Religous education

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Religous education
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Thu, 08-18-2005 - 1:35am

Do any of you guys send your kids to sunday school or religous ed? What have you found that works?

Our church is pretty good at being willing to include kids with needs and trying to be flexible but it just doesn't work for my kids and at least 1 or 2 others I know. We have decided this year to homeschool both the older ones on religous ed right from the get go. For the past 2 years, we started Mike in the program then within weeks had to pull him out. Cait has done good so far but go stressed by the end of last year and is really stressing already about going this year. With all the demands of middle school I didn't think I wanted to force religous ed on her. Thier faith is something I want them to enjoy and choose, not feel like they have been wrapped on the knuckles by nuns.

I just sent off the email to the DRE (director type person). Tough one since I am a former catechist up to 2 years ago and she has been asking me to come back and do it again. now I am pulling my own kids. Geez

Renee

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Avatar for betz67
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Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 8:16am

We send our kids to Church school. Actually, Weston asks not to go, but always enjoys it. He REALLY likes one of his teachers. She has become a friend since we've been going to another Bible study together during the week. She's so happy to have Weston come and give her hugs and doesn't make a big deal of any of his behaviors. She's very patient w/ his speech.

I'm thinking about having Weston, Martha and Owen go to another kids "Bible study"/children's group on Sunday evenings as well. My older two are going to start going to Youth Group and Youth Choir (the middle school is separate from the highschool this year so my kids will be a little more comfortable) and I'm really trying to get Warren to socialize more, this is a problem for him as well, even though he's not on the spectrum, but probablly ADD/ADHD. The youth activities are both on Sunday afternoon/evening at the same time as the children's Bible study. I will go help w/ the Children's study every week as well. We are trying to have all the other kids get used to Weston and him get used to being around all the other kids so that he'll have "friends" and support when he goes to middle and high school. So far so good. Weston mostly ignores the other kids and they are quite patient w/ him. Weston interacts w/ the study materials and the teachers only. The other kids always say "hello" and "Hi Weston" when they see him, (he has to be prompted to respond.) He has not had any lashing out at all at church, though.

Betsy

Avatar for finian
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Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 8:17am

I do my own religious education, but then I'm both a homeschooler and a "way nonmainstream" religion.


Your pastor or youth leader may have knowledge/access to materials specifically for your denomination. Of course, you can always come over to the homeschooling board & ask. There's actually a thread about 1st grade bible study going on now. as well, a good resource to look at would be www.rainbowresource.com . the section of their catalog you'd want to look at is devotionals. now I don't believe they have materials made especially for AS kids, but you could modify them however you need.

Love and Light, Joelle

Homeschooling mom to a 11yr old hydrogen molecule.




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Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 9:13am

Cait will actually be going to the middle school youth group this year. She is looking forward to it. Hopefully it works out ok. Many of the kids from our church go to her new school. Our church is across town where we used to live and the school is over there so it would be nice for her to become better friends with some of those kids. Though many tend to be kind of cliquey and after 5 years in the sunday school program, she still doesn't have any friends at school. They tolerate Cait, say hi, but I don't think they realize why she is "weird" they just think she is weird. I have told the church, the teachers know and my friends know but it is impossible to tell everyone. One of my friends sends her 2 boys to the youth group. One is AS and the other ADHD and it works well for them so I am crossing my fingers. Girls are different though. They can be awfully Catty.

We don't have a kids bible study unfortunately. I did try going with him as his aide last year but it still didn't work. The year before I tried to see if he would do better without me but stayed as an aide in a different class so I was there and prior to that i was his teacher or teaching in the same room. Our church is in the midst of being built. Currently the only building in the parish center (big hall like thing). So for classroom they put up those portable partitions to separate little classes. Well it turns out to be a gymnasium with a few hundred people in it all trying to be quiet in thier perspective classes. Works out ok for NT kids, but for a sound sensitive AS one it is just overwhelming.

Renee

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Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 9:16am

Our church religous ed program is 1/2 homestudy for all the families anyway so if I pay for the class/materials I will get it by default. That is how we did it last year. They are big on parent involvement so one week the lesson is done by a catechist at church and the next it is done at home by the parent. Instead I just do them all. I feel bad about them missing out again on another typical activity of childhood, but I guess I have to get over it. Just cause it seems like something they should like or should be good for them doesn't mean it is.

Thanks for the info

Renee

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Registered: 02-27-2005
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 9:21am

Hi,

We have found it impossible at this time to go to church at all. Steven(4y.o.) has HFA/ Aspergers. He is not able to sit still or follow any direction at all. He is very disruptive in service and Sunday school at this time and have found trying to take him is not profitable for anyone. We are hoping that when he starts Early childhood special ed preschool this year, that he will develope some skills. They are very kind at his school and are working with us, as this is all quite new to us. We are very fortunate that they are willing to "coach" us through this process that we as a family learning through. It was recommended to us to try and find a church that was associated the AWANA groups for kids. I don't know too much about those yet, I have only just began looking into that.

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Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 10:02am

As I have said before, it is my hope that the church group will help my son with some of his social issues. He does well with groups in many ways it's just that he often is off to the side. He rarely if ever complains about going to different after school programs, and things like that and usually is happy with them. But I'm fearing school and the programs all starting at the same time. Things have been going so smoothly lately, I know the transition is going to be tough and I don't want to throw too much at him at once.

Amanda

Avatar for finian
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Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 1:21pm

well that's good you don't have to worry about the curriculum. I understand about the "having to miss out on another typical childhood" thing. ds just went through a week of VBS at my parents' church. I'm really not sure how much he got of it. there were 15 mins blocks of time both at beginning & end which were sitting in the seat time. first period was trying to sing along with songs he was just hearing, watching words flit across a screen probably too fast for him to read. the second period to listen to a youth pastor preach at a time he'd normally be in bed listening to me read.


if your library carries it, check out "practical homeschooling" magazine. you'll find dozens of Christian craft supplies that you might be able to find additional craft projects to do with the kids.

Love and Light, Joelle

Homeschooling mom to a 11yr old hydrogen molecule.




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Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 3:21pm

We did VBS this year, but what i do is volunteer for crew leader for Mike's group. He just started going last year (8 yo). We bought the CD with the music in advance so they knew the songs. Our church music lady is great with the kids and does alot of motions and sign language to help the kids learn it in a multimodal way. Last year was a bit tricky, but he did alot better this year with it, only a couple littler problems. Crews to are only 5 kids, a crew leader and I usually get a Jr. Crew leader in case Mike has a problem and I have to walk him outside. There are usually 5 crews to a group.

That definitely was a bit crazy and tiring but definitely set up well for all the kids even the AS ones. For one thing every day has a written schedule and I let Mike carry the schedule. That helped alot.

Renee

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Avatar for finian
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Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 3:40pm
that's great you could be his crew leader. I was fighting a summer cold all week plus was trying to watch out for my 3yr old nephew, who just wasn't getting involved, wasn't truly being involved by his teachers. Over all, there were some significant problems in the planning though. I don't believe I'll be doing the VBS at my parents' church next year, unless a lot of things change.

Love and Light, Joelle

Homeschooling mom to a 11yr old hydrogen molecule.




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Avatar for betz67
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Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 4:12pm

Renee,

girls at this age are AWFUL-- I have one! She's often not very nice. I'm working really hard on the being nice and kind to all people (esp her "strange brother") w/ her. We're slowly getting through to her. We have always stressed being loving to all people regardless of age, race, looks, etc. She used to be kind but somehow it's flown out of her head and she doesn't seem to get that you have to be kind to people who act strange as well (she just doesn't understand why Weston doesn't get it) and she has become very self centered.

Is it possible and would you (or your DH) be willing to give a little program on kids with autism and helping the others to understand w/ the youth? sort of a sensitivity training /group building workshop? Sort of something that would point out to the kids that everyone has differences but some kids have a harder time acting "normal". Our youth group includes one girl that has a hearing impairment and one girl in a wheelchair as well as numberous kids w/ ADHD and other issues. They work a lot of team building and inculsion.

Betsy

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