HALT:

I have received this advice before, and it is so wise.

H is for hungry. Eat a snack to satisfy your stomach.

A is for anger. Use breathing techniques like the Gamma, Square, or Sheetali to calm down. After calming down, find out the “why” behind your anger. Do I fear not being heard, or do I fear that I don’t belong here?

L is for lonely. Please seek a good and wise friend.

T is for tired. It is time for bed or just for a quick break.

He recibido este consejo antes, y es muy sabio. HESC=Detenete

H es de hambre, entonces come un refrigerio o tu comida.

E es de enojado. Para calmarte utiliza algunas técnicas de respiración como la Gamma, la cuadrada, o Sheetali. Después de calmarse, encuentre el por qué. Temo no ser escuchado, o temo que no pertenezco aquí.

S es de soledad.  Por favor llama a un amigo bueno y sabio.

C es de cansado. Es hora de ir a la cama o simplemente para un breve descanso.

 My Dream, 

Manu is in a class outside of general education, and his class is only for kids with autism. There may be no inclusion for him. Still, I will continue my intention to bring inclusion to diverse future generations. 

At my core, the problem is the system and people who might not know what diverse individuals can do or achieve. 

Let’s name a few: *

Dan Aykroyd – Comedic Actor

Hans Christian Andersen – Children’s Author

Benjamin Banneker – African American almanac author, surveyor, naturalist, and farmer

Susan Boyle – Singer

Tim Burton – Movie Director

Lewis Carroll – Author of “Alice in Wonderland”

Henry Cavendish – Scientist

Charles Darwin – Naturalist, Geologist, and Biologist

Emily Dickinson – Poet

Paul Dirac – Physicist

Bobby Fischer – Chess Grandmaster

Daryl Hannah – Actress & Environmental Activist

Thomas Jefferson – Early American Politician

Steve Jobs – Former CEO of Apple

James Joyce – Author of “Ulysses”

Alfred Kinsey – Sexologist & Biologist

Stanley Kubrick – Film Director

Barbara McClintock – Scientist and Cytogeneticist

Michelangelo – Sculptor, Painter, Architect, Poet

Sir Isaac Newton – Mathematician, Astronomer, & Physicist

Jerry Seinfeld – Comedian

Nikola Tesla – Inventor

Andy Warhol – Artist

Ludwig Wittgenstein – Philosopher

William Butler Yeats – Poet

Alan Turing – English mathematician, computer scientist,  philosopher, and theoretical biologist. 

Albert Einstein-Theoretical physicist 

Sujeet Desai – Musician

Madeline Stuart – Model

Pablo Pined – Actor 

Vincent Van Gogh – Artist 

I dream of a school district where diverse kids learn side by side, teaching each other social skills, math, reading, chemistry, physics, art, music,  playtime,  worthiness, compassion, empathy, freedom, and gratitude.  

It is possible in a school where it is okay to be different and unique, where the teacher is a guide or a mentor like Maria Montessori taught us.

I dream one day that the word “bully” or “persecutor” will be a term of the past. 

I dream of a safe place where everyone can live, work, and be independent. A place that they can call home.

 You might wonder if this is not possible or what she is smoking or drinking. Trust me, it has taken me 36 years to learn that I should smoke air and drink water. It is the best for my body and mind. 

Let me go back to my Dream and take a look at the fantastic items humans have created:

An airplane 

The seven wonders

A space shuttle  to visit the moon and close to Mars

Languages

Satellites 

Rovers to visit and explore other planets

Solar  and wind electricity 

Electric cars

Music 

Art pieces

Cell phones

Computers

The cloud 

Cities

Governments 

Bridges

Utensils

Soap

Nail clippers 

Medicine 

Crops

Clothes

Shoes

Fabrics

So my humble question is, why not?

By Juana Venegas 

*Taken from article https://casscounselling.co.uk/famous-neurodiverse-individuals/

Sometimes it is hard to be calm and collected while life moves on, and sometimes because of pressure and stress, we might react harshly or unfairly towards our kids. After being more centered and grounded, we can tell our child: “”I am sorry, I was angry, it is not your fault, and I love you always.””
Tip for parents/caregivers: Remember the power of the pause, your essence, your I ams. Remember, anger is fear. Say this out loud: I am angry because ___ therefore my biggest fear is ___, so I will work on this fear by doing ____.”””

A veces es difícil estar tranquilo y sereno mientras la vida avanza y, a veces, debido a la presión y el estrés, podemos reaccionar con dureza o de manera injusta con nuestros hijos. Después de estar más centrados y arraigados, podemos decirle a nuestro hijo: “”Lo siento, estaba enojado, no es tu culpa y te amo siempre””.
Consejo para padres/cuidadores: Recuerda el poder de la pausa, tu esencia, tus yo soy. Recuerda, la ira es miedo. Di esto en voz alta: estoy enojado porque ___, por lo tanto, mi mayor miedo es ___, así que trabajaré en este miedo haciendo ____””.

Am I a Good Mom?
It is a common fear among the parents and one of mine as well.
Two of my mentors, Dr. Stephanie May and Dr. Jen Nardozzi, came up with an excellent acronym, FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real)
Then they say let’s find the facts, shall we?
Did your son/daughter shower today?
Did your son/daughter eat today?
Did your son/daughter go to speech therapy?
Did your son/daughter go to occupational therapy?
Did your son/daughter go to ABA therapy?
Did your son/daughter go to the neurologist?
Did your son/daughter go to the psychologist?
Did your son/daughter go to summer camp?
Did you take them to their favorite park or museum?
Did you go to the IEP meetings (Individualized Educational Plan) and ask for accommodations and services from the school district?
Did your son/daughter brush their teeth?
Did your son/daughter go to singing lessons or soccer?
Did you read a book with them?
Did you give them hugs and kisses?
Did you tell them that you love them?
At the same time, your house is somehow clean. There is food in the refrigerator, and you go to work.
Please, with a clear conscious mind, you can tell yourself at night that I am a good mom, I am human, and there is not a cape hanging in my closet.

by Juana Venegas