Show #63- Avoiding Extremes

Show # 63- Avoiding Extremes- We're Back From vacation!

In today's show, I talk about how we need to keep centered, and avoid the extreme reactions to things. For example, we can choose to be an advocate, or we can choose to be adversarial with school staff; We can ask for help or we can demand services; we can work as a team or take defensive and polarizing positions.

In the end, parents need to work together with schools, teachers, doctors, therapists and more. We need to work through the bureaucracy, rather than just rail against it. We need to work as much within the system as possible, and try to get as many others on our child;s side as possible. By showing yourself as an engaged and concerned parent, you are more likely to get what you and your child need, than if you take an adversarial and combative approach to every interaction with professionals.

You want to be respected, and as such, you have to be the professional as well, even when it's frustrating and makes you angry. We all need to remember- When the elephants fight- it's the grass that gets trampled. In other words, when we fight with professionals, our child may really be the one hurt in the end by all this conflict.

Today's song is Black Coffee by Chaz and is available on the podsafe music network.

If anyone's interested, you can see some of the great shots we got on our whale watch by going to our main website, at www.ldpodcast.com and clicking on the link. That way, you won't get the whole movie downloaded to your computer by accident!.

Click here to listen to Show # 63, Avoiding Extremes

Show #62 Summer Updates with Melody

I got a chance to sit down with Melody at her home, and talk about a variety of things including:

• How to find great summer camps
• Summer schedules
  
• A Wonderful video- Different and Normal by Richard Colosi-
• Changing labels over time along the spectrum
• involving your child in their IEP's andtalking to them about their issues

We also feature a song "Odd Bird" by the Lacivious biddies from the Podsafe Music Network

Enjoy, and we'll be back full force after a week off for conference and vacation!

And.... we've been successful at Handwriting Without Tears for both kids, the last 6 out of 8 days at home!

Also side note- The Apple retail stores are doing a series of summer camps in July- my kids went today, and it was fantastic. Camps are free to attend, and kids got some neat stuff as well as an opportunity to learn something new in a short period of time- I highly recommend this to every parent!

Click here to listen to Show #62

This is the URL for Different & Normal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TkrrcLgrMs

First Anniversary Show

Firstly, Thanks to every single listener, Past Present and Future!

I have worked on this anniversary show for two weeks, playing with ideas, and decided instead of going all out fancy, I would go simple. We'll do fancy soon. In this show, I speak from the heart, letting all of your know why I was moved to start the LD Podcast, and what I have gone through with my kids. I think forming a community that exchanges research-based, reliable information is the most important thing we can do here at the LD Podcast, as well as providing needed support. We need to take you to the best and most up-to-date information available, so you can help your child succeed. Development is linear, and you need to help a child as early as possible to maximize long term success.

Next week, we'll be back to our reguilar show format. This is just a heart felt thank you to each of you, so you get to know me a little better, what our biases might be, and why we decided to do this in the first place. The most important thing to me, in the end, is to build a community where Moms, Dads and teachers can come to learn about how learning works, what strategies can help all kids succeed, and why these tools are so vitally important for kids for whom school and learning isn't easy.

Thank you.

It's a little crazy with our summer schedule, family vacation plans, and two upcoming conferences- BlogPhiladelphia and PodCamp Philly. We're still shooting for weekly shows, but the release days may vary. Such is the life of a Mom! Thanks for your patience.

As always, you can reach me by email at ldpodcast@gmail.com, twitter- ldpodcast, and voicemail, 206-666-2343.

Click here to listen to the first anniversary show