Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks and spending time
with family. Sometimes it can be difficult to get your kids involved and
excited about this meaningful day with food, family, football and fun, so take
a bit of advice from me, Mr. Daddy, and get your kids gobbling like turkeys –
or involved in the festivities nonetheless.

Here are a few good ways to get your little pumpkins – or
turkeys – involved.

Make Name Cards:
Set your children up with a craft station complete with paper, pens, glitter,
leaves and various other items and ask them to create several masterpieces.
When these are complete, together, you can write the guest’s names on each
piece of art and use your prodigy’s skills to adorn your Thanksgiving table.
Your guests will love it, and your child will no doubt feel extra special and
proud for getting to participate with this project.

Help Cook: Getting
kids in the kitchen early on is excellent. While learning to cook, they are
able to work on many skills such as reading, following directions, measuring,
safety and teamwork. Make sure you help your child with every step of the
process; you’ll love working together and enjoying a bit of quality time while bonding
and cooking. 

Dramatize: As
every child is unique, different activities will be more appealing than others.
In my family, some of the kids liked to create skits they would perform either
before or after dinner. Allow your children to get together with a costume box
and go to town creating a skit that involves everyone who wants to participate
and is engaging for others to watch. Go ahead and check in on them every once
in a while, but let them be creative in planning a skit to act out in front of
the whole family. In my experience, the kids get a little silly and the adults enjoy
seeing them having fun.

Playtime: Not
everyone is needed in the kitchen all day long. Take advantage of the beautiful
weather (if you have some) and throw the football around, go for a bike ride,
take the dog for a walk or play a board game together. There’s no better way to
spend Thanksgiving than enjoying your friends and family and watching everyone
smile and laugh together.

Be Productive:
Why not kill two birds with one stone? (so to speak!). Give your children a
task. They could be in charge of welcoming guests inside and taking their
coats, making sure everyone has a glass of hot apple cider or a tasty
H’orderve. Whatever the task may be, make sure your child knows you’re
confident in their abilities and you appreciate their help; it will teach them
responsibility and kindness.

There are plenty of ways to spend quality family time
together on Thanksgiving while getting your children involved in the day and
it’s festivities. We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving from the entire DaddyScrubs
Team.

Sincerely,

Mr. Daddy

As a daddy to six, I know a thing or two about wanting to
protect your children from all of the world’s evils. It seems certain seasons
and holidays tend to bring out the crazies, Halloween being one of those
crazy-induced holidays.

Here’s a bit of advice from a dad who wants to ensure you
and your kids have a safe and fun Halloween.

Trick or Treat: I
think most people would agree; getting free candy is amongst the more enjoyable
things in life, and your child will probably want to try their hand at the fun.
In order to stay safe this Halloween, trick or treat with your child during the earlier evening hours. Walk from door to
door with them allowing them to partake in the trick or treating experience
while knowing they are safe and out of harms way. If you have older children,
you can drive them to different neighborhoods that you know are safe and hang
out while they visit the homes in the neighborhood. Give them a meeting place,
a time and a cell phone. Lay out the ground rules ahead of time so you and your
child can stay safe while having fun.

Party-in: While
scavenging through neighborhoods filling pillowcases with candy and more appealing
Halloween tradition, it can be just as fun to have a party at home, which is
what my wife, kids and I have done for the past several years. Everyone dresses
up, you decorate your house to look like a haunted mansion, and you invite
other close friends and family to come enjoy in the festivities. With your own
bowls of candy dispersed throughout the house, you and your kids can indulge
their Fall sweet tooth in a fun and safe environment.

Out and aBOOut:
Generally, many towns and cities have festivals and activities for this season.
You should check around your town to see if there is a pumpkin patch, a corn
maze, a wagon ride or a haunted house that you and your child can attend for
fun. It will give you all something festive to do without overindulging on too
much sugar or making a haunted mess of your house.

Check the Bounty: If
your children do go out to collect candy from strangers, make sure you inspect
the goods when they get home. Throw away candies that are open or questionable.
It’s probably also good not to let your child eat as much candy as he can
stomach in one sitting. Teach them self control and responsibility by allowing
them to pick out several pieces of candy a day. You can spread the candy out by
sending some in his lunch pail and by eating a little yourself, of course!

Good Rules of
Zombie-thumb: It’s always important to lay out a few good rules of thumb –
or in this case, zombie-thumb – before letting loose. In the case of Halloween,
make sure the neighborhoods you’re visiting are safe and well lit. If a house
is dark, don’t go up to it, and make sure you select a time and place to meet
if you aren’t walking around with your child. Your kids should carry a cell
phone and walk with a group. Remind them not to get in anybody’s car or go in
anybody’s house.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you stay safe and have
fun.

Happy Halloween!

The topic of guardianship over a loved one with a disability can be emotional for some families. People with cognitive disabilities, and those who care about them, often have different ideas about whether guardianship is a good idea or not. Like most things, it depends on the situation. Below are some frequently asked questions about guardianship?

1. As a parent, am I automatically the guardian for my adult son or daughter with a disability?

No. At the age of 18, the law considers a person emancipated, regardless of the severity of the disability. Only a judge can appoint a guardian for a person over the age of 18.

2. How do I become my child’s guardian?

A parent must initiate a fairly simple court proceeding in order to be designated guardian. This can be done prior to the age of 18, or at any time after that. 

3. What does a guardian do?

A guardian makes all decisions about the care and treatment of the person under guardianship.

4. Who should serve as guardian?

A guardian is the person’s chief advocate, so he or she should have an interest in the person with a disability and be willing to take the time to learn about the person’s needs. Ideally, the person selected as a guardian should live close to the individual and know where to turn for professional help in making decisions. Most often, it is a parent or other family member who establishes guardianship. 

5. Are there alternatives to guardianship?

YES!!! If full guardian ship is not necessary, other options include Financial Power of Attorney or Medical Power of Attorney.

Most states will offer free legal council if you are wondering if guardianship is right for your loved one. This is an important decision to make as your child becomes an adult. 

This week is National Direct Support Professional week. If you know a person who cares for people with disabilities, please take a moment to show your appreciation for the work they do.

“In life you can never be too kind or too fair; everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load. When you go through your day expressing kindness and courtesy to all you meet, you leave behind a feeling of warmth and good cheer, and you help alleviate the burdens everyone is struggling with.”

– Brian Tracy

Lets face it–controlling the symptoms and behaviors associated with many diagnoses can be quite puzzling. While medications can be very beneficial, they can also cause unwanted side effects. Furthermore, there is a lot of trial and error when a medical practitioner is prescribing a medication menu. So, what is a parent to do if a proper “med cocktail” cannot be found? What is a parent to do who wants to exhaust all possibilities before subjecting their child to psychotropic medications? My answer to you is to switch up your child’s diet.
 
Most people, when they hear the phrase “gluten-free diet,” automatically think of celiac disease. While it is necessary for people with celiac disease to eliminate gluten from his or her diet, it is also proven to be beneficial for people who have ADD/ADHD, autism, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, thyroid disease, and other autoimmune disorders. People with these diagnoses often have a sensitivity to gluten.
 
For those of you thinking that the proof is in the (gluten-free) pudding, let me recount for you a story of a child who I know. He has autism and had many of the stereotypical behaviors that accompany autism. As he grew older, he became physically aggressive. His physician came up with a med cocktail that, indeed, decreased his behaviors. However; these medications totally changed his personality and left him a bit lethargic much of the time. After discussing their displeasure with the change in their son, the parents were told by the doctor to try a gluten free diet. This child was able to be successfully weaned off of all but one medication. He is displaying far fewer behaviors, and his own personality has returned.
 
To be honest, I don’t know if every family who tries this has the same results, but there is certainly no harm in trying. Once upon a time, it was very difficult to eat a gluten-free diet. However; this type of diet is growing in popularity, and most grocery store chains sell gluten-free brands. Out of curiosity, I took a group home menu that was developed by a dietician. I was able to find gluten-free products item for item on the menu at my local grocery store. So, if your entire family doesn’t want to switch to a gluten-free diet, you can still serve the same menu to everybody in your family. It should be noted that households that switched completely to gluten-free diet to support the need of the child report over-all better health across the board.
 
In  no way do I mean to discount the benefits of pharmaceuticals. I have seen much success with the right med menu. This article is meant to provide an option to those families who have not had luck finding the right med menu, or who want to exhaust other options before going the route of medications. I advise families who want to consider this change to talk to your child’s doctor about the benefits of a gluten-free diet.
 
Bon Appétit!