Transitioning your child from middle school to high school
As parents, we watch our children go through many transitions. In the early years it’s starting to talk, or going from crawling to walking. As our kids get older, there’s the independence that rears its head in surprising ways like talking back. But parents with special needs kids have unique challenges when it comes to […]
How to Prepare for an IEP Meeting: Tips for Parents
IEP meetings….some parents love them, some parents dread them. But after 10 years of participating in these meetings, the most common feedback I have heard from parents is that these meetings are overwhelming. The amount of information to go through, the number of professionals contributing to the meeting, and the decisions to be made about […]
I challenge you to do something new. It could be anything you want.
Have you ever done anything for the first time and felt proud? I have and I felt like a super hero. Feeling like a super hero is awesome! I feel great when I try new things. I’ve tried lots of new things and succeeded. I went to Camp Navigate and really enjoyed it. We took […]
A Parent’s Guide to the First Day of School
We all know that the beginning of a new school year gives some kids the jitters, but many parents admit that they get anxiety around this time of year too. Will my child be successful? Will my child make friends? Will they get a good teacher? And, as many parents I know would attest to, […]
Introducing our new program: Gap Groups
This year The Shafer Center is proud to announce the introduction of a new program to be offered to our families, Group Action Planning or GAP Groups. The purpose of the GAP Group is to bring together a cohesive group environment to support not only the individual but also the family. GAP Groups encourage group […]
Making Play a Priority
Making Play a Priority One of the best aspects of my job as a speech-language pathologist is that I get to play throughout most of my work day. I get to play chase, crash on bean bags, and pretend to be a big, bad wolf, all the while targeting objectives on a child’s IEP. However, […]
Entering Adulthood with a Sibling with Autism
Growing up with a twin sister with Autism has been both a blessing and a challenge. Not many people can say that their first memory is that they thought everyone had a twin with special needs or that they were motivated to learn to read by the age of three because their twin somehow already […]
Generalizing Skills at Home and in the Community
You’ve just received an update that your child is excelling in many of their programs at school, some of which may have even been mastered! You are ecstatic over the great news; however, the work is not done. The next step towards your child’s independence is generalization. Merriam-Webster defines generalization as, “the act or process […]
Snow Days at The Shafer Center
When schools are closed for snow days, most school staff has the day off to sit around in their pajamas or play in the snow. At TSC on snow days, we are working. We use this time to create new materials for our kiddos, review data and discuss our kiddos’ progress, and brainstorm new programs […]
Dealing with the snow – The Blizzard of 2016
Today is Monday, January 25, 2016. As all of you know, since we are all still here, we survived the Blizzard of 2016 that began on Friday, January 22nd. My son, Parker is 14 years old and he is on the autism spectrum. My neurotypical son went to a friend’s house last Friday and he […]