If you are employed by one company or another, consider taking advantage of a Flexible Spending Account, if it is offered. These special account plans are also sometimes called "Cafeteria Plans." They allow you to put aside $5,000 in pre-tax income to pay for qualifying childcare or healthcare expenses. This income cannot be taxed (section 125 of the IRS Code) and is not counted as income when applying for SSI (Social Security) benefits.
We use my husband's Flex account to pay for things like Music Therapy for our son, dental woes, and my prescription co-pays. At the beginning of the calendar year, the company puts aside up to $5,000 (whatever amount we have chosen) in an account. So theoretically, we could use the whole $5,000 right away. Over the course of the entire year, the divided amount is deducted from my husband's paychecks. So, if we have opted for the entire $5,000, my husband's paycheck would be about $200 less per pay period. But we are still getting that $200, just in another account and tax free as well.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/16/2008 - 10:17
My friend Mr. John Wooler has worked with the practice and facilitation of relaxation using visualization techniques for years. When he met my Autistic son, Nicholas Miller, Mr. Wooler simply asked Nick; “Would you like to learn to relax more?” My son Nick answered “yes!” without any hesitation. Nick followed a request to go into a quiet room in our house without distraction, and followed Mr. Woolers? additional instructions which were to sit down in a comfortable position and to close his eyes. In a short amount of time I saw my son Nick begin breathing more slowly, & remaining in a calm sitting position with no fidgeting and squirming. Nick?s body language and facial expressions demonstrated to me that Nick was indeed in a very relaxed state . He was also responding to questions and was talking with Mr. Wooler about how relaxed he was feeling. Some of the conversation during this relaxation session between my son and Mr.
Submitted by shootingstars on Tue, 07/15/2008 - 14:07
I want an anatomically correct boy doll for Michael. But not neccesarily a potty training one. Unless it popps... But I know alot of us are having potty training woes. I found a link to a video advertising a Baby We-We. I think this is a Euopean toy or something. It is quite the anatomically correct doll...
Marcel has pica...., its gotten alot better over the years. Im just curious if anybody else's kids
have it..........
Many young children put nonfood items in their mouths at one time or another. They're naturally curious about their environment, and they may, for instance, eat some dirt out of the sandbox. Kids with pica, however, go beyond this innocent exploration of their surroundings. As many as 25% to 30% of kids (and 20% of those seen in mental health clinics) have an eating disorder called pica, which is characterized by persistent and compulsive cravings (lasting 1 month or longer) to eat nonfood items.
Mix all together, store covered in fridge, keeps for a week.
This morning I made up this dough. It needed a lot more flour and salt (maybe about 1/4 cup more each) and maybe less oil. Granted I did use Gluten Free flour, which may yield a different consistency than regular flour. I had bought some GF flour a while back and I wanted to use it up. I After I put in the food coloring and some raspberry flavoring for a cool scent, the therapist said I should try pink lemonade flavor Kool-Aid instead of food coloring. The reason for the pink lemonade is because the dye is really light. With regular food coloring, some if it got on my carpet and I wish it hadn't.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 21:50
We started the SCD last week and I must say that I am AMAZED. We have been doing GFCF since about Nov, but since starting this diet, Caroline is an eating machine! AND ... she is eating the kinds of things we could only dream she would be eating. Yesterday she snacked on fresh cooked green beans while we played outside. Today she ate a carrot stick for a snack. She seems to be loving eating now which is great since she hasn't gained weight in forever.
When we started, she ate the chicken soup that was for the first 2 days in one morning. :-)
We have pretty much just kept stuff that is OK in the house and I must say, Mommy and Daddy will probably be healthier too.
Holly reminded me of my own Holiday plans. I'm going to pretend Christmas isn't happening. Public Christmas trees make my life difficult. Wyatt always wants to go tug things off of trees. When we go in stores that time of year, he demands that I buy him boxes of ornaments.
The past two years I've spent way too much on toys for Christmas. I wanted Wyatt to have one of those hugely bountiful kid-Christmases. He did.
But this year, I have a different theme. This year I'm going to buy all that stuff I should be buying to use WITH Wyatt, stuff like cool timers, a decent printer, another locking cabinet. This Christmas is going to be all about making 2009 a great year for our entire family.
Of course Wyatt will still have toys. His birthday is a month before Christmas, so I'm thinking I can get him a few toys for that.
AAAARRRGGHHH I can't concentrate because my husband is yammering on about fish sticks and beer. Gotta go.
Submitted by shootingstars on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 19:57
So I thought this year I will really plan ahead. I have few ideas. Most of my ideas cost too much or I do not have even close to the room needed. Michael really likes the neighbor girl's kitchen set. It is very girly. But if he likes it, why not look for an idea like that. Why should I have to try so hard to masculinize my son just because David is not here? There is nothing wrong with a boy cooking. Some of the most famous chef's in the world are male. And straight males. I did find a kitchen set that is not too girly for Michael though. And he likes to play with the doctor's things to kepp him behaved, so maybe a doctor play set. Of course in a few days the toys will be scattered and he will forget their purpose and find different ways to play with them...
Submitted by shootingstars on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 19:01
I have started making Michael nap again... Only he is sleeping for several hours. He is still going to bed like an angel. Normally a parent would rejoice in this, but he is getting up before 7 in the morning and coming out to watch TV.
Waking up to the TV blaring some Disney show is not a pleasant way to wake up... So I usually have to make sure I change the cable back to Disney so he has something in the morning to watch. And I need to make sure I leave a cup of something to drink out for him. Like me, Michael is not into eating first thing in the morning, so I can usually lay there in bed for a little bit longer.
But just one morning I want Michael to sleep in rather than waking up early to run to his best friend, the TV.
