Autism Awareness Week
In case you haven’t heard, this is Autism Awareness Week. The autism community has done a grand job of getting the word out. Even so, I’m a little behind the curve on this one (blog followers of kids who have autism, please forgive me), and I’m scrambling to rectify the situation. There’s not enough time to write intelligently on the subject at this late date, so instead I’ll refer you to two great blogs featuring posts about autism this week.
Diving for Pearls by Katie Wetherbee
Katie Wetherbee posted Welcome to Church! Can I Take Your Autism? at her website, Diving for Pearls. She frequently posts techniques the average Sunday school teacher can use to adapt lessons for kids with special needs. Her methods are grounded in sound educational practice and can be generalized to the regular classroom, public and private, as well as to home school environments.
This post is no different. What she has to say about how churches can welcome families of kids with autism can be tweaked and adapted for many every day situations. So even if you’re not a Sunday school teacher, swing by Katie’s blog and think about adapting her ideas if you are:
- The leader of a club like Boy and Girl Scouts
- A parent arranging play dates or neighborhood kid gatherings
- The coach of Little League or other sports team
- A day care provider
- A babysitter
- A family member hosting Easter dinner or other large family event
The Inclusive Church with Amy Fenton Lee
Over at www.InclusiveChurch.com, Amy Fenton Lee is devoting the entire week to a series called Five Things to Know about the Mother of a Child with Autism. The link takes you to the first post in the series. Links to the rest of the series can be found at the end of the first entry in the series.
Once again, the series is not just for church workers and Sunday school teachers. It is for anyone who wants to reach out to families dealing with autism. Amy provides a look into the soul of parents, questions to initiate conversation, and suggestions of ways you can include kids with autism and their families in your life.
Other Great Autism Awareness Week Posts
What great autism awareness posts have you discovered this week? Leave a comment and a link, or an invitation to visit websites or blogs devoting space to the topic this week.
Jolene
Thank you for linking me here, Jolene…I hope the post will be helpful for lots of folks! I love your site…It’s like visiting a really friendly (and helpful!) neighborhood!
You’re welcome, Katie. Maybe DifferentDream.com is the internet version of Mr. Rogers. Time to go sweater shopping!
Jolene