Karate anyone ??

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Registered: 09-09-2005
Karate anyone ??
12
Sat, 09-09-2006 - 10:01pm

I have come to a realization that as much as all of Liam's therapies are important, since we moved he has very little interaction with his peers, except for the other kids in the EBD class.

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Registered: 03-31-2003
Sat, 09-09-2006 - 11:00pm
I hope the karate is good for him. Let us know how Monday goes.
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 12:11am

We have done Karate on and off for some time. Really just this year it has been successful for Mike. It sounds like you have a good instructor there though so that should help tons. Hopefully it goes well. The only problem with those kind of places is you often have to sign a contract for a certain amount of time and our little Aspie's may do well for a couple weeks then start falling apart in a few months. So watch for the contracts. The one I do now you sign up for each session separately as you go so no contract or long term obligation.

As for the other mom, I have begun to have a different POV on this. I always felt I couldn't complain or felt stupid for feeling stressed with my children's special needs because others were "worse off". Conversely I would feel bad because my children were "worse off" than NT children and I would feel bad because they were worse off than some ASD children. I have nixed the whole idea of worse off or better off.

As parents it is really easy to compare our kids to others. It seems in the autism community us parents have taken that comparing to a whole new level. "My child is lower functioning", "My child is recovered", "my child is more impaired", "my child is very mildly affected". Most parents do so trying to be kind but it really becomes hard on us with the comparison thing. Can I have an autism sticker on my car if my child is verbal or aspie? Why isn't my child progressing, etc.

Ya know what, life is hard and we have some extra struggles being parents of SN children. It doesn't matter what those special needs are, they just are and it is ok to be stressed and feel sad sometimes. There are some special needs struggles that we deal with that parents of children who are more impaired don't deal with. Thier lot is a hard one as well but it doesn't mean we have to pretend ours is less. We can own and and accept it is our challenge and it is challenging and then we take on the task. Also, parents of NT children likely have struggles we don't know about. Just as I believe parents of children with "just" ADHD or Learning disabilities have the right to feel stressed and overwhelmed as well at thier childs special needs.

Anyway, I don't know my point, lol other than we are allowed to our feelings. I guess I get a bit too much of the comparison here at home. I have a nephew with classic autism who is verbal and fairly HF but definitely autistic. But he doesn't have meltdowns and rage attacks and services for them are easy to come by. If I heard from family one more time that I was lucky because the kids weren't as bad off as Nate I was going to hurt someone. They didn't respect how much the kids struggled and how much work we do here.

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Registered: 09-09-2005
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 3:22pm

Its funny you should put it that way.

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Registered: 03-25-2003
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 7:02pm

I signed both my kids up for karate, which begins tomorrow. It should be interesting. Dakota, my son w ADHD & PDD-NOS, is slightly opposed but he doesn't really even know what it is. He resists anything physical but desperately needs something. I hope signing his sister up will hopefully help him. Well see how it goes.

Shell

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 7:15pm

Oh yeah, definitely see your point on that one. Being a few years into it ourselves it is definitely easier now than then. I guess I just get sick of the "you should feel lucky" thing or feeling guilty because mine aren't as delayed as others.

life is full of ups and downs. Thank goodness right now is more an up for us as we are through the beginning diagnosis down phase. I remember 4 being tough with Cait. I thought I would never have a conversation with her.

This is a bit off the point by I am constantly amazed by my one friend. The one with an 11yo alphabet soup boy who is quite a challenge and a newborn down syndrome baby. She has taught me alot because she never compares her life to others and it is much tougher than many but she never sees it that way. And if I am having a rough day she is the first person I call. So do many others. It doesn't matter what your troubles are, she always listens with her heart and loads of compasion. It isn't "i have it worse" or "you are so lucky". It is just a friendly ear and good honest advice 9 times out of 10.

I have another friend as well. She is a single mom with 1 NT daughter who is her first year in middle school. She can't afford a house because her ex is a deadbeat so she lives in appartments which exposes her dd to things that aren't neccessarily good. She can't afford health care because her ex dropped the insurance he had for them and because she has pre-existing asthma and some other medical ickies no insurance will take her. She has had 1 boyfriend in the last 10 years (since divorce) because her dd comes first and she just hasn't had the time to look, etc. Looking from the outside one would think her life was easier (dd is smart, loads of friends, typical pain teen, friend works as a nurse, loads of friends)but I wouldn't want it.

Anyway, hard to figure out exactly what I want to say, lol. But perhaps just that I hear alot amung autism stuff the comparisons and I have been thinking alot lately about how that isn't neccessarily a good thing.

I am lucky. My kids are doing pretty darn well right now in comparison to where they were. It is like Paula always says, comparing our kids to themselves and thier progress. I think that is a very good point and right now when I compare my kids to a year ago or when they were preschoolers I feel pretty lucky indeed.

Renee

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Registered: 01-29-2004
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 7:52pm

My son 6 has been in karate since April. He is not yet dxed. We are waiting for the developmental ped appointment. We did tons of testing through a neuropsych who couldn't confirm or dx until we did $1500 therapy through her office- well we didn't. So new we wait for this new dr. To get back on point...

His OT strongly suggested karate for him. Our insurance beefits were running out so I thought we would give it a try. In warm ups they work on so much that the OT was working in with him-jumping jacks, push ups, body awareness and coordinaiton. The ywork on it in a differnt way but the goal is the same.

It has been wonderful. This fall he asked to go 2x a week so he is. We are going through a park district program which runs by the school semesters and then a summer session. I wrote a letter and was very specific in where Quintin would beed help and how they could offer that help. They have been so receptive to my suggestions. I asked that he be in the front line and always facing the sensei so that he could best hear and see. I explained that it takes him a second or so longer to process verbal info so to give him that and to not repeat it becasue then the processing starts again. If he isn't getting something thet need to position his body the corerct way. I was worried they woudn't follow through because Quintin is very verbal and seems so normal for lack of a better word, but they have really wokredd with me. The sumer session only had 6 kids ( and 4 senseis)in it which was great for them to get to know Quintin as the fall session may have up to 30 kids.

Some of the moves we have had to work on at home-especially blocks that cross the midline and moves that use alternate hands and feet. Quintin loves it and and is so proud of himself to be doing so well. Although he is still a white belt, they have moved him up to the orange belt class becasue he is progressing so well. I never expected this. My karate goals were to help coordination, be part of a group activity and maybe make a friend. Actually being good at karate is a complete benefit. His concentration has also increased and his ability not to chatter away during class.

I hope Liam has a good experience with it also. Heather

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Registered: 06-25-2003
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 7:56pm

MY kids took Karate and did OK at it in a big class, but they had each other (they were in the same class).

-Paula

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Registered: 10-03-2004
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 10:38pm

Malcolm and several of his pals are just short of getting their green belts in Tae Kwondo. They started sparring this year, which can be challenging for Malcolm emotionally, depending on the day. His sensei is terrific, patient, firm and authoritative. All the boys really respect him and enjoy studying with him.

Malcolm has definitely improved in coordination and strength, also self confidence. He has a photographic memory for the sequences of moves, although every once in awhile, he gets a little sloppy on form. We get a private one-on-one sessions with the sensei when he needs a little cleaning-up or extra encouragement.

Sara
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 09-11-2006 - 5:42pm

I was thinking the karate route would be great for Owen (AS&5)

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Registered: 09-09-2005
Mon, 09-11-2006 - 7:02pm

Well, the first time was ok...I guess.

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