“One of The Son-Rise Program Principles taught by the Autism Treatment Center of America is that the Parent is the child’s best resource. No one knows the child or adult on the Autism Spectrum better than the parent, no professional or teacher, and no one loves the child in a more unconditional way than the parent.
“I thought I would share some tips on how I manage my busy Son-Rise Mum life that has helped me along the years with you:
- “Take care of yourself: It might sound as a selfish proposition but if you don’t function your Program doesn’t function. I visit a homeopath once a month and keep up-to-date with my health, I don’t wait for being ill to see a doctor. I eat loads of vegetables and fruit, no dairy or gluten, honey instead of sugar, and limit the amount of starch like potatoes and rice I have. It’s amazing the amount of energy I gained by having a tuna or salmon salad for lunch instead of a sandwich. It has beaten the ‘after lunch’ drowsiness that I thought before were just ‘normal’ for everyone. You would be also inspiring your children to eat healthily by example and making it easier for you to prepare just one type of meal.
- “Exercise: As it is hard to leave home I bought videos of pilate’s, exercises with the gym ball but whatever you do create a routine, stipulate a schedule, that’s how I am able to write to you on this blog, I established that I would do it on a particular day at a particular time. Always consult your doctor before embarking in any exercise routine or diet, every person is different.
- “Research: There’s a wealth of information in this website you can learn from, keep researching, there’s always something to learn.
- “Top up your 3E’s: We all remember how we felt once we did The Son-Rise Program Start-Up, the energy, the buzz, create an intention to top up your 3E’s by reading “Bears” Barry Neil Kaufman books, reading the messages on the Facebook pages, getting in touch with other parents in The Son-Rise Program Facebook Groups, keep in touch with the other participants who shared Son-Rise Programs with you, people who do Son-Rise in your area, perhaps you can share volunteers. Whatever you decide to do just make sure your information is coming from certified sources who will give you the best information to inspire yourself and your child. I created a fun routine to remind me about topping up my 3E’s, I leave my mobile or cellphone without charge up to the point where an alarm sounds informing me it needs to be charged and use that reminder as my 3E’s top up call and I go and read an article in this blog or a chapter of a book from “Bears” (Barry Neil Kaufman) or listen to an audio tape.
- “Last but not least have fun! I imagine myself to have the best job in the world, playing with my child, inspiring other people to connect with my child in the most loving way, it is fun, it involves what I actually studied for, I graduated in advertising, I was a copywriter, a creative person, and that is what I do I have ideas on how to sell myself, people, to my child, how to make myself so appealing that my child will want to interact with me and I get to do that everyday without having to leave my child in a creche and not following his growth. What I mean is whatever you did in your life before being a Son-Rise Parent don’t think ‘I am putting my life on hold until my child gets better’ but think instead this is my life, it’s a wonderful place to be at, it’s a challenging, refreshing job and I love doing!
“Wishing loads of fun in your playrooms and your Son-Rise Program lives.”
Simone, Son-Rise Program Mum