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Articles
Especially for kids with learning differences, technology offers an effective alternative to traditional learning and its challenges. In the spirit of helping parents find the most useful applications for their children, Kids Enabled will highlight several apps that complement our monthly theme/diagnosis. Our resident technology expert, Ann Leverette recommends these apps to help kids build reading skills."
"Kids Enabled magazine combined treatment-focused articles with a categorized resource directory. The goal was to create a “one-stop” publication where parents could effectively sift through information to find those resources that were relevant to their child’s unique learning needs." Read full article...
"At ImpactADHD we work with parents of kids with ADHD to help them feel more in control and develop confidence and strategies to create their ideal family life, whatever that means for them. In short, we want parents to rediscover the joy of parenting, and we do that by helping them enjoy the ride!" Read full article...
Human nature is to notice the weaknesses of others, rather than the strengths. This happens in schools and in our culture, where the system recognizes only certain sets of skills and excludes many others. Read full article...
"I truly feel passionate about what I do. Though it’s not always easy to run a business and take care of a family, I know I’ve been led down this road for a season. I believe helping other parents is so important, because I’ve felt hopeless and fearful myself." Read full article...
"Children can play at Under the Umbrella for up to four hours while their parents families run errands, meet appointments, see a movie or just take a break at Starbucks. I love seeing a child light up when they arrive or hearing that child’s sigh of disappointment when it is time to leave. Under the Umbrella keeps a smile on the parent’s faces as well!" Read full article...
While it may seem counterintuitive to suggest that holiday “vacation” is stressful, it certainly can be. This is especially true when you have children, whether one has special needs or not. Read full article...
If we want our children to grow up to become respectful, self-directed people who take responsibility for their actions, doesn’t it make sense for us to model that behavior ourselves? Read full article...
If you would have asked me four years ago, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" I would have said, "Relaxing on the beach with my husband." But that isn't the case anymore. I was given the gift of redirection, and I am so lucky to do what I do and see what I see every day. I see struggling students now thriving and stressed-out parents starting to smile. Read full article...
I soon came to realize that crying and complaining about the injustice was not the answer. I had to do something to make a change... The Kiss Foundation is the solution for families like ours and it is our goal to create welcoming environments for people with disabilities and their families. Read full article...
Families today have quite a challenge just trying to “get it all done.” Add in the appointments that go along with learning differences – tutors and therapies – and the task seems insurmountable. A solid family mission statement, along with an organized plan, can help families prioritize commitments and increase free time. Which means more time to play! Read full article...
Playing sports has an added layer of issues for children with learning differences. There is more to the game than just athletic ability; this is where working closely with your child’s coach becomes an intricate dance. While the coach knows how to do his job, you know how best to teach your child. Diplomacy and clear language become your best skills when helping the coach get the most from your child on the court or the field. Read full article...
Early intervention can make all the difference for a child who has learning challenges. Navigating the roadways of therapies, programs and treatments in early childhood means parents need to ask the important questions when addressing learning and developmental issues. Read full article...
Early intervention can make all the difference for a child who has learning challenges. Navigating the roadways of therapies, programs and treatments in early childhood means parents need to ask the important questions when addressing learning and developmental issues. Read full article...
While all children seek relationships with peers, some have a harder time than others. Parents want to help but do not always know how. The first step is to see if your child exhibits any of the “red flags” of social awkwardness. With the permission of Deborah Skalabrin, MSW, LICSW of Spokane, Washington, Kids Enabled has provided a checklist for parents to use while assessing their child’s social IQ. Read full article...
As parents, we send our children off to school fueled with breakfast and a wish for a good day. They sit in a car or bus on their way to school, perhaps busying themselves with a hand-held device, texting or playing a game while others may be thinking about an upcoming test or whom they will sit with at lunch. Whatever the case, they are school-bound, ready for the day or not. At Trinity School in Atlanta, GA, teachers understand the importance of not only fueling the body with good nutrition, but also nourishing the body and brain with exercise. Read full article...
Wellness is the sense that everything is working well, and working well together. For kids with learning differences, one or more aspect of the learning process is not working correctly, and sometimes professionals focus on “fixing” that one deficiency while disregarding how it affects the “whole” child, i.e., emotionally, physically, and socially. For many children who struggle with motor planning and processing issues, swimming can be a positive outlet where the child can succeed in a holistic way, while working on specific skill deficits. Read full article...
Wellness includes the ability to manage our emotions and behaviors. Music can be a part of regulating, communicating and learning, and is accessible to all. Music can excite us and it can soothe us. It allows us to explore feelings and positively express our mood and emotions. It can motivate us for physical exercise, reduce stress and promote relaxation. Read full article...
Wellness comes from within. Yoga is a gentle, noncompetitive form of exercise that works on the whole body and is suitable for children of all ages and physical abilities. It promotes strength, flexibility, good coordination and posture. Yoga teaches children how to relax, how to concentrate and how to be still and quiet. Yoga poses are not just physical stretches. Performed correctly with breathing, they also tone the internal organs, stimulating the body to function efficiently. Digestion, elimination, circulation and respiration are all improved. Read full article...
Knowing that parents are concerned about the amount of time that kids spend with technology, especially time spent sharing information, Kids Enabled gathered expert opinions and research about how parents can have open and honest conversations with their kids about safety and how to be social-media savvy. Here we present the best resources out there for making smart decisions about using social media wisely and productively. Read full article...
Summer is finally here and the obligatory “I’m bored” is resounding through homes across America. Kids suffer through months of school only to face the lazy days of summer without a clue as to what to do. Wouldn’t it be cool if I could suggest something fun to do that was also educational? Read full article...
The most moving moment from the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards was a performance by Darius Rucker and 25 ACM "Lifting Lives" music campers with developmental disabilities. The special performance supported the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center which strives to make a positive difference in lives of those individuals with developmental disabilities as well as their families. Read full article...
Apraxia is a weakness in motor planning, i.e., a disconnect in the brain that interferes with a child’s ability to “just do it.” A child with apraxia has trouble imitating and repeating the movements that come naturally to other children. We take for granted the movements and timing involved in catching or kicking a ball, speaking words and sentences, or tying shoes. Children with apraxia have to be taught each smaller step that makes up the major task. Read full article...
"I don’t want chicken for dinner.” “I don’t like green beans.” “I want hot dogs again.” Most parents have heard one of these lines at some time or another during their child’s life. Some of us have even said them ourselves. These are the words of a fussy eater. Read full article...
According to Stanley Greenspan, a clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics and author of Great Kids, one of the 10 traits of a “great kid” is empathy. However, for some children with learning differences, feeling empathetic is more difficult since many learning differences involve deficits in social skills. Read full article...
The vision of Kids Enabled is to create an informed community where all children with learning differences have the resources to reach their full potential and lead fulfilling and independent lives. We believe this vision is accomplished through connections. Read on to see how many ways you can connect in 2011. Read full article...
As the parent of a child with learning differences, I know firsthand the challenges and trials of finding success academically and socially. I also have some insight into the gifts that our children have sometimes because of their differences. For instance, my son thinks outside the box. He may have been creative regardless of his dyslexia, but I believe the skill was cultivated because of his reading impairment. When he could not read the words on the page, he made up the story that he envisioned. His gift of creativity has taken him to new heights and will continue to serve him well. Read full article...
The holidays are an exciting time. From Thanksgiving through the New Year, families and friends often deviate from the routines of the rest of the year with delirious abandonment. Many children with learning differences, however, thrive best with the established normalcy of everyday life. So, how can you have the most “wonderful time of the year” without spiraling out of control? Kids Enabled found the following guidelines very useful. Read full article...
As both educators and parents become more aware of the subtle-to-obvious evidence of bullying, more questions are being asked. Where do the threats come from? How prevalent is this bullying? Is my child the bully? How can I intervene, protect and provide strength so that the bullying is stopped? Read full article...
For many families, weekends are planned around games, meets and matches. But not all children fit into the sporting world so easily. Luckily, there are sports enthusiasts who believe all children should feel the thrill of victory and have made the playing field level for all. Read full article...
Children affected with mitochondrial disease face unique hardships both physically and intellectually in the school setting. Parents offer advice that other parents, teachers, and administrators need to help these children succeed in their educational endeavors. Read full article...
Reducing the toxins in a child’s life can make a dramatic difference in behavior. One family struggled for 10 years to determine a cause of their child’s challenges. Now a gluten-free diet makes it possible to effectively manage their child’s special needs. Read full article...
Not every child loves a party. For kids with learning differences, social situations can spell awkwardness and fear. Here are some tips for parents on how to give their child the confidence and communication skills needed to relax and enjoy the party. Read full article...
Providing safe and healthy food choices for children at home is manageable when parents have control over food selection and preparation. But what about birthday parties, family reunions or classroom celebrations? How can parents ensure healthy food choices for their children at these events? Read full article...
With a recent study making controversial headlines about the connection between ADHD and pesticides, parents are more concerned than ever about what their children eat. Kids Enabled offers the following guide to help parents make sense of the studies and find practical and budget-minded ways to eliminate the family’s exposure to pesticides. Read full article...
The crowd at the second event in the Kids Enabled Brain Health & Nutrition Speaker Series “What’s Food Got to Do with It? New Tools for Nutrition,” came hungry for nutritional advice. Those present were not disappointed. Read full article...
Summer doesn’t have to mean a regression of academic skills. Parents can take advantage of those “teachable” moments and keep their kids learning all summer long. Read full article...
Resurgens Charitable Foundation is all about creating “all-abilities” playgrounds. The Foundation has funded eight playgrounds in the Metro area since its inception in 2001 with special play structures where all children, regardless of their abilities, can play together. Read full article...
Summer is just weeks away, and that means traveling to see friends and family. For parents of kids with sensory issues and learning differences, traveling can mean more stress than fun. Kids Enabled offers these tips to help parents stick to a routine and create coping strategies so that everyone enjoys a smooth ride. Read full article...
The stories of families that homeschool are as different as the families themselves. Homeschooling a child with learning differences adds another layer of decisions that need to be made and details that need to be addressed. Join Kids Enabled as we take a look into how some local families came to homeschooling and how it worked for them. Read full article...
While homeschooling is the first educational choice for some parents, others choose it because they’ve run out of options. In either case, there is a myriad of factors to be considered before making this important decision. Read full article...
Boarding school is not the best choice for every family, but for some students with learning differences boarding school can provide the academic and social resources necessary for success. Read full article...
The tick-tock of a metronome has long been used by pianists while practicing their craft. Research now suggests that students with learning differences who “stay on beat” can increase their focus, mental processing and cognitive abilities. Read full article...
This Just In…! Kids Enabled Resource Fair a Huge Success! Over 60 exhibitors and more than 200 parents, grandparents, caregivers and educators attend the high-energy and interactive event! Read full article...
Some students struggle with change, and some have the innate ability to “go with the flow.” With some effective planning, those who don’t adapt naturally to change can still enjoy smooth transitions in school. Read full article...
Staying organized is hard enough, but for children with learning differences, managing time, homework and activities can seem impossible. Two professional organizers offer timely tips and encouragement to parents who are struggling to help their children get organized. Read full article...
Eric Sweet, 18, is a senior at Mill Creek High School and is challenged by
Feature Articles Archives
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Kids Enabled, Inc. - All Rights Reserved |
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When the Road Leads to Boarding School
And the Beat Goes On - How Timing Affects Learning
Kids Enabled Resource Fair 2010
Educational Transition 101: Rolling with the Changes
Keeping Students Organized for Academic Success
The LDAG and Kids Enabled Announce the 2009 KIDS Gift Award and Professional Impact Award Winners
I Hate Math! Why Students Struggle
Psycho-educational Testing: A Primer
Parent Advocate: Building Your Child's Team
The Ideal Classroom
To College, or Not To College
The Highs and Lows of Classroom Technology
Money Matters: Scholarship Program Gives New Hope to Family
Social Networking and Kids with Learning Differences
Making the Connection: How What We Eat Impacts Learning
The Happy Overnight Camper
Proactive Tips for Picky Eaters at Camp
Reading: Easier Said than Done
After the Diagnosis: Seeing the Forest for the Trees
Is Your Child's Therapy Working for You?
An Organizing Tale
It's How You Play the Game:
Scholarship News
Book Review: The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun
A Chip Off the Old Block
When a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Saying Goodbye to your Child's Therapist
The Path to College: Getting Started
Assistive Technology
Self-Advocacy & the Law: A Successful College Transition
The Dynamic Relationship between
Self-Esteem and Academic Success
The Paper Chase
Seeing Eye to Eye with Vision and Learning
Lazy Days of Summer? Not!
Navigating the Deeming Waiver
What Every Parent Should Know about Psychological Evaluations
Parent Advocacy
The Other Child in the Room
Mission Organization:
Keeping Love Alive
The Importance of Social Skills
The High Cost of Helping Your Child
Sound Therapy: Is it Right for Your Child?
