It's been a busy year for me on several fronts;
At home, we've moved into our new house and it's taken quite a bit of work to make it "home". I've been able to observe my kids accepting their new environment and in some cases, I've seen frustrations emerge as either meltdowns or destructive behaviour. They have improved though. I'm not sure how much of that improvement is due to their self-control and how much is due to changes in our parenting methods.
At work, I've mostly been busy on the second year of a six-month project (that's right, it's behind schedule) but I've been slowly making the journey from "super-tech" to project manager without training. I'm just learning from my mistakes (of which there is no shortage). I've also learned a lot about time management and this year is particularly special because it's the first year that I've maintained a corporate calendar for the entire year - normally they stop around March.
I've been busy in scouts too, making the transition from parent helper to leader. I'm learning how to motivate and focus the kids while still maintaining their enjoyment of the programme. I've witnessed meltdowns and bullying and I'm learning how to curb such behaviour in kids. Hopefully the kids will benefit from the positive environment I'm trying to provide. It's also provided me with a lot of firsthand experience of how my own kids cope in group situations.
Online, Facebook seems to have really come into its own this year and I've made quite a few new friends. I'm actually surprised by the depth of friendship and the degree of support that some of these facebook friends can offer and it was great last week to follow Christmas around the world as people posted about their day.
In the blogging world, there have been some amazing discussions and revelations and I feel privileged to have been able to follow them. I'm planning to do a future post to discuss the blogs I follow - and why I find them so interesting. On this blog, I've tackled a whole range of issues and stereotypes with varying degrees of success. Guided by my readers comments, my topics seem to have stayed much closer to "adult relationships" than to aspie children though I hope to cover a wider range of issues next year.
Thank you to all my readers and especially those who have left comments. I do make a point to read all of them even though I don't always reply. Sometimes I feel that comments remain best undiluted by my response - even when they're saying the opposite of what I feel. Sometimes comments cause me to rethink my position. Most importantly, the comments often drive the choice of discussion topics on the blog.
As the first decade of this new millennium draws to a close, I'd like to wish you all a happy new year and hope that 2010 is good to you.
At home, we've moved into our new house and it's taken quite a bit of work to make it "home". I've been able to observe my kids accepting their new environment and in some cases, I've seen frustrations emerge as either meltdowns or destructive behaviour. They have improved though. I'm not sure how much of that improvement is due to their self-control and how much is due to changes in our parenting methods.
At work, I've mostly been busy on the second year of a six-month project (that's right, it's behind schedule) but I've been slowly making the journey from "super-tech" to project manager without training. I'm just learning from my mistakes (of which there is no shortage). I've also learned a lot about time management and this year is particularly special because it's the first year that I've maintained a corporate calendar for the entire year - normally they stop around March.
I've been busy in scouts too, making the transition from parent helper to leader. I'm learning how to motivate and focus the kids while still maintaining their enjoyment of the programme. I've witnessed meltdowns and bullying and I'm learning how to curb such behaviour in kids. Hopefully the kids will benefit from the positive environment I'm trying to provide. It's also provided me with a lot of firsthand experience of how my own kids cope in group situations.
Online, Facebook seems to have really come into its own this year and I've made quite a few new friends. I'm actually surprised by the depth of friendship and the degree of support that some of these facebook friends can offer and it was great last week to follow Christmas around the world as people posted about their day.
In the blogging world, there have been some amazing discussions and revelations and I feel privileged to have been able to follow them. I'm planning to do a future post to discuss the blogs I follow - and why I find them so interesting. On this blog, I've tackled a whole range of issues and stereotypes with varying degrees of success. Guided by my readers comments, my topics seem to have stayed much closer to "adult relationships" than to aspie children though I hope to cover a wider range of issues next year.
Thank you to all my readers and especially those who have left comments. I do make a point to read all of them even though I don't always reply. Sometimes I feel that comments remain best undiluted by my response - even when they're saying the opposite of what I feel. Sometimes comments cause me to rethink my position. Most importantly, the comments often drive the choice of discussion topics on the blog.
As the first decade of this new millennium draws to a close, I'd like to wish you all a happy new year and hope that 2010 is good to you.
Comments
Would like to see the posts where you told about the change in your parenting methods (and J's).
Also, it's good to see the children in group situations, and to read about you as a Scout leader.
Have a wonderful 2010!
Happy New Year and thanks for a really good blogg. I have read it all through and am waiting for new posts. It would be especially interesting to hear about the changes in your parenting methods...We have an almost 8-year old aspie son and I do respect your take on the challenges with parenting as you see it both as a parent, but also understan the aspie aspect from "inside".
I referred a friend to the blog and found to my surprise that he'd known about it for a very long time. Don't underestimate the sheer number of people you help and educate, Gavin.
Best wishes wrapping up the holiday season, and I eagerly await your next post.
I thought I would mention here that your blog is one of the first things I found after my son was diagnosed last year--specifically the series you did about your own childhood. It was some of my biggest "ah ha" moments. Especially your blankets being related (as are my son's extensive collection of stuffed lions including two sets of "twins")!
You are touching MANY people with your posts.
Thank you!
Hartley
www.hartleysboys.com
Happy New Year - I wish more of us would blog the way you do - one of my goals this year is to try to encourage everyone to start a blog (and teach them how)
I would be very interested to know which blogs you follow and why (which you promised to blog about soon) so I look forward to that post.
Hope those long hours don't remain for much longer (do let us now if we can help: on the business side of things)
Cheers,
Tony