:

Do not see my disability as the problem.
Recognize that my disability is an attribute.

Do not see my disability as a deficit.
It is you who see me as deviant and helpless.

Do not try to fix me, because I am not broken.
Support me. I can make my contribution to the community in my own way.

Do not see me as your client.
I am your fellow citizen.
See me as your neighbor.
Remember, none of us can be self-sufficient.

Do not try to modify my behavior.
Be still & listen. What you define as inappropriate may be my attempt to communicate with you in the only way I can.

Do not try to change me; you have no right.
Help me learn what I want to know.

Do not hide your uncertainty behind “professional” distance.
Be a person who listens and does not take my struggle away from me by trying to make it all better. Do not use theories and strategies on me.
Be with me.
And when we struggle with each other, let that give rise to self-reflection.

Do not try to control me. I have a right to my power as a person.
What you call non-compliance or manipulation may actually be the only way I can exert some control over my life.

Do not teach me to be obedient, submissive and polite.
I need to feel entitled to say No if I am to protect myself.

Do not be charitable towards me.
The last thing the world needs is another Jerry Lewis.

Do not try to be my friend. I deserve more than that.
Get to know me, we may become friends.

Do not help me, even if it does make you feel good.
Ask me if I need your help.
Let me show you how you can assist me.

Do not admire me.
A desire to live a full life does not warrant adoration.
Respect me, for respect presumes equality.

Do not tell, correct, and lead.
Listen, support, and follow.

Do not work on me.
Work with me!

Wishing everybody a happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

--Sarah