3rd Annual 2012 “Teaching Does Make A Difference Autism Conference” Feb. 27, 28 & 29. Check it out.
www.dfwautismconference.com
Autism Conference, Keller Texas
February 9th, 2012 by Charis Hills AdminConference Opportunity!
September 6th, 2011 by Charis Hills AdminFuture Horizons Inc. is presenting an Autism/Asperger’s Conference in Dallas Oct. 6 & 7. Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Tony Attwood and Dr. Jed Baker will be the featured speakers.
Details: www.FHautism.com
Preparing Your Child for Summer Camp
May 13th, 2011 by Charis Hills Admin
Ahhhhh, summer camp! Fireflies, fishing, friends and fun are just around the corner for your favorite camper. There are several things that you can do to help prepare them for camp.
Talk to your child about camp. You will only know about your camper’s concerns if you talk about them. Talk about your experiences if you attended camp.
Talk about homesickness. For many children, sleep away camp is their first away from home experience other than staying with family members. Talk about how you handled it. Explain that homesickness is a normal experience and that the activities and making new friends will distract them from feeling sad or nervous. Let them know that their counselors will always be there for them to talk to. Tell your camper that they will be receiving mail from you and that you will be logging in to see pictures of the fun they are having. Have your child choose something from home like a picture or stuffed animal to take with them to camp. Show your camper the opening and closing dates of camp and mark them on the calendar. If there are any recent stressful events in your family, discuss them so they are not worried while they are away from camp.
If you child has any special needs such as reminders for help in specific areas, dietary needs, medical needs…etc. assure your child that you have spoken with the camp and those needs will be taken care. Remind them that they can always ask their counselor for help as well.
Pre-write some letters to leave in the camper Mail Box at Check-in. This will assure that he/she gets mail the first days at camp. Plan and encourage your camper to write home by sending paper, envelopes & stamps.
Get your camper involved! Involve your camper in selecting their activity preferences. Discuss the options and have your camper look at the list of activities and videos on our website to guide them in their selection.
Involve your child in any shopping that needs to be done and packing to get ready for camp. Let him make some choices.
Involve him in putting batteries in the flashlight, choosing a book he might like to read during rest time and help label clothing and belongings.
Talk about the things that they will learn and friends that they’ll make.
Always be positive, assure them that they are mature enough to handle being away from home and encourage them about the fun that they will experience!
Pray for your child. God has great plans for your camper, but He wants to hear from your heart!
You might also like: 5 Ways Parents Can Help Prevent Summer Camp Homesickness
Summer Camp Rainy Day Activities
March 3rd, 2011 by Charis Hills AdminOften the weather just does not cooperate. We here at Charis Hills like to have a good number of rainy day activities on hand. We are always looking for ways to keep the kids entertained and teach them skills or help them grow emotionally. Typically kids will gravitate towards the television or video games when they are forced to stay inside (unfortunately they do it on sunny days too). Here are some useful resources for “unplugged” activities that you can do with your kids when stuck indoors.
Online Resources
PBS Kids: Zoom
This is a great place to start for hands on learning activities that you can do with your kids. We have used many of them as a springboard for other activities. Most of the supplies needed you will find in your kitchen pantry.
Disney: Family Fun
Lots and lots of activities to choose from. This is a great resource for outdoor activities and games too. Many are user rated too. Most of the indoor activities and crafts are best suited for children under 12.
If you know of any other good resources or activities please leave a reply below. Thanks!
2nd Annual Montague and Wise County Spring Break Day Camp
February 23rd, 2011 by Charis Hills AdminCharis Hills Summer Camp, located just 20 minutes from Decatur, TX, will be hosting its second annual spring break day camp for local children March 14-18. Hurry to register while there is still room. Children will participate in Archery, Arts and Crafts, Fishing, Bible Study, and more!
For more information visit our web site or call 888-681-2173.
Ways to Help You and Your Child Transition Back to School
August 26th, 2010 by Charis Hills AdminCamp is over. (Sigh) We were blessed by a great summer of fun with some wonderful campers! Now, it is time for them to hit the books! Whether they are off to public, private or home schooled, here are some tips to help your child get back in the saddle, or rather, their desk again.
Remember, it is normal for all children to experience back to school anxiety, but especially those with special needs. Remind your child that he is not the only student who is uneasy about going back to school. Practicing some of these ideas can have great pay offs in reducing your families stress in the coming days.
~ Be ready as a family. Try to do your back-to-school shopping ahead of time.
~ Talk with your child about things at school and ways they can help. Ex: Involve them in making healthy lunches. Encourage them to be responsible for bringing home teacher communication, doing their homework.
~ Get into a routine of getting up and going to bed at the proper time for school. Everyone benefits from a good night’s rest and a regular routine.
~ Whenever possible, you and your child should meet their teacher before school begins.
~ If your child is attending a new school, take a tour of the school and find out where their classroom is.
~ Get your child’s daily schedule of classes and the school calendar. Routines, schedules…etc. are a great comfort to most children and teaches them about planning ahead.
~ Find out and follow the school’s drop off and pick up instructions. Make a plan with your child so that he knows when and where to meet you.
~ Talk to your child about any potential anxiety producers. Even children who are home schooled may be concerned about a specific academic subject or educational goal for the year. Just talking about their concerns will often help head off the worry bug.
Encourage, encourage, encourage. This will go a long way in helping your child to reach their potential this school year. Point out the positive aspects of starting school like seeing old friends and making new ones as well as the fun of learning new things. And of course, pray for your child, their classmates and their teachers.
Remember: God knows the plans he has for your child!
Jeremiah 29:11
5 Ways Parents Can Help Prevent Summer Camp Homesickness
May 24th, 2010 by Charis Hills AdminSummer Camp is drawing near and it is time to start preparing your child for camp. More often than not parents focus on the physical needs of their child while at camp and don’t always prepare their child emotionally for summer camp. They worry about, how many t-shirts to pack, if SPF 2000 sun block is too much, and if they should pack that extra pair of socks (yes, in fact pack 2 more pairs.) The fact is, you need to make sure that you pack your child’s emotional suitcase so that they are fully prepared for camp and not just focus on what “things” to bring. Here are some simple ways that you can mentally prepare your child for camp.
Pack something personal!
1. Include Your Camper in the Packing Process
I know I said that you should not just focus on the physical, but your child will be more at rest if they know that their physical needs will be met. Make sure that your child is part of the packing process for camp. They need to know that they have everything they need. Have them go over the camp provided “What to Bring” checklist with you. Give them an opportunity to bring a little bit of home to camp. Encourage them to bring their favorite book, stuffed animal, etc.
2. Visit the Summer Camp
If your child has never been to camp or they are going to a new camp, schedule a visit so that they can see where they are going and meet some of the people that work at the camp. This will go a long way to making your child feel like they are going somewhere safe.
3. Tell Your Child the Truth
The last thing you want to do is misrepresent the experience your child will have at camp in order to get them to be okay with going to camp. If you promise your child something that the camp does not in fact offer, your child will feel like they were “tricked” into going to camp and they will have a hard time enjoying the experience. Basic rule of thumb is that an informed camper is a happy camper.
4. Tell Your Child About Camp Ahead of Time
The sooner you tell your child about summer camp the better. Do not wait until the day before camp (or worse the day of!) to inform your child that they will be going to camp. Better yet, include your child in the process of choosing a camp. This will help your child take ownership of their camp experience and will help limit the amount of homesickness they experience.
5. Letters, Letters, Letters.
One of the most helpful things you can do is write your child letters. Many Charis Hills Camp parents write letters ahead of time and put them into labeled envelopes that they then give to the camp to give to the camper throughout the week. Every child will appreciate this gesture. Be sure to address the issue of homesickness in the letters. You should tell your child that homesickness is normal and that you miss them, but that learning independence is an important part of growing up. Go on to tell your child that you are very proud of them for conquering their homesickness!
Parents, if you have any other helpful hints, please share them in the comments section below. – James
8 Reasons Children with Learning Differences Should Attend Summer Camp
April 15th, 2010 by Charis Hills AdminIt is Fun: Camp is fun, lots of fun. Children will go home with hours of stories to tell their friends about how cool camp is. For most kids, it is something they look forward to all year.
Exercise: Children need exercise, especially kids with ADHD, Autism, Asperger’s and other learning differences. Physical activity build muscles, burns fat and calories and should be part of a child’s everyday routine. At summer camp, children get plenty of exercise! Studies have also shown that exercise releases endorphins in the brain, these same endorphins help regulate mood and behavior, something that is essential for children with learning differences.
Social Skills: Camp is social. Children will have ample opportunities to socialize with other kids who “know where they are coming from”. Further, they will be given guidance on how to socialize in appropriate ways by staff who are trained to look for opportunities to teach social skills and life lessons. Unfortunately, many children with learning differences can’t attend (or are not invited to) events like sleepovers or church lock-ins. Summer Camp is a safe and supervised way for special needs kids to learn how to interact at social events where their parents might not be present.
New Friends: Every summer across america, life-long friends are made at camp. Camps for children with learning differences are no different. By focusing on developing social skills and encouraging positive interaction amongst campers, special needs camps give children with learning differences the opportunity to be a “cool kid” and make many friends.
New Talents: Camp is a chance for kids to learn new skills that they might not have the opportunity to learn at home or at school. Camping, fishing, archery, canoeing, horseback riding, and more are all taught at summer camp. Kids need the opportunity to try new things and and discover new talents in a safe environment with lots of encouragement.
Confidence: Discovering new skills and talents lead to confidence. All children, but especially those children with learning differences benefit from increase self-esteem. At the end of camp, don’t be surprised to hear your child say such things as “look what I made”, “I shot a bullseye”, or “I made it the entire week on my own!”.
A Break: Even if you do not need a break from your kids, they might need a break from you. This might be even more so if your child has learning differences. It is healthy for a child to want some independence and it is important that they have safe opportunities to be independent.
Independence: We all know that children with learning differences can have a hard time learning independence. Summer Camps are a safe and nurturing place for kids to start learning how to take care of themselves. Personal hygiene, organization, and scheduling are just some of the skills that children will learn and practice at camp. Sometime, the “break” that is taken results in both parent and child realizing just how capable they are!
Any parents or campers have more reasons? Please post them!
ADHD and Exercise
March 29th, 2010 by Charis Hills Admin
Tired = Happy
On a day like today I find it hard to stay indoors. I just finished a morning of manual labor outside, and man do I feel good. It is amazing what a little physical activity can do to raise your spirits!
Kids (and adults for that matter) do not get enough time outdoors. Schools are shortening recess, kids are attached to computer monitors, and homework seems to be piling up for kids more than ever. It is no wonder that childhood obesity is on the rise.
We tend to focus on the physical effects of a lack of exercise and time spent indoors, but the mental and spiritual effects are just as important. There are countless studies showing the link between lack of exercise and depression. There are even doctors and psychiatrists who prescribe exercise and time outdoors for adults and children with ADHD. It makes complete sense.
Parents are sometimes amazed that we do not have many issues with campers not falling asleep at night. But think about it, they run and jump and swim all day. They don’t have the energy to be hyper by the end of the day. I also strongly believe that they are happier because of the time they spend outdoors at camp and have a greater appreciation for God’s creation.
This begs the question, how can parents bring a little bit of camp home? I would love to hear your thoughts. Please leave your ideas and thoughts in the comment section!
- James
Colleen’s Thoughts: Parent’s Struggles, ADHD, Medications, etc…
March 2nd, 2010 by Charis Hills AdminA week ago, I attended the ADDA Southern Region Annual conference. It is always a blessing to go and hear what is on the horizon for children and adults with ADD, ADHD. It is good to meet with others in the field workin
g with this group of children and their families. Those who attend were educators, physicians, various clinicians and parents. I highly recommend that you attend. I always come away with something new to try or ponder. The conference usually bounces back and forth each year alternating between Houston and Dallas.
This year, I had opportunities to visit with a number of parents. While they came to my booth to hear about Charis Hills, I heard stories of heartaches for their children and themselves as they face difficult decisions. The input and pressure from friends and family are not always helpful.
Often in the past, pharmaceutical companies have had booths representing the latest medications. I did not see any at this year’s conference. This year, I only heard about one “new” medication. It is essentially, an old medication typically used to treat high blood pressure, reformulated so that it is longer acting. I heard several success stories related to this. I have spoken with many parents trying to make decisions about whether to put their child on medication or whether to try a new medication. I hear them agonizing over this decision and the difficulty they face when confronted with so many opinions. There are many other suggestions such as vitamins, supplements…etc. on the market. While we all benefit from better nutrition and in particular from eating whole foods rather than processed, these are family decisions. The frustrations that families experience is often increased by well meaning individuals who equate the child’s need for medication with their parenting skills. These attitudes are very archaic and they sadden me. You wouldn’t criticize a parent for putting glasses on their nearsighted child. Makes me question just who is nearsighted.
Each of us face challenges daily. The words that we say can never be taken back. We can encourage one another or say things that tear others down. I attended a Family Camp this past weekend. We were discussing teens and texting, Twittering…etc. I was reminded of a friend’s life verse: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock, my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14. How much better our world would be if we always sought to please Him?
- Colleen
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