Author Archives: cissnewsletter

How Will You Feed the Joy?

Kevin

I’m sure there is not a parent among us raising a child with special needs, who does not have forever imprinted on their minds and in their hearts, the day their child was diagnosed. For our little family, it was the virtual blow from a two by four to the gut; the breathless shock to the system; the blood rushing to your face and the feeling that you needed to sink to your knees as some faceless voice uttered “severely autistic”. It’s amazing what power a few little words, quietly spoken, can have on a whole bunch of lives. Then comes the ricochet effect as the power of love for your child sends you hurtling into action as if on a permanent adrenaline rush: therapy, preschool, social programs, interventions, doctors, what program, how many hours, what can we afford, who are the best service providers and how much can we fit into a day? All the while, like an irritating song stuck in your head, the words so many will utter without truly understanding the impact they will have; “there’s a window of opportunity, and then development slows or stops.” Continue reading →

The Power of H’Art

H’Art of Ottawa is an innovative and inclusive visual arts studio that supports the creative growth of artists with developmental disabilities. H’Art’s unique art and literacy program promotes creative and cultural experiences, self-expression and independence. In the studio, visual art and creative writing are used as approaches to learning. The artists exhibit, promote and sell their paintings through the studio, galleries and venues within the community. This provides the opportunity to participate in society in a meaningful way and contributes to the growing awareness of the general public that persons with disabilities can live rich, productive and independent lives. Continue reading →

Yoga for Children

Tips to Help Teach Children Yoga
The most important things to remember when practicing yoga with children—keep it fun, free and simple! Let your creativity flow and many more good ideas will come.

When working with young children don’t try to make the poses technically “perfect”. At such a young age, the purpose of yoga is to introduce them to, and familiarize them with, the basic concepts of the practice. The essence of yoga is breathing, relaxing, balancing, trying and being good to self and others. Continue reading →

Fine Motor Booster Program at Bettye Hyde Co-operative Nursery School

Generations ago children spent the majority of their time outdoors climbing, digging, hanging from trees, running, riding bikes, swinging along with many other body developing activities. Childhood was full of physical activity which developed muscles of the hand to prepare them for school work. Today children can spend the majority of their spare time indoors playing on computers, watching TV and videos and playing video games as early as 2 years old. As a result, it is not uncommon for children’s hand muscles to be immature upon entrance into Kindergarten. Continue reading →

10 Tips for Music and Movement

1. Include musical instruments in the play environment where children can have free access to them.
2. Celebrate children’s musical activity. Praise them for their musical efforts, don’t just label it as noise. Write down the words to the songs they make up or record them.
3. Offer opportunities to experience many kinds of music (e.g. encourage families to share music and instruments from their culture).
4. Sing and recite poetry and nursery rhymes often. Continue reading →

Inclusion Ideas Corner – Smooth Transitions

Smooth transitions, whether they are big or small, start with consistency and repetition. Here are some ideas:

• Make up a song for each transition sung to familiar tunes. Consistently sing the same song for each transition. This supports the children to make a link between the song and the expectation of the routine.
• During long wait periods, provide a small bin or basket of hand held toys for the children to choose from while they wait their turn. Continue reading →

King Koonto and Jeffrey Make Music

My name is Rory the Cook. I feed everybody at Andrew Fleck Child Care Centre, except on Thursdays, when cowgirl Kathleen steps in for me so I can do other things like make music. I write music for choir and for jazz ensembles, I play drums and percussion with a particular interest in spontaneously improvised music and, occasionally, I teach individual lessons and group classes. I have had the pleasure of leading music workshops for kids at the Featherston Autism Unit and likewise for youth with Autism through the SNAP program run by the City of Ottawa. Continue reading →

Where Are They Now: A Parent’s Story

Like all parents, I always wondered how I would react if one day I learned that my child had special needs or suffered from a serious illness. This is what happened to my husband and me, and here is our story.

We are parents of Congolese origin with two young girls who have been developing typically. We also have a son named Kihinda. We began to have concerns about his development when we noticed that at age two, he was not yet putting together two word phrases. Continue reading →

Everyone is Welcome at the Table

Pot lucks are a wonderful way to bring people together, to experience new foods, enjoy good conversation, and to make time to connect in otherwise busy lives. At CISS we celebrate important life milestones by organizing pot luck lunches before some of our monthly staff meetings. Prior to these events, information regarding individual dietary needs is identified to assist in the planning of food choices. As any host knows this is the most important step to ensure a successful outcome! Continue reading →

“Parents Helping Parents” Support Group

Walking in My Shoes (WIMS) is a “parents helping parents” support group for families with children who have a developmental or physical disability.

I started this group in 2009 shortly after I retired. Having worked in the developmental services field for over 30 years as a front line worker, I frequently saw the isolation many parents experienced and heard the frustration due to lack of support and understanding of what they were going through. Though many had caring extended families and friends, a common phrase I heard was, “they don’t understand as they’re not in my shoes.” Continue reading →