The Connection

We are already in the month of May! That means we are wrapping things up for this school year. We understand that this time of year can be very busy as we all prepare for and look forward to summer!

In this edition of The Connection you will find a couple of fun opportunities for your student this summer, alternatives to saying no repeatedly to your child, a Nature Scavenger Hunt and information on making sure your child's Medicaid information is updated.

We hope you'll take some time to read through these resources, and don't forget that if you need a question answered or just aren't sure where to turn, you can contact our Parent Liaison, Erika Chapman, at 843-292-1008 or echapman@f1s.org. She would love to connect with you!

Looking for something fun to do with your kids outside? With the weather warming up I want to be outside and want to motivate my kids to be outside too!

This Nature Scavenger Hunt from The Taylor House is a great way to have some fun and work on all kinds of great skills at the same time!

Check out The Taylor House for lots of other fun activities and recipes to make with your crew!

Do you feel like you’re always saying “NO” to your kids? Do they listen or do things escalate? With kids (people!), phrasing is so important. Positive phrasing where you tell them what you’d like them TO do instead of what not to do - and it’s generally more effective.

Hearing “no” may lead to your child tuning out that word or engaging in other more challenging behaviors because they are being denied what they want. The reality is kids hear “no,” “don’t,” and “stop” all😅day😲long😫- if there’s an alternative, why not use it?

Using alternative phrasing will allow you to get your point across and also make your child take notice when you do use the word “no” – like if they are doing something unsafe.

Instead of ‘no,’ try:
“No, thank you”
“Not right now”
“Soon”
“Later”
“Not yet”
“Next time”
“In a bit”
“Maybe tomorrow”
“Let’s set the timer”
“First…, then….”
“Let’s try again”
“Okay”
“Yes”
“Please do it nicely/gently”
“I’ll think about it” (my personal favorite)
Present a choice – “Ice cream isn’t available right now, but you can have a banana or raisins.”

PS - Kids will imitate to behaviors we model so if we want our kid to be polite and respectful, we need to model polite and respectful phrases with them.💯💜

Follow Mariko, a behavior consultant and mom of two, @parenting_fairly on Instagram, for more positive and proactive strategies to increase your child’s cooperation.

Attention Healthy Connections Medicaid Members!

Annual reviews for members will restart on April 1, 2023.

First, they will try to renew your eligibility with the info they already have. If they can, they’ll get a “continuation of benefits” notice. If they can’t, you will be mailed an annual review form. It’s very important they have your updated contact info!

There are three different ways you can update your contact and household details: online, over the phone or in-person.

Read more at www.scdhhs.gov/annualreviews ⁠

All 4 Autism is excited to invite you to Camp Saint John! our summer camp offers fun and fellowship for children and teens ages 4-17. Campers enjoy various activities and life lessons that build self-esteem and creat friendships. This inclusion-based program is designed for kisd with autism (or other developmental disabilities) and their neurotypical peers. Camp Saint John is named after the Patron Saint of Friendship, with the main purpose of providing a summer camp that promotes friendship, inclusion and FUN!

DATE/TIME:

July 10 - 14, 2023

9 AM – 12 NOON

Registration:

https://fs27.formsite.com/all4autism/y4euntyyfj/index

LOCATION:

Trinity Presbyterian Church (1021 S. Ebenezer Rd, Florence, SC 29501)

All 4 Autism

info@all4autism.org

Equip is a peer-to-peer young adult leadership group focused on empowerment, support, and camaraderie for youth ages 13-28 with disabilities. Our young adult leaders guide youth with every type of disability in finding their a-ha moment—when they take charge of their lives, find their unique voice to self-advocate, and engage with their community of peers more fully.

We get together regularly through:

• Monthly in-person and online hangouts
• Week-long summer leadership series
• One-on-one peer mentoring

Keep reading to learn more about our specific programs!

Equip Summer Series is a week-long program designed to empower youth with disabilities (ages 13 to 28) through teaching self-advocacy skills, communication skills, setting short and long term goals, and independent living skills in order to promote activism in the community. Visit our registration page for more.

For more information on how to get involved in Equip, contact 800-681-6805 or email equip@able-sc.org.

All Equip Hangouts are currently online only due to the pandemic. Equip Online Hangouts are the first and third Thursday of the month, 6-7 PM through Google Meet. Register to join - Registration Form

View Equip’s blog to stay up to date on the Equip program.

Do you want to know what your student's school is offering for breakfast and lunch during the month of May? Find out here!

We would love to hear from you! If you have a question or comment you can contact our Parent Liaison, Erika Chapman, at echapman@f1s.org or 843-292-1008 or visit the Parent Liaison website for helpful resources.

You also can contact us at exceptionalchildren@f1s.org or at 843-673-1161.

Email: exceptionalchildren@f1s.org
Website: f1s.org
Phone: (843) 673-1161