Living Today August 2014

LIVING
Today
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Trusted. By ilies
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Co
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py
August 2014
Northwest Ohio's Premier Magazine for Women
Homeschooling
Breakfast First
Recipes
Starting a
New Hobby
Asperger & Autism
Resources
Mason and Laura Bickle, Henry County
Murphy’s World
My Special Place
by
Murphy the Cat
They insist
the letters
on the side
of the box
spell out
“Zappos!.
com.” But,
I know it
really says
“Murphy’s
Special
Place.”
F
rom an early age, my siblings
and I have been epic snugglers,
frequently occupying areas
deemed uninhabitable by humans.
While we find that each carefully
selected location meets our needs,
people will never understand why we
cats declare unusual spaces such as
Boston ferns, printer trays, and salad
bowls…our home base. Reports by
animal behavior experts assert that cats
like small hideaways for the security
and warmth they offer. All I know is “If
I fits, I sits!”
But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
My poignant tale about my special place
began last Christmas. It will always be
remembered in Murphy history as the
best. Ever.
First, allow me to expound on the
gloriousness of Christmas at our house.
Long before Christmas morning, there
are ribbons and bows and ornaments
and trees, and…well, it’s just wonderful!
But, all good things must eventually go
back into their respective storage tubs,
and the same goes for holiday trappings.
Secretly, I’m almost relieved, because I
cannot resist a curly ribbon or stick-on
bow. I like to gnaw on curly ribbons; and
then, well, this is embarrassing…one of
the humans has to clean up after me.
As for stick-on bows, they make
great cat hockey pucks. Several times a
day, the humans patiently gather up the
bows from under the sofa
and behind the fridge and try
to find the packages where
they belong. By this time, the
bows are not so crisp. They
are covered in fuzz and have
lost their stick-on-ability. Plus,
and I’m not saying I have
a weight problem here, but
those boxes are flimsy and
collapse after only one or two
afternoon naps. Hey, I need
LIVING TODAY2
While we find that each carefully selected
location meets our needs, people will never
understand why we cats declare unusual
spaces such as Boston ferns, printer trays, and
salad bowls…our home base.
the sleep after all the exercise knocking
bows around the house.
This past year, when all the new
gifts were finally unwrapped and put
away and the decorations were back
on the shelf, nothing of Christmas was
left behind. Except a simple, white
cardboard box. A simple, white box that
was WONDERFUL! It sat empty and
inviting on the radiator in the living
room. In a dreamlike trance, like the
tides responding to the pull of the moon,
I was drawn to it. It was everything a
cat desires: small, insulated, toasty, and
private. And it was mine! All mine!
Ahem. Uh, being as generous and giving
as I am, I have allowed Corky and
Clawdette to occasionally luxuriate in
the box. I even let my visiting nephew
Finn hang out in it.
It’s been eight months, and the
edges are a little chewed; but my box
hasn’t lost its allure. Fortunately, the
humans realize its importance and have
not recycled my fortress. They insist the
letters on the side of the box spell out
“Zappos!.com.” But, I know it really says
“Murphy’s Special Place.”
To share your thoughts on this
column, email MurphytheCat@
frontporchpublishing.com.
www.frontporchpublishing.com
LIVING
Today
Contents
August 2014
Northwest Ohio’s Premier Magazine for Women
CIRCULATION
More than 12,500 copies per issue of Living Today are distributed throughout
Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams, and Wood
counties. Our FREE MONTHLY publication is available at 750+ locations.
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief:
Contributing Writers (in this issue): Tanya Brunner, Janet Hitchcock, Bonnie
Kimpling-Kelly, Murphy the Cat, Kristina Nelson, Armella Killian Schmidt,
and Pat Strout.
All articles are copyrighted 2014. Articles may not be reproduced without
permission. Nothing contained in this magazine is or should be considered
a substitute for medical, financial or legal practice. We advise all readers to
seek the advice of professionals for their personal issues. Advertising does not
constitute as an endorsement from the publisher, and the publisher reserves
the right to refuse any advertisement. We reserve the right to print all or part
of emails received.
Designer:
Creative Art Director:
MelissaFaull
Georgia Kohart
PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING/SALES 419-630-6240
Michael Nix
[email protected]
Reader’s Response
Back to School
4 Front Porch Recipes
Amy Murphy, M.Ed.
PRODUCTION
Featuring—
6 Starting a New Hobby
8 A Lesson of Love & Acceptance
10 NWO August Calendar
11 Seeking My Tribe
12 Homeschooling
14 Asperger & Autism Resources
On our cover:
Teacher Laura Bickle and her son Mason, are getting ready to head
back to school. The Bickles reside in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio.
Mason is going into the second grade. Laura teaches high school
biology and science.
Photo Credit: Georgia Kohart
July 2014 Issue
Lord, Give Me Patience,
An Apple Orchard, Apron & a Tub of Potatoes!
Ms. Young,
I always enjoy reading your articles, but really
chuckled over the most recent. It’s true, isn’t it, that our
grandchildren are not nearly as naughty-ever-as our
children were.
That said, I do have to tell you that aprons are
alive and well and available. All of the older women
in my family wear/wore aprons, of course, and I
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LIVING TODAY3
have seen to it that the
younger generation
have them as well,
down to my precious 3
year old granddaughter.
Even one of my sons
uses an apron when
he cooks! A few years
ago, I developed a
‘presentation’ about
aprons which I gave to a few groups.
So-now you know, you can find an apron! But you
won’t need one…
Sincerely,
Colleen Richter
Hicksville
www.frontporchpublishing.com
Front Porch Recipes
Breakfast First! Then Back to School We Go!
by
Pat Strout
“Breakfast
is the most
important
meal of
the day!”
M
ornings are always a rush for
working moms and school kids to
get where they need to be, dressed,
fed, books collected, permission slips signed,
and gym clothes in the backpack. Start their
day off with a healthy, well-balanced breakfast
that will give them energy and nutrition
throughout their day. It’s true what they say,
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the
day!”
A Week of Back-to-School
Breakfasts
Here are some delicious combos for the
first week that are fast, easy, and packed with
flavor and nutrition.
Tuesday—
Fried Egg Sandwich & Tangerine
For each sandwich, cut 2 thick slices of
sourdough or your favorite baguette bread,
and lightly toast it in the toaster. Arrange
cheddar cheese slices to cover both bread
slices, and broil them until the cheese melts.
Fry one slice of Canadian bacon, and one egg
to the doneness you prefer. Remove cheesy
toast from broiler, place Canadian bacon and
then egg on one side; and then cover with
other slice, cheese side down. Serve with a
peeled and sectioned tangerine.
Monday—
Peanut Butter Fruit Wraps & Yogurt
Spread about 2 tablespoons of peanut
butter on a whole-wheat flour tortilla (7-8”).
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of granola over the
peanut butter. Cut a red apple into quarters,
and chop one quarter on top of the granola.
Sprinkle raisins and a few cashews or other
nuts on top. Fold bottom part way up, and
then roll side to side, leaving one end open.
Serve with the remaining apple wedges and a
half-cup of yogurt.
LIVING TODAY4
Wednesday—
Christmas Oatmeal & Nutella English
Muffin
Made quickly or the old-fashioned
way, top the oatmeal with a handful of dried
cranberries, pistachios, brown sugar, and milk.
Serve with a toasted English muffin, spread
with Nutella, and juice.
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OPENING FALL 2014!
Living Life
Thursday—
Breakfast
Casserole—the
Easy Way & Fruit
Break a halfpound of bulk
sausage apart, and
microwave on high for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together
1 1/2 cups of frozen home fries, a quarter cup of chopped
green pepper, and a small chopped onion. Add the mixture
to the sausage, and then microwave on high 2 more minutes.
Combine 6 large eggs with 2 tablespoons of milk, beat and
add to sausage mixture, and microwave 3-4 more minutes,
stirring occasionally to test doneness of eggs (Total cooking
time— 7-8 minutes). Serve with a slice of melon and milk.
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Friday—
Yogurt Smoothie & Waffles with Peaches & Sausage
Blend in blender—1 cup yogurt, 1 banana or other fruit,
1 cup milk, and ½ cup ice cubes to make 2 small smoothies.
In skillet, melt pat of butter, and warm 8 precooked breakfast
sausages, cut into 1/4-inch rounds. Stir in one 15-ounce can
of sliced peaches, drained (reserve heavy syrup, if using
in recipe). Add 1/2 cup of heavy peach syrup from can or
pancake syrup, and a dash of nutmeg. Cook 3-4 minutes to
incorporate flavors and soften peaches. Serve warm over
whole-wheat toaster waffles.
To share your thoughts on these recipes or your own back-toschool recipes, email [email protected].
LIVING TODAY5
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of Ottawa opening later this year.
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419-302-5243 • meadowsofottawa.com
www.frontporchpublishing.com
Starting a New Hobby
You CAN Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!
by
Janet Hitchcock
Zentangle
is uberdoodling,
the mindless
doodle of
a boring
meeting
taken to an
art form.
I
t’s never too late to learn something
new—you can teach an old dog
new tricks. This old dog decided to
take up a new hobby: Zentangle. What
is that, you ask? I received an email
from a lady who signed it with her
name followed by “Certified
Zentangle Instructor,”
and I asked the
same question.
A quick
web search
led to an
amusing
discovery.
Zentangle
is uberdoodling, the
mindless doodle of
a boring meeting taken to an
art form. I have dozens of notebooks
filled with meeting handouts bordered
in doodles. I was challenged to take it a
step beyond—Zentangle. A click or two
at Amazon.com and the how-to books
were on the way. A new hobby was
about to be born.
Rule #1—A new hobby has to be
your idea, something that piques your
interest. A hobby is defined
as “an activity or
interest pursued
for pleasure or
relaxation and
not as a main
occupation.”
“Come on in for home cooking.”
The key word here is relaxation. This
is for fun, for downtime. It is noncompetitive. Are you having fun doing
it?
Rule #2—Self-taught is okay. If
you like taking classes, find one. If you
don’t, don’t. Remember Rule #1.
Hobby classes abound:
art at local colleges
or senior centers,
knitting at local
yarn shops,
stained
glass, model
trains, or
remote control
everything at
local hobby shops.
But if you don’t want to
adhere to a schedule or compete
with other students (My problem with
classes is that if I am not the best in
the class, I am a failure…not good
for following Rule #1.), go online or
get a book. Teach yourself; your only
competition is you.
Rule #3—Learn from your
mistakes. Nobody is perfect. Remember
piano lessons…practice, practice,
practice. Spend a good amount of time
learning the basic techniques of your
new hobby. I spent many years teaching
knitting and could not emphasize
enough that once you learn to cast on,
knit, purl, and bind off you can knit
anything you want. But you have to
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LIVING TODAY6
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1225 Scott Street
Defiance, Ohio 43512 Napoleon, Ohio 43545
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419.592.2983
CREATE! Take up
a new hobby.
know the basics first. So practice the
basic skills, and then jump into a
project.
Rule #4—There are no mistakes.
Be creative. When you have the basics
under control, make the project your
own. If you make a mistake, simply
turn it into part of the design; after all,
you are creating an original. Glued
that tree too close to the train track
and now the train falls off the track
on every pass? Snip the tree, leaving
the stump, lay the top down, put a
miniature axe beside it, and add a few
more trees. Set a little pick-up truck in
the scene, and you’ve created a story.
When someone tells you how clever
you are, just say thank you.
Rule #5—Don’t burden everyone
you know with the fruit of your
creation. Your Mom will love anything
you make, because she’s your Mom
and she knows you are the most
wonderful person alive (well, except
for your equally wonderful siblings.).
But even Mom won’t know what to
do with 28 sun catchers. How many
scarves can Aunt Sue wear in one
year? Enough said.
Rule #6—Learn another new
hobby. When Rule #5 becomes an
issue, take up a new hobby. The fun
thing about learning new skills is to
discover how you can combine the
old hobby and the new one. Once
you get the creative juices flowing, go
for mixed media.
Running the train
through knitted
tunnels might be a
little weird; but who
knows, you might
start a new fad. Sort
of like Zentangle.
So, back to
Zentangle, my new
hobby. I couldn’t
decide what book
to order, so I
ordered three: one
on the basics, one
on shading, and one on Zentangle.
The basic premise of this art form
is doodling as a meditative activity,
allowing the mind to connect shapes
and designs to things that are forming
in your life. Organizing the doodling
helps with organizing those things.
Throw the word “meditative” in the
mix, and I’m hooked. I fooled around
with the basics for a while and jumped
into a new creation. It’s not great, but
not too bad either. Most of all, it was
fun!
CREATE! Take up a new hobby.
Find something relaxing and fun, and
then learn something new. Keep your
mind and your fingers moving. You
might be an old dog, but you can learn
new tricks!
To share your thoughts on this article,
email [email protected].
LIVING TODAY7
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You might
be an old
dog, but
you can
learn new
tricks!
A Lesson of Love & Acceptance
On the School Playground
by
Armella Killion Schmidt
Today, I had
received
so much!
Tomorrow,
Laurie
probably
wouldn’t
remember
any of it,
but I will
never
forget.
W
hen I arrived at the picnic
The full realization came to me like
area, here and there were
a light. Here was a little child looking
scattered groups of children at me in confidence. She didn’t care if
with their teachers and helpers. The
I was white or black, well-dressed or
teacher, who had phoned me, eased me shabby. She cared not if I was pretty or
into my job. “Since this is the first time
plain. She made no judgment! To her, I
you have helped, we’ll assign Laurie to was just another human being, and the
you!” Later, I learned that each helper
clasp of our hands conveyed trust and
was assigned two or three children to
assurance.
help and check on. It depended on the
“Laurie, let’s see if you’d like
extent of their disability.
to swing with the others.” She was
“Where’s Laurie?” I asked. “Over
content to swing gently back and forth
there in the red slacks and red and
for only a few minutes. Next, we tried
white-striped top.”
the merry-go-round. That did not
I looked in the direction she
attract her at all. Hand in hand, we
pointed. There with her back toward
walked from one play thing to another.
us, stood a small, frail girl about
Nothing seemed to hold her attention.
kindergarten age. Her head was a mass Finally, we just walked.
of shiny brown curls, and she stood in
Abruptly, she paused. With my
a slightly bent position.
assistance, she stepped onto a fiveCautiously, I walked toward her.
inch curbstone and while struggling
“Laurie,” I half questioned. She turned. to keep her balance, she jumped off,
Thick-lensed glasses covered brown
giggling with delight! Then up on the
eyes. Her crumpled, deformed right
curb again, wavering for balance, over
ear was like a flower, waiting to unfold. and over, jump after jump…pleased
In a second, her mouth broke into a
her! Holding my hand was all the
wide smile revealing teeth unlike in
confidence she needed. I realized that
size.
I held out my
hand, and Laurie
placed her tiny
one in mine. An
unusual sense of
communication
swept over me! It
seemed to flow from
me through the
clasp of our hands.
It seemed we just
stood there looking
at each other, her
broad smile seeming
to reassure me.
“Laurie, let’s see if you’d like to swing with the others.”
LIVING TODAY8
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I held out my hand, and Laurie placed her tiny one in mine.
An unusual sense of communication swept over me! It seemed to
flow from me through the clasp of our hands.
this jumping game to Laurie was a
mighty accomplishment. I
cheered her on each time
she succeeded.
Suddenly, she
stopped jumping; and
her jittering, prancing,
and uttering, “Uh, uh,
uh,” made me realize
that an urgent trip to the
bathroom was due. I swept
her into my arms, braced her
on my hip, and strided off to the
restroom. Fortunately, the trip was
successful, and we headed back to the
playground.
I called her attention to a blue
jay and asked, “Laurie, doesn’t the
sun feel warm on our backs?” She
responded with a big smile and
squeezed my hand. The picnic time
passed; and before Laurie and I
realized it, it was time to go home. The
teachers were at their vans, and their
helpers were ushering the children
into their assigned seats.
Laurie turned to me and raised
her arms. I scooped and
lifted her up. Then
she threw her
arms around my
neck with all
her strength
and gave me a
choking hug! I
held her gently
for a moment,
and then I gave her
to her teacher. I could
still see her smiling as she
was placed in her seat in the van.
That night upon retiring, I
thanked God for letting his special
children enlighten my life. By now, I
thought Laurie is sleeping, too. Her
little body is snug and warm in her
little bed. I swallowed away the lump
in my throat. Today, I had received
so much! Tomorrow, Laurie probably
wouldn’t remember any of it, but I will
never forget.
To share your thoughts on this article,
email [email protected].
She didn’t care if I was white or black,
well-dressed or shabby. She cared
not if I was pretty or plain. She
made no judgment! To her, I was just another human
being, and the clasp of our hands conveyed
trust and assurance.
LIVING TODAY9
www.frontporchpublishing.com
Northwest Ohio
August Calendar of Events
August
Sponsored by
Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.—auglaizevillage.com.
1—Napoleon Elks Rally in the Alley from 6-11
p.m.—elks929.com.
1-3—2014 Fort Defiance Players Dinner Theatre at
DC’s Serrick Center with Forever Plaid directed
by Andrew Schultz—fortdefianceplayers.org.
1-4— Wood County Fair in Bowling Green from 8
a.m.-11 p.m.—woodcounty-fair.com.
Enjoy our
monthly
list of local
activities,
festivals,
concerts,
art shows &
exhibits.
1, 8, 15, 22 & 29—First Friday’s Northtowne CruiseIn in old K-Mart lot in Defiance from 6-8 p.m.
with the Maumee Valley Car Club—Jason at
419-576-0348.
2—John Paulding Historical Society Chicken
Barbecue from 4-7 p.m.
2-3—Doll & Teddy Bear Show & Sale and The
Wheelmen’s Antique Bicycle Display & Parade
in Archbold at Sauder’s Village with doll artist
Debbie Henshaw, bear artist Cindy McGuire, and
entertainment by the Village Strings on Saturday
from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-4
p.m.—saudervillage.org or ohiowheelmen.org.
• Native American Pow Wow at Auglaize Village
in Defiance on Saturday from 10 a.m-8 p.m. and
2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28 & 30—Defiance Farmers
Market at Northtowne Mall in Defiance from
12-4 p.m. on Thursdays and 8 a.m.-12 p.m. on
Saturdays.
2, 9, 16, 23 & 30—Wauseon Farmers Market
in downtown from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.—
wauseondowntownassociation.org.
• Henry County Farmers Market in downtown
from 8:30-11:30 a.m.—419-592-1786.
4—Summer Concert at Herb Monroe Community
Park in Paulding at 7 p.m.—419-399-5215.
5—Sauder Village’s Members Night with a picnic
and free train and buggy rides from 5:30-8:30
p.m.—saudervillage.org.
5, 12, 19 & 26—Wauseon Cruise-In in the
downtown from 5-8 p.m.—wauseoncruisenight@
hotmail.com.
• Open Mic Night at Pontiac Park Gazebo with
rain locations at Biggby Coffee or Compass in
Defiance at 6 p.m.—419-956-2025.
6—River City Rodders Classic Car Cruise In
in downtown Napoleon from 6-8 p.m.—
rivercityrodders.org.
6, 13, 20 & 27—Downtown Bowling
Green Farmers Market from
4-7 p.m.
7-9—Annual Lincoln Highway
BUY-WAY Yard Sale in Ohio—
historicbyway.com.
7-10—Highway 127 Corridor Sale
or the World’s Longest Yard Sale
from Michigan to Alabama along
U.S. 127—127sale.com.
7, 14, 21 & 28—Bowling Green
Cruise Night in downtown from
5-8 p.m.
• Bryan Weekly Cruise-In on the
Square from 6-8 p.m.
8-14—Henry County Fair in
Napoleon open daily from 7 a.m.-11
p.m.—henrycountyfair.org.
9—A Day in the Park at Riverside
Memorial Park in Antwerp with the
parade at 10 a.m.—419-258-1722.
• Broughton Redneck Jamboree
at 4 p.m.
Native American Pow Wow at Auglaize Village in Defiance
LIVING TODAY10
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Seeking My Tribe
Finding My People
T
Sauder Village’s Doll & Teddy Bear Show in Archbold
13-16—18th Annual Rug Hooking Exhibit at Sauder’s Village in
Archbold with displays, exhibits, and demonstrations from
10 a.m.-5 p.m.—saudervillage.org.
16—Defiance Balloon Fest at the Defiance County Airport
from 7 a.m.-9:30 p.m. with balloon races, glow, petting
zoo, pony rides, and pig races with all proceeds going to
the United Way’s new Community Engagement Center—
defianceballoonfest.com.
• Dr. Mor B.S. presents “Scared Stiff Down by the River” at
Pontiac Park in Defiance at dusk with free movie, games, and
prizes.
• Youth for Christ Annual Auction at the County Extension
Building at the Paulding County Fairgrounds.
16-17—Corn City Festival at Deshler Park with games, food,
entertainment, runs, and the Deshler Idol Contest—
deshlerohiochamber.com.
16-23—Defiance County Fair at the fairgrounds in Hicksville—
defiancefair.com.
20—United Way of Paulding County 2014-15 Campaign
Kickoff at the Paulding County Senior Center at 8 a.m.
21—Harleys & Hot Rods at Napoleon Harley-Davidson from
5-9 p.m.—h-dsales.com.
oday at the grocery store,
a young man, with a
snake wrapped around
his upper arm, bagged my
purchases. And when I turned
to hand the cashier my money,
I noted that her ears had more
by
hardware attached to them than
Tanya
S.
Brunner
my car has.
Tattoos and piercings are pretty common these days.
It has brought together the worlds of science and art with
the human body as the canvas. Age and gender are not
barriers. I still detest giving blood for my annual physical;
but these sturdy souls have suffered pain to display their
individuality.
I am truly intrigued by the symbolism of the body
art and have engaged in more than one conversation with
a burly biker over his choice of swords and dragons. I
watched a show on the telly the other day, where there
are now tattoo parlors that specialize in covering up old
tattoos with new creations. And I have been warned that
there are piercings in certain body parts that are never to
be discussed at the family dinner table.
Being one to ponder the meaning of the human
condition and having read quite a few history books in
my time, I know that humans tend to mark themselves to
identify the individual as belonging to a group. A tribe.
So now I am pondering if those tattooed and pierced
folks I encounter are looking for their lost tribes? Will the
snake man one day encounter another snake man, and
will say, “There you are! Let’s go to lunch?” Perhaps, girl
hardware ears will fall in love one day with boy hardware
ears, and there will be future babies to be pierced.
In my tribe, we are identified by our wrinkles and
gray hairs. We are the natural tribe. No ink needed.
21-22—Paulding County Senior Center’s Annual Garage Sale.
23—Barbershop Sing at Archbold’s Sauder Village from 10
a.m.-5 p.m. with the Southern Gateway Chorus of Cincinnati
performing in Founder’s Hall at 1 p.m.—saudervillage.org or
southerngateway.org.
• 30th Annual Maumee Valley Car Club Car Show at
Defiance’s Pontiac Park—Jason at 419-576-0348.
29-September 4—Fulton County Fair at the fairgrounds in
Wauseon—fultoncountyfair.com.
LIVING TODAY11
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Homeschooling
You’ll Never Regret It!
by
Kristina Nelson
My kids
were very
young when
I discovered
I loved
teaching
them in
ways they
enjoyed
learning.
T
he freedom to teach your own
children is a wonderful opportunity.
Homeschooling is not preferred
by everyone; however, I have yet to hear
negative feedback from any homeschooling
parent.
To a few of my kids, homeschooling
wasn’t anything new. I had been doing it
without thought, long before that, and not
even realized it. We were having so much fun
in the learning process and many positive
adventures.
My kids were very young when I
discovered I loved teaching them in ways
they enjoyed learning. My oldest three kids
still remember when I held “Pioneer Day”
in the backyard. We not only discovered
the way of life that the pioneers had, but
we played pioneer games and ate pioneer
foods. We made homemade stilts, held a corn
husking competition, and washed up from a
bucket of water. I can still remember my son,
who was about seven at the time, thought
you ate corn on the cob without cooking it.
Years later, I created a “Mom and Dad
Camp” week for them. Activities included
a Bible lesson, recipes, games, crafts, field
trips, and physical activity. If the kids had a
baseball game, we’d work it into the day as a
field trip. It was a lot of fun, and they learned
a lot from it.
Over the years, I have homeschooled
three children in different grades–each
child for a different reason. The last to be
homeschooled was my youngest preschooler.
One day, we walked to the river. We had fun
walking, getting exercise, reading books,
writing stories, and coloring. We worked
with free internet printable pages, explored
the river, and talked about healthy foods.
We even made our own peanut butter. We
thrived on the abundance of references,
located at the local library, especially the free
group activities for children.
She learned to plant in our small garden,
held worms, and learned about them. We
My daughter, Emily, and I are cracking a huge bag of peanuts,
so we can make our own homemade peanut butter.
LIVING TODAY12
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y Patients
Then 5-year-old Emily is looking for wildlife after walking down
to the river near our Michigan home. We would take a backpack of
learning tools and head to the river to work and learn.
Families.Trusted. By Patients
Families.
and Their
cooked together, read the children’s Bible, and had so much
ience fun
in providing
planning our days. Learning was born from the freedom
we had.
don’t regret any of my homeschooling years.
and staffi
ng Iservices.
Over 40 years of experience in providing
I’ll admit, I miss homeschooling my kids. In a way, I
variety
of home
care and
ng services.
still homeschool them. aEvery
subject
in school
hasstaffi
filtered
into their lives with all of the aspects of our self-sufficient
– Skilled Nursing
lifestyle.
Any lifestyle can incorporate homeschooling.
Our caregivers
– Physical Therapy
As
I do believe we have created the freedom
areparents,
bonded, screened
– Occupational Therapy
and insured.
for learning
for our children and developed skills and
– Home Health Aide
knowledge for their lives.
OH 43606
To share your
thoughtsPkwy
on this
yourOH 43606
3103 Executive
Suitearticle
208 ~ or
Toledo,
own experiences with homeschooling, email Kristina@
frontporchpublishing.com. (419) 578-4698
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LIVING TODAY13
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Asperger & Autism Resources
For Students, Parents & Teachers
by
Bonnie Kimpling-Kelly—
Teacher/Behavior Analyst
1001 Great Ideas for Teaching
& Raising Children with Autism or
Asperger’s by Ellen Notbohn & Veronica
Zysk—This book has a wealth of critical
information for parents, teachers,
and other professionals working with
individuals on the autism spectrum. It is
jam-packed with ideas that hit virtually
every area of the individual’s life/
education, useful resources and websites
as well as a section to the teacher and
parent regarding their rights under
special education law. The book also
suggested IEP goals for areas that
tend to be troublesome to the average
teacher like social skills. The section
on complete IEP goal development
contains the best examples of IEP
goals that I have ever seen. There is
even a large section that recommends
toys for specific skill development.
Differentiating between a tantrum
(voluntary) and a meltdown (involuntary)
is explained. The book is written in a
very positive and encouraging format
and highlights practical tips rather
than technical tips that are difficult to
implement in a standard classroom
Asperger’s in Pink: A Mother
and Daughter Guidebook for Raising
(or Being!) a Girl with Asperger’s by
Julie Clark—Pearls of wisdom are
listed at the end of each chapter to
summarize points “for parents &
caregivers”, “for extended family”,
“for educators”, and “for others.”
Advice on when to push the school
district for a formal plan and when
to be patient is given as well as tips
to help parents understand the IEP
process. She shares her story of faith
and the synergistic effect between her
struggles and her faith. Examples of how
Asperger’s manifests itself differently
LIVING TODAY14
in girls than in boys, how their peers
react differently, as well as, strategies to
work with these often painful scenarios.
This book offers a lot of tips and insights
into sensory processing disorder, which
commonly accompanies Asperger’s
syndrome. One area this book covers like
none other that I’ve read is the marriage
relationship and how it is affected
by Asperger’s syndrome, as well as,
pointers on how to work more as a team
to weather the storms together. This is a
must have for the parent or professional
working with a girl on the spectrum.
Asperger’s on the Job: Must-have
Advice for People with Asperger’s or
High Functioning Autism, and their
Employers, Educators, and Advocates
by Rudy Simone—According to Ohio
State University, 85% of individuals with
Asperger Syndrome will lose a job NOT
because of their inability to complete
the work successfully but due to social
skills and hidden curriculum issues. This
book is an excellent reference for the high
functioning person on the spectrum, their
family members, employers, educators,
and advocates. The author suggests useful
tools such as visual metaphors for wise
decision-making in social situations. The
Appendix includes a useful/customizable
tool called “Finding the Perfect Job for
You—The Personal Job Map.”
Behavior Solutions for the Inclusive
Classroom by Beth Aune—With the push
toward inclusion, many teachers and
administrators are struggling to strike
a balance between making sure all the
students are sufficiently challenged and
sufficiently supported. Maladaptive
behavior of one or two students can
lead to less time and resources for the
classroom. Therefore, it is critical that
we have tools to reduce maladaptive
www.frontporchpublishing.com
behaviors
without
requiring
another staff
member or a lot
of classroom time.
This book is a quick and easy, no nonsense
guide to utilizing principles of occupational
therapy (OT) and sensory issues common
to our students on the autism spectrum.
This book would be especially helpful for
the school that has limited OT time. This
book is applicable not only to students on
the spectrum, but also those with learning
disabilities or Tourette’s Syndrome.
How Do I Teach This Kid?: Visual
Work Tasks for Beginning Learners on the
Autism Spectrum by Kimberly Henry—
Children on the spectrum need structure
like the rest of us need oxygen, yet many
special education and regular education
teachers struggle with keeping the
individual student’s day 100% structured.
This book is packed with ideas to keep the
day structured with minimal training on
the part of the child. This book is also great
for parents and in-home therapists to create
task boxes for structured learning. “Task
boxes emphasize students’ visual learning
styles, avoiding the need for auditory
processing of verbal directions, an area of
deficit for many students with autism.”
Direct instruction is required when the
initial task boxes are introduced, but once
they have learned the system, students
generalize well from task to task due to
their straightforward nature. Targeted skills
include: fine-motor, pincher grasp, eyehand coordination, visual discrimination,
one-to-one correspondence, two-step tasks,
matching, pre-math, math readiness, prereading, reading readiness, sorting, gender
discrimination, categorization, opposites,
sensory input, beginning comprehension,
size, letter recognition,
phonemic awareness,
sequencing, sight
words, picture
identification,
attention to detail, tracing,
drawing lines, spelling, sentence
construction, number sense and
recognition, and pattern recognition.
Just Take A Bite: Easy, Effective
Answers to Food Aversions and
Eating Challenges! by Lori Ernsperger—
Many parents are troubled with picky
and resistant eaters. This causes an
additional stress on the parent, who is
already distressed about issues related to
the co-morbid diagnosis (autism, sensory
processing disorder, etc.). Knowing that
nutrition is key for physical, emotional,
and synaptic development and watching
a child who is limited to 10 foods struggle
to even try new foods or foods of varying
food groups brings much stress to the
family mealtime. It is estimated that “75%
of the autism population has severe food
aversions.” This book defines the picky
eater vs. the resistant eater and explains
when the eating challenge is a worry.
The book includes assessments and
diagnostic-style pull outs that are easy
to reference. Exercises in empathy
are included throughout the book, to
assist the caregiver/professional in
identifying with the resistant eater.
Exercises for assisting the student in
developing greater postural control
and other deficits common in eating
challenges are detailed along with nice
visuals to aid the student/child. These
exercises involve common household
items requiring no out-of-pocket expense
to the caregiver/professional.
To share your thoughts on these resources,
email [email protected].
LIVING TODAY15
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