Around the House

There are several things that we have done around our house in order to help Ethan. I have mentioned several already, but here are a few more things you will see at our home. Let's go on a tour.....

I created these Daily Schedule cards so Ethan would know what to expect for his day. These hang in our kitchen. Each card has several activities on them....not too many to overwhelm, but enough to keep him prepared for what's next.

I found these pictures at TipJunkie, laminated everything, & attached the images with Velcro. This way, I can easily change the activities. Ethan loved it at first, but now he rarely looks at it. The other kids I babysit still LOVE it!

So, here is Ethan's bathroom. We have been trying to toilet train Ethan since July, but he still is having difficulty understanding the multi-steps involved. There is a step stool to help him independently climb on & off, an Elmo potty hat that he picked out himself, a step-by-step tab strip, and a custom-made potty social story (made by a friend at SEAPCO). We also have the usual....rewards, potty books, stickers, etc, but this is stuff in addition to the usual. Recently, we have started having him "aim" at some colorful fruit loops, and he is really enjoying this new game.

A closer look at the visual aids that we read EVERY time we go to the potty. I hope one day he will get it. I'm also considering contacting Easter Seals & setting up ABA Therapy.

Now we move into Ethan's bedroom. You will notice his new rotating cars lamp that helps soothe him, but behind this is Ethan's sound machine. He listens to this all night long, and it helps to block out all other noises so he can sleep easier. We started using a white noise-type of sound machine when Ethan was an infant. He has NEVER been a "good sleeper."

Taking a closer look at it, you can see that there are different sounds, volumes, and even a light that projects onto the ceiling. We have experimented with all of these features, and found that he enjoys the rain setting the best...although he will often ask for a different setting so he can postpone sleeping....sneaky, sneaky! (I'm not sure what the black dots are all about.....my husband's doing....I'm sure there is a reason, but I don't know what it is.)

Now, the kitchen! This caterpillar was a stuffed animal found at Deals. I removed some of the stuffing, and added several pantyhose filled with rice in order for this guy to become a weighted lap pad. Ethan has had this thing everywhere....grocery shopping, watching TV, riding in the car, sleeping, but it has finally landed at the kitchen table. Placing this on his lap & wrapping it around his waist helps him to sit longer....which helps us work on eating, social, and table skills.

This is Ethan's spot at the kitchen table. The caterpillar is always on his chair, and the white stool is for him as well. Having this stool under his feet, allowing him to "touch the floor", is another aid that helps Ethan stay seated longer. Recently, though, Ethan has been moving this stool in order to reach his iPad that is on a high shelf....more sneaky!

Here are the aids at work. If, for some reason, his step stool &/or caterpillar are not at the table, Ethan will go & find them before he will sit at the table. They work for him, and I think he notices the difference without them. What a great kid!