My husband and I have an established nighttime routine for our kids -- which works very well, some of the time. After dinner, which ends around 7 PM, our routine consists of: going upstairs, undressing for bath, using the toilet, washing hands, brushing teeth, flossing, taking bath/shower, putting on pajamas, picking out books to read, and getting into Mom and Dad's bed for reading time. For some reason, as soon as it is time to start these nightly rituals, AJ and JT "up" their hyper behavior. If Dad is working late, it goes up even more. It's like their minds are telling them -- "Hurry! Time is running out to run, bounce, scream, slam doors, chase the cat, turn lights out on Mom, sneak in a game on DS, hide TV remote, hide under Mom and Dad's bed, wrestle my brother! We've got to get it all done -- quickly!" We try to be patient and calm, but sometimes yelling does happen -- and it does not help!
I've been looking online for ideas on taming this behavior -- such as things we, as parents, can do to calm ourselves down and techniques to help calm our children. One suggestion I see over and over is behavior charts. As an adult with ADD, charting is something I have started and stopped often, only to feel guilty for once again not completing something. Well, I'm trying it again! From FreePrintableBehaviorCharts.com , I have printed out a sheet of "Things I Need to Work On!!" for each of my kids, with a Spider Man character at the top for good measure. I'm going to list 5 behaviors each of my kids needs to work on and give them a sticker for each day it is accomplished. At the end, they will get a reward -- such as dinner at their favorite restaurant, an afternoon of playing at the mall fun center of their choice, an ice cream cone, a new toy, etc. (still working on this list!).
In addition, I've created a list of our Bedtime Rules, which I will post in their bedroom and bathroom. I had a bright idea for this list. Since my kids are visual learners, I'm going to get out my camera and take a picture of each of them doing some of the things they need to do to prepare for bedtime. My hope is the act of being photographed doing what they're supposed to do will reinforce that behavior. Then, I'm going to print the list with these photos included. I'll let you know how it goes!
For our kids,
Karen
A resource guide for ex-pats living in Abu Dhabi, who have children with special needs.
Welcome to Special Needs Abu Dhabi
Raising a child with special needs can be, in itself, quite challenging. Raising a child with special needs in a new country seems to add much more to that challenge. I started this blog shortly after my husband and I, and our two sons, moved to Abu Dhabi in the summer of 2009. We lived there for under 2 years and are now living back in the United States.
Our oldest son, AJ, has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder. Finding the resources in Abu Dhabi to help him with his special needs was an ongoing effort. In the U.S., the public school system provides testing, accommodations, and an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for students with special needs, so we were spoiled there -- and dismayed at the seemingly apparent shortage of resources available to ex-patriot families (aka "ex-pats") in Abu Dhabi.
There are resources available in Abu Dhabi -- you just have to know where to look. Which is why I started this blog. My hope was to bring together in one place information to help parents of kids with special needs... so you will at least have a starting point. I also wanted this to be a place where we can reach out and support one another with advice and sometimes just a shoulder to lean on.
We have been back in the U.S. for about a year now, and I haven't written on the blog since the move -- until now. There have been a few parents who found the blog and wrote to me for advice -- and I have been happy to give it. I'm glad that it continues to serve its original purpose of helping ex-pat parents to find resources in Abu Dhabi to help their kids with special needs.
Recently, I have begun feeling the need to write again, but I've been unsure how to move ahead with the blog. In hindsight, I don't know if life is any less challenging in the U.S. than it was in Abu Dhabi. There are still daily struggles. I continue to advocate for my son who has ADHD -- to get him the help in school and in life that he needs in order to thrive, learn and grow. There have been steps forward and backward. I have felt hopeless and hopeful.
If you are in Abu Dhabi, or considering a move there, please leave a comment. If you know of resources that you've found helpful, let me know and I'll add them to the list. If you come across an article or book that has made a difference in your child's life, please share. Most of all, I hope you will share your stories. Wherever you are, it's good to know you're not alone.
Thanks for coming by.
For our kids,
Karen
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