MOVING DAY!!
This blog is going to be moving shortly. I have amalgamated it with my Youtube account
Stay tuned for more info!
Friday 13 April 2012
Friday 6 April 2012
Potty Training Fun
Well, today is the day. The beginning of potty training Master C.
He is 20 months and 6 days old.
Many people have said that he's too young, but I want to give it a shot. He tells me when he's done a poo sometimes, but he always tells me whether he has or not if I ask. So we're going nappy-free other than at night now. Once Madd's back at school, he'll probably go back into a nappy for school pickup, because it's impossible to change a toddler's wet pants while waiting for Miss M to finish school.
We have today, tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday. That's 4 full days to attempt toilet training. We are out on Wednesday at a friend's place, and it's a long drive to get there and back. It's also someone else's house, so I'll probably be putting him in nappies that day. Depends on how successful the next 4 days are.
I'm putting him on the potty every so often, but mostly letting him walk around naked so that he can see and feel when he wees. I'm not expecting it to happen overnight, I'm not expecting him to be accident-free in a few days. But I hope that he'll at least be able to go to the potty by himself at the end of these few days. Or at the very least, sit on the potty AFTER he's done wees. That way I'll know that he's got the association between the wees and the potty.
He is 20 months and 6 days old.
Many people have said that he's too young, but I want to give it a shot. He tells me when he's done a poo sometimes, but he always tells me whether he has or not if I ask. So we're going nappy-free other than at night now. Once Madd's back at school, he'll probably go back into a nappy for school pickup, because it's impossible to change a toddler's wet pants while waiting for Miss M to finish school.
We have today, tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday. That's 4 full days to attempt toilet training. We are out on Wednesday at a friend's place, and it's a long drive to get there and back. It's also someone else's house, so I'll probably be putting him in nappies that day. Depends on how successful the next 4 days are.
I'm putting him on the potty every so often, but mostly letting him walk around naked so that he can see and feel when he wees. I'm not expecting it to happen overnight, I'm not expecting him to be accident-free in a few days. But I hope that he'll at least be able to go to the potty by himself at the end of these few days. Or at the very least, sit on the potty AFTER he's done wees. That way I'll know that he's got the association between the wees and the potty.
I've recently had to "group" my friends on Facebook and put some on a restricted status-update list.
It's a bit of a long story as to why, but I'll try and keep it short.
My mother HATES Facebook. She doesn't like "laundry being aired"... she doesn't like the "invasion of privacy" it brings. I personally LOVE it, because it allows me to feel like I'm not alone. It allows me to vent, not to get sympathy but so that I can feel less alone. And it allows me to know how other people are doing, what they've been up to, and how they're feeling.
A few people that are on my Facebook list have been saying things to Mum about my Facebook statuses.
Things like "Oh, it's really changed our opinions of Jen, and what we thought she was like."
I have depression and anxiety. My mood can change from day to day, week to week... even hour to hour!
I put my personal life on Facebook so that others who don't always see life as a bed of roses don't feel so alone. If people aren't honest about their feelings and struggles, then so many more people feel alone.
It's like keeping suicidal thoughts and depressed thoughts to yourself- There is an organisation called Beyond Blue for a reason - they allow people to seek help.
Facebook has been a GODSEND for me. It's helped me to connect with people, and to find out how they're doing, and compare notes on parenting techniques, how to stay positive, and (thanks very much to B.A.T. for all the uplifting photos) awesomely uplifting and mood-enhancing photos.
It also allows me to try and offer support to other people, people like S.J.W. whose son B has High Functioning Autism. He's an amazing kid, and she's an amazing mother to not only him but her other 3 children. She goes through so much on a daily basis, and without Facebook it would be very difficult for me to be the ear and shoulder she sometimes needs. I never feel like I can do enough to support her, but at least with Facebook I can try harder.
Some people believe it's wrong to post their personal stuff on Facebook for all to see, but I figure that it's a good thing. So what if people know of my struggles and issues? Surely everyone else has their own issues and dramas they'd love to be able to talk about... don't they? If no one else is brave enough to post about their personal lives, I definitely can.
There are some issues I steer away from, they are just too personal and they involve my children. But most of my life is open for the picking.
So I've decided that I don't want to stop venting on Facebook. So I've created an "Acquaintance" list on my Facebook - that allows me to update my status only for those whom I trust to not go to my family or parents about it.
I recently deleted my family off Facebook, which caused a massive uproar within my extended family. So this time, I am not deleting people. So instead, I have created The List. The List of people who don't get to see my status updates, but I can still see theirs.
Thoughts, anyone?
It's a bit of a long story as to why, but I'll try and keep it short.
My mother HATES Facebook. She doesn't like "laundry being aired"... she doesn't like the "invasion of privacy" it brings. I personally LOVE it, because it allows me to feel like I'm not alone. It allows me to vent, not to get sympathy but so that I can feel less alone. And it allows me to know how other people are doing, what they've been up to, and how they're feeling.
A few people that are on my Facebook list have been saying things to Mum about my Facebook statuses.
Things like "Oh, it's really changed our opinions of Jen, and what we thought she was like."
I have depression and anxiety. My mood can change from day to day, week to week... even hour to hour!
I put my personal life on Facebook so that others who don't always see life as a bed of roses don't feel so alone. If people aren't honest about their feelings and struggles, then so many more people feel alone.
It's like keeping suicidal thoughts and depressed thoughts to yourself- There is an organisation called Beyond Blue for a reason - they allow people to seek help.
Facebook has been a GODSEND for me. It's helped me to connect with people, and to find out how they're doing, and compare notes on parenting techniques, how to stay positive, and (thanks very much to B.A.T. for all the uplifting photos) awesomely uplifting and mood-enhancing photos.
It also allows me to try and offer support to other people, people like S.J.W. whose son B has High Functioning Autism. He's an amazing kid, and she's an amazing mother to not only him but her other 3 children. She goes through so much on a daily basis, and without Facebook it would be very difficult for me to be the ear and shoulder she sometimes needs. I never feel like I can do enough to support her, but at least with Facebook I can try harder.
Some people believe it's wrong to post their personal stuff on Facebook for all to see, but I figure that it's a good thing. So what if people know of my struggles and issues? Surely everyone else has their own issues and dramas they'd love to be able to talk about... don't they? If no one else is brave enough to post about their personal lives, I definitely can.
There are some issues I steer away from, they are just too personal and they involve my children. But most of my life is open for the picking.
So I've decided that I don't want to stop venting on Facebook. So I've created an "Acquaintance" list on my Facebook - that allows me to update my status only for those whom I trust to not go to my family or parents about it.
I recently deleted my family off Facebook, which caused a massive uproar within my extended family. So this time, I am not deleting people. So instead, I have created The List. The List of people who don't get to see my status updates, but I can still see theirs.
Thoughts, anyone?
Monday 2 April 2012
WHY I HATE AUTISM
Yesterday was Autism Awareness Day. It's great that they have a day where people can educate others on autism. It can be easy to pidgeon-hole kids with autism as "bad kids" or "troubled kids"... but the problem is the Autism, not the kid.
I have several friends whose children have Autism, and adult friends with Autism. Two of them have other problems, such as Severe Intellectual Disability and Isodicentric 15 Syndrome. Some just have plain old Autism, or High Functioning Autism, or Aspergers Syndrome.
Every day I see or hear of things that the kids with Autism are doing.... hitting out of frustrating, biting out of frustration, head-banging, yelling and screaming, and basically freaking out.
I hate Autism.
Autism affects not only the person with Autism, but their parents and friends and family.
Autism stresses the kid out.... they are angry and hostile and often don't know why.
Autism causes stress to the parents - the mum can feel helpless, and alone.
Autism sucks. Autism is an asshole. Autism needs to fuck off.
Anyone who doesn't know much about Autism should read up on it. Read the blogs from parents of kids with Autism. Most parents of kids with Autism are strong people - they need to be to help their kids survive in a world they don't always understand.
Most parents try to stay happy and cheerful, even whilst their child is in the middle of a meltdown. The alternative is to lose your shit and get angry or upset - which doesn't help them or their kid.
There should be so much more support for kids with Autism, but there's not. There is a HUGE lack of help. When the child has a meltdown, it is up to the parents to handle it with almost no support. Friends can only do so much - sometimes just the prescence of another person can set the child off into an even worse meltdown.
One of the most common misconception about an autistic meltdown is that it is a common, everyday temper tantrum. The parent or caregiver is often scorned by members of the public as being unable to control the individual. It is important to point out that while the physical aggressions associated with autistic escalation and meltdown appears similar to a temper tantrum, the two events are completely different.
(borrowed from http://www.autismems.net/57801/82012.html)
I encourage anyone who doesn't know much about Autism to read up on it. Life for parents of kids with Autism sucks. There are awesome days where you are so proud of your kids and how far they've come. Then there's regression when they go majorly backward. Then there's the moving forward again and gaining so much more. Watching your kid play happily and make a friend. Watching them calmly engaging in an activity.
Life with autism is a rollercoaster. Up, down, up, down - and without proper support, it's worse than it has to be.
If you know someone who has autism, or a parent with a child with autism, SHOW THEM SUPPORT.
Be there for them to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, someone to cheer them up when they need it. Even if you can't always be there in person (whether you're unable or it's going to make things escalate), be there in emotion and support.
I have several friends whose children have Autism, and adult friends with Autism. Two of them have other problems, such as Severe Intellectual Disability and Isodicentric 15 Syndrome. Some just have plain old Autism, or High Functioning Autism, or Aspergers Syndrome.
Every day I see or hear of things that the kids with Autism are doing.... hitting out of frustrating, biting out of frustration, head-banging, yelling and screaming, and basically freaking out.
I hate Autism.
Autism affects not only the person with Autism, but their parents and friends and family.
Autism stresses the kid out.... they are angry and hostile and often don't know why.
Autism causes stress to the parents - the mum can feel helpless, and alone.
Autism sucks. Autism is an asshole. Autism needs to fuck off.
Anyone who doesn't know much about Autism should read up on it. Read the blogs from parents of kids with Autism. Most parents of kids with Autism are strong people - they need to be to help their kids survive in a world they don't always understand.
Most parents try to stay happy and cheerful, even whilst their child is in the middle of a meltdown. The alternative is to lose your shit and get angry or upset - which doesn't help them or their kid.
There should be so much more support for kids with Autism, but there's not. There is a HUGE lack of help. When the child has a meltdown, it is up to the parents to handle it with almost no support. Friends can only do so much - sometimes just the prescence of another person can set the child off into an even worse meltdown.
One of the most common misconception about an autistic meltdown is that it is a common, everyday temper tantrum. The parent or caregiver is often scorned by members of the public as being unable to control the individual. It is important to point out that while the physical aggressions associated with autistic escalation and meltdown appears similar to a temper tantrum, the two events are completely different.
I encourage anyone who doesn't know much about Autism to read up on it. Life for parents of kids with Autism sucks. There are awesome days where you are so proud of your kids and how far they've come. Then there's regression when they go majorly backward. Then there's the moving forward again and gaining so much more. Watching your kid play happily and make a friend. Watching them calmly engaging in an activity.
Life with autism is a rollercoaster. Up, down, up, down - and without proper support, it's worse than it has to be.
If you know someone who has autism, or a parent with a child with autism, SHOW THEM SUPPORT.
Be there for them to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, someone to cheer them up when they need it. Even if you can't always be there in person (whether you're unable or it's going to make things escalate), be there in emotion and support.
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