DISCUSSION - People with Special Needs and Webkinz

[KinzDiva]

Oh my gosh, I wanna come to the BBQ! LOL! Sounds like a BLAST! I'm waiting for the "age appropriate" note or email re his Webkinz, but today is his sharing day and he took his new BlueFadoodle (which he can't pronounce) that he got for his Bday this weekiend to school. I'm so lucky as the kids in his class are really very sweet and just roll with it. I am already stressed about next year though, what do I do then? Are we allowed to tell how old the kids are or what grade they are in? I'm trying to sift through all the "rule" threads, but it's time consuming. I'd like some advice from others who have had to deal with this "age appropriate" issue too. Im so glad your son didn't protest...my son is stubborn (don't know where he gets that from ) and it might turn into something major. Thanks for the warm welcome, hoping to learn a lot here.

[Electrabuzz1]

Originally Posted by KinzDiva

Oh my gosh, I wanna come to the BBQ! LOL! Sounds like a BLAST! I'm waiting for the "age appropriate" note or email re his Webkinz, but today is his sharing day and he took his new BlueFadoodle (which he can't pronounce) that he got for his Bday this weekiend to school. I'm so lucky as the kids in his class are really very sweet and just roll with it. I am already stressed about next year though, what do I do then? Are we allowed to tell how old the kids are or what grade they are in? I'm trying to sift through all the "rule" threads, but it's time consuming. I'd like some advice from others who have had to deal with this "age appropriate" issue too. Im so glad your son didn't protest...my son is stubborn (don't know where he gets that from ) and it might turn into something major. Thanks for the warm welcome, hoping to learn a lot here.

No, we are not allowed to say how old our children are and their names should not be mentioned either. It is Okay to give a vague idea ie: preschool, lower primary, high school etc.

My son is in a lifeskills class now. He did his first three years of school in a regular classroom and boy was that stressful. The kids were always kind, that was not the problem. It just not feeling like he was benefiting at all. It was always a fight to get the full-time EA and of course the teacher is very busy with all the "typical" children so I felt my son was falling through the cracks. He was feeling left out and different.

Mind you my son may be very different from yours as he has significant brain damage. There is no way he could keep up with the curriculum for his grade level. My son is blessed with an amazing teacher. If I had approached the Webkinz going to school issue I would have had a major, melt-down/fight on my hands. My son's teacher handled it and he just seems to have a way!!

[PaperButterfly]

Originally Posted by meowsrus

Sorry for dropping off the Earth again,things got way hectic here.

Younger daughter went up a grade this week- got bumped up- finally! She was literally in 2 grades for most of the year and doing all the work for both- that is way too much on a young child and she was miserable. It is her Birthday this Sunday! I will be making the treats for her current class and the one she left on Monday- both are having a little class 'party' for her, how cool is that!

Older daughter had most of the appointments. Psychiatrist is in agreement with the pediatrician that her school is a bad environment for her. Now we just have to get it all in black and white to be able to (FINALLY) get her out of there.

Hope everyone had a great holiday today and got to have some green beverage and get a little luck o' the Irish!

Oh Meows, I'm so happy to hear all that. It sounds like things are finally starting to move in the right direction. I so happy for both DD's that things are working in their favor - that is so WONDERFUL! You guys deserve a break! All your hard work and perseverance is finally getting them what they need. Maybe you will get a little breather for yourself - You are such a wonderful MOM!

Here's a little Late But Still Very Happy Birthday for Younger DD:

[PaperButterfly]

Originally Posted by melethana

I don't know if I'm going to have much internet access for the next week. I don't have the emtionally or mental where-with-all to explain everything now, but if anyone how is inclined to do so, could pray for me, for DH, and for my kitties and dogs, especially the cats and dogs, I would appreciate it.

Oh melethana, You will definitely be in my prayers. I pray that God watches over you and DH and gives you the strength and endurance to get through your difficult times. I pray for your kitties and dogs also that they can give you the comfort you need at this time.

[PaperButterfly]

Originally Posted by KinzDiva

Hi,

I'm pretty new to this site and just found the Special Needs thread today...great idea to start it! I am a single mom with an elem. schooler with Autism. This is his first year in a mainstream class and I just finished with his annual IEP. I've read that some of you are having trouble even holding an IEP or getting copies of it. I have used an education consultant for every IEP and she has been AMAZING. I understand the financial hardship, trust me, but it is so worth it. She knows the laws inside and out and can be assertive when I feel like I have pushed and stepped on enough toes. It's very helpful. I feel like I have someone in my corner instead of lil me going up against "the man". LOL.

My son LOVES all his Webkinz and usually sleeps with one every night and brings one to school to share each week. He has NO concept of saving his KC or taking care of his garden, but loves to give his pets baths and take them to the arcade. I do all the dailys for him, but he makes sure they all get food, water, and love.

I'm looking forward to learning more about you all and your families. I'm so happy to have found this area for us to share. Enjoy your weekend!

KINZDIVA

"Someone with Autism makes me proud everyday!"

Welcome KinzDiva!!

It's nice to meet you, so glad you found our little corner of sanity or maybe - insanity

We've been one of the lucky ones also so far. We haven't had an issue with our IEP or meetings yet, that said, my DS is only in Preschool so we've only been going through the process for the past 2 or so years. My DS has Down Syndrome and is in a self contained special needs classroom currently and will be next year also. But next year we move to a different school for the next level and will have to go all day as opposed to half days this year. So I'm a bit apprehensive for the transition, DS has difficulty with schedule changes, but his new teacher seems very approachable and workable.

That's too funny about sleepy with all his webbies, my DS is just the opposite. He doesn't want anything in bed with him. He likes to play chuck the webbies across the family room. Instead of playing with them, our webbies have come in handy for teaching. I've used them to teach about the different animals and for learning colors and counting skills. I've just started using them for categorization games. DS really seems to respond to learning with a more hands on approach. That's how I seem to keep rationalizing why I keep buying more.

My DS is the same with the baths - his Pumpkin Kiity is cleaner than any cat alive. DS however plays on the Webkinz Jr. site. We had a big break through within the past couple of months where he can now use the mouse without any hand over hand help and "understands" the concepts how to maneuver around the site and activities. He also now likes our Wii too.

If you ever have any questions about anything, ask away.

Originally Posted by Electrabuzz1

Hello KinzDiva!!


KinzDiva, your son sounds like many of our children. They love to blow through that cash LOL! I logged on yesterday after my son had spent some time on WW and evidently he is planning a very large BBQ and inviting everybody he knows. He had 28 BBQ's, as well as countless Patio Chairs and Patio Tables in his dock!! I hope I get an invite!!

My son sleeps with ALL his Webbies. There is barely room for him in his bed. He no longer takes one to school as his teacher felt it was not age appropriate and my DS did not resist leaving the Webbie's at home. I think his favourite thing to do is still to re-arrange his rooms. Over and over. It is much the same as in real life.

Can I make a reservation for the massive BBQ Party! I wanna come. I promise to pitch in - I'll bring the chips and dip.

I was actually the same growing up with all my stuffed animals. They all had to sleep with me. Each had their own place, and I would arrange them every night. Plus they had to sleep under a blanket so they wouldn't get cold.

[lovehorses]

Kinzdiva maybe when the webkinz can't go to school, can they at least be in his backpack and maybe a social story about how his webkinz wait for him in his backpack? Or maybe there are only a certain number of sharing days a month that he can bring webkinz. Label the days on the calendar as webkinz days, and VERY slowly decrease the amount of days the webkinz go to school. At first it may just be 1 or 2 days that he doesn't bring a webkinz to school. Maybe you could buy the webkinz school supply things and he could have some webkinz pencils at school? Can it be a reward for good behavior to be able to take his webkinz out of his backpack for a certain amount of time? like for example his webkinz can only stay out for recess because he earned five tokens, or it may even be smaller increments and using a visual timer. I would also provide him with a choice board with different reinforcers that he can pick, that way it isn't limiting it to just webkinz.

[KinzDiva]

Wow! That's a great idea, putting certain days on the calendar for bringing his webbies. I can tell him the principal says you can only bring them 2 times a month. The poor principal gets blamed for everything DS doesn't like about school...that kids have to go to school, that vacation is only 2 weeks instead of 4 like DS would like, that he has to wear pants to school instead of just undies....hopefully DS doesn't run into him alone in a dark alley anytime in the next 8 years, lol! Thanks for the advice!

Preschool was the hardest time for us. One time DS bit his pregnant teacher 8 times and sent her to the hospital. She was making him use the restroom. I feel your pain. I thought the transition to full days would be awful too...DS HATED school from day 1, ADORES his mother , and has trouble leaving the house most days...receipe for disaster right? It went so much better than I expected. Honestly, he fell right into the routine. I was amazed! Especially since you will be at a new school. I know it sounds weird, but DS did so much better at a new school because the memories of starting school and leaving mom for the first time and all those bad scary experiences were left at that school. He figured it couldn't be any worse than where he started. Does your DS ride the bus or van to school? That helped us too. We live super close to school but tried the bus because he liked them so much...it really cut down on the drama before school. He would wait until the bus got to our house before he would agree to get dressed in the mornings, but once he saw it...golden!

Thanks so much for you help and the warm welcome. I will try the calendar in April and let you know how it goes!

[lovehorses]

you may have to ease it in to three days a month at first or more and then narrow it down slowly. even better do you have the trading card stickers? even if you don't you can still cut out small pictures of webkinz to fit on the calandar so he can plan out which one he is bringing when and then have choices of things for him to bring the other days and he can put it on the calendar. Maybe give him a choice board and let him gake part in filling out the toy calendar. with pictures that you provide, and have the real objects near by to show him as well also use a social story and visuals to explain that webkinz go twice if he gets upset that there are only two webkinz pictures to choose from. After he gets into routine with it maybe you can give him more pictures than webkinz he can take so that he can choose exactly which webkinz he wants to take. Maybe ask his teacher what other kids bring to share? and also be sure to explain the calendar to her and send a copy of it to school so that if it comes up at school she can reference to it. that way everyone is on the same page. Or maybe a toy related to what they are learning about at school? if they are learning about space maybe he wants to bring in star wars toy or a rocket ship toy etc., if they are learning about family maybe he wants to bring in a picture of his family, you could focus on different colors, letters, shapes etc. You could even make it so he can earn extra webkinz days with good behavior. or maybe just at recess if he has good behavior at home etc.

[melethana]

I haven't gone back to read what you all have been up to in the past week, but the internet I have right now is soooooo slow.
Last Friday, county animal control woke me and DH up at o' dark thirty, saying that there had been complaints in the neighborhood about my animals. what? No one in the neighborhood had even been in our house to see any animals. The county took my 2 dogs and 7 cats. Then someone from the city came, stood on the porch, and said that my house was unfit for human habitation and that we had to leave immediately, and if the whole house was not sanitized in a week, they would bulldoze it. How can we clean if we can't be there? Well, they said, we can be at the house only to clean. Did you know that you can be required to bleach all your walls and doors? No? Well we didn't know either. I had animal court today. Animal control said that I should not have any animals ever. The judge said I can have 2 dogs and 2 cats. At least she let me pick which 2 of the cats. I hope the other cats get good homes. We're having the city come back either Friday or Monday to say if we can go back to our house. I think we've done 80+ hours of scrubbing and bleaching since last week. I hope to be able to be back in my own home, and sleep in my own bed, and have my super fast internet soon.
Please keep us in your prayers.

[lovehorses]

Melethana, I am praying for you.