We're a group that meets both in person and online chat  (P2ParentsChat.)

Most of our meetup get togethers are with other groups or organizations. There are some events that are hosted by AutismNE, Autism Personal Coach, Autism Society of Greater Cleveland and other organizations. (every post will tell you who is hosting the event.)

 Variety of Meetups include:

Autism Society of Greater Cleveland hosts a monthly Parent/ Professional Meeting with a Children's Social Skills Groups Program on the 2nd Tuesday of each month runs from Sept to May.

Autism Personal Coach hosts events for ages 14 to adult for individuals who have autism.  They also serve as personal coaches for individuals with autism as a service provider.

AutismNE also has an online parent/ family support and resource network for anyone who has loved ones with autism. We provide resources, message forums for support, family get togethers, Mom's Night Out and activities. AutismNE there is no cost to join AutismNE on Meetup.com

To Join our Meetup go to this webpage illustration below and click on "Join Group"

www.autism.meetup.com/1116

~~ Past Events ~~

Hi Everyone,

Two Mom's Night Outs are scheduled for November. I've got special guests attending to be available to talk if you have questions about their specialty - (not a presentation but a person to talk with.) See descriptions in the events below.) Please feel free to invite other Moms to join us. If you know someone with a loved one with autism, let them know about these events. They are free to attend, only cost is what they purchase at the restaurant. Friends and relatives are invited to attend with you! Let me know if you would like a printable flyer to hand out.

RSVP is important: Click on the RSVP below the descriptions to RSVP for each event. Map links are available on the rsvp website.

Both descriptions are below:

Middleburg Heights:

Description:

West Side Mom's Night Out

Mom's Night Out - Middleburg Heights

When: Sat, November 2, 2013

Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Where: Bob Evan's Restaurant

Address: 17011 East Bagley Rd

Middleburg Ht's, OH, 44130

For West Side Mom's Night Out we will have a special guest from Bramble Farms who will be available to discuss her Homeschooling and Homework help coaching programs. See Bramble Farms website link below.

RSVP Link for the West Side Middleburg Heights Mom's Night Out

http://groupinvitations.webs.com/mom-s-night-out-west-side

Or Contact Marian Helmick by phone: 216-543-8931

Bramble Farms Website: http://bramblefarms.wordpress.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mayfield Heights:

Description:

East Side - Mayfield Heights

Mom's Night Out

When: Sat, November 16, 2013

Time: 7:00PM - 9:00PM

Where: Bob Evan's Restaurant

Address: 1437 Golden Gate Blvd.

Mayfield Heights, OH

For East Side Mom's Night Out we will have a special guest from Galvin Therapy Center who will be available to discuss questions about the center and questions about Occupational and Speech therapies.  Another Special guest will also be attending who runs an Euclid family support meeting on the third thursday of each month, she will be available to tell you more about upcoming meetings.

RSVP Link for the East Side Mayfield Heights Mom's Night Out

http://groupinvitations.webs.com/mom-s-night-out-east-side

Or Contact Marian Helmick by phone: 216-543-8931

Galvin Therapy Center:  http://www.galvintherapycenter.com/

~~~ ~~~

You're Invited to join a Mom's Night Out.  Oct 5th in Middleburg Heights at 6:00PM.  This event is at no cost except for your restaurant purchases.. 

Click here to go to the Inviation website for More Details and/or  RSVP. (No website sign-in Required.)

http://groupinvitations.webs.com/mom-s-night-out-west-side

Moms are invited to attend a Breakfast Get together.

Mom's Morning Chat is inviting Mom's who have loved ones

with autism to join in a breakfast get together.

This is a wonderful way to meet other moms and have a delicious breakfast.

All mom's are invited and children are welcome along with mom.

Click on the invitation below to RSVP.  

* RSVP and driving directions are below the invite on the webpage.

Here is a beautiful Inspirational site that will lift your spirits.  Daily Inspirations is a beautiful approach to helping one feel better inside - where it truly counts.  It's a long journey when your a parent of a child with autism but healing oneself is a good fist step to helping your child.  Children do sense our stress and if we feel better, it will help them to feel better also.  Every child would want to see their parent at peace.  Click on the Daily Inspiration quote to go to the site where you can sign up for free daily inspirations.  May your spirits be lifted.

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.Moms Morning Chat is every Wednesday Morning at 10.00am.

We have a nice small group of moms' who get together weekly to chat about their families and help one another with where to find service providers, local schools and basically finding help for their children.  The great thing about the chat room is; you can attend chat in your jammies and nobody knows!  We're all just there in our comfy cozies or whatever!

We use Yahoo Messenger for our chat room. This is a safe and secure chat room and members join the chat by invitation. See How to Join our Chats. for more information.

Hope you can join us soon!

Marian Helmick

Mom's Morning Chat facilitator and  founder of  AutismNE

Good activities for special needs children would be sensory stimulating to them in either sight, sound or taste. There's many activities that you can do with them and that would depend on their likes and dislikes.

For example, if they seem to be always moving they might want to go to a playground, swimming or splash around in a small pool. (see link for Top ten summer activities for kids with special needs below)

If they are on the quiet calm side than blowing bubbles might interest them. There are children that still enjoy blowing bubbles up into their teens.. (See link for Fun bubble blowing toys below)

If your special needs child is able: A fun tasting activity would be to have them cover their eyes or use a blind-fold and have them guess the tastes of different foods, you can use fruits or vegetables or their favorite food vs the not so favorite food.

How about an easy craft? For crafts choose simple ideas that have less than 3 steps such as twisting colorful pipe cleaners together to make something. Very easy to do if the project is less than 3 steps. (See link for pipe cleaner crafts below).

More Ideas you can look at on websites:

TOP TEN SUMMER ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

http://www.abilitypath.org/health-daily-care/daily-care/playing/top-ten-summer-activities-special-needs.html

MORE ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH KIDS AND SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS.

http://pinterest.com/lisageng/fun-activities-for-kids-including-special-needs/

FUN BUBBLE BLOWING TOYS

http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=bubble+blowing+toys

For Crafts:

Here is some great ideas on Pintrest that has many crafts with pipe cleaners:

:http://pinterest.com/rcreationsuk/pipe-cleaner-crafts/

Sharing a resource.

This is only my opinion but I'd like to share my thoughts as a parent. Honey is a very good addition to helping our children with their autistic symptoms. I did some research and found that honey has anti-inflammatory properties (most medications have some sort of anti-inflammatory or anti-histamine property) which for us on the spectrum is essential to help reduce some symptoms such as digestive and immune health. (for many individuals with autism inflammation may play a part in sensory symptoms). Using honey is such a good easy first step to helping heal symptoms. I don't know how much to give in general, but I've heard that a tea spoon a day helps with sinus allergies. I've been taking a teaspoon of honey daily for a few weeks and my sinuses aren't as bad off as they were before I started. (I often have sinus congestion which leads to sinus infection if not treated. I'm also using a humidifier which is also helping relieve sinus congestion. I'm glad honey is helping me. Below is the most interesting article about honey and a must read.)

~ Marian Helmick - founder: AutismNE

Articles About

Healing Properties of Honey

Article is from this website (links for other good articles about honey are also on this website): http://www.honeyo.com/honeyhealing.shtml

Let me tell you about Josiah's House!

Josiah's House (Josiah's House, Inc.) is a wonderful learning and life skills center for young adults.  It is a center that is full equiped to meet the learning needs of individuals with special needs for life skills such as independent daily living skills, eating skills; meal preparation training and other skills to help them with daily living tasks.

Josiah's House, Inc. is managed by founder, Irene Jones 

Josiah's House Inc. was envisioned and founded June 9, 2008, by founder and President Irene Jones; Ms. Jones has a son diagnosed with autism she place her son in a group home for expert support and growth for his future success. However, it proved to be unsuccessful Ms. Jones son was lacking in socialization skills, speech, grooming and was heavily medicated. Irene left her job as an RTA Bus Driver, discharged her son from the group home and he became the catalyst that encouraged Irene in becoming certified through the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. In addition it has given her the pulse for dedication through education, understanding and maximizing her passion to proceed with a plan that will ensure that adults with special needs are able to get the education, feel safe, and the respectful service support they need to function in today's society.

A word from Marian Helmick - Founder of AutismNE

When I fist saw Josiah's House, Inc. I was very impressed with all the learning centers and the mock home style living area that they use to practice home care skills.  I decided to do a Josiah's House tour to show all they have available toward helping individuals with special needs.  The Josiah's House, tour is in the Photo Gallary on the AutismNE website and will be also available on the new Josiah's House website soon.  What I loved most about Josiah's House, Inc. is the caring staff, not only do they care for the "friends" (clients) but they care for each other as well.  They have something special that I hope will always remain at the heart of Josiah's House, and that is love.

Josiah's House, Inc. now opening their doors to helping after school students for a social skills respite time. Students can come to Josiah's House, Inc. for a few hours after school to socialize with peers or help with homework.  To find out more about the after school respite program, contact Irene Jones at Josiah's House, Inc, phone: 216-236-6960

To learn more about Josiah's House, Inc. visit their new website at: http://josiahshouseinc.webs.com/