Re: 10 y.o. son//round 2...chelation

[Guest guest]

Lindy,

That is wonderful!!!!!!!!!! I think that is a huge improvement. I

have been noticing the same, appropriate play.

Congratulations! nne

> Hello everyone,

> I have been gone for awhile...took my kids " home "

> to central FL for spring break.

> My son finished round 2 of chelation last week.

> I continue to see improvement, although miniscule.

> However, One day last week, he was watching a farm

> truck in the field behind our house, he ran to the

> shed, and got his toy pickup truck, that until then,

> had only played with it by spinning the wheeels, or

> trying to get into the bed of it, and go for a ride!

> Well, he watched the farm truck, got HIS truck, and

> began pushing it along the ground. He would stop,

> watch the farm truck, and push his truck again...

> I was in tears! This is the first time I had seen my

> 10 year old son play with any toy appropriately!

> I will definetly continue chelation!

> ~```God bless you all, and Thanks for all of your

> posts, Lindy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Guest guest]

Welcome back Lindy,

What a precious story about you son. It's so good to hear that things

are already changing. Margaret I hope you read this one. The steps

are little but they are obvious. Thank you for sharing Lindy, it will

be nice to see some pleasant posts again. I hope this day goes better

on this site . You must be overjoyed Lindy, is'nt God good!!! He does

answer prayers.Bless you Lindy, glad you trip was safe. Leah

-- In @y..., Holcomb <gotojoshua1_9@y...> wrote:

> Hello everyone,

> I have been gone for awhile...took my kids " home "

> to central FL for spring break.

> My son finished round 2 of chelation last week.

> I continue to see improvement, although miniscule.

> However, One day last week, he was watching a farm

> truck in the field behind our house, he ran to the

> shed, and got his toy pickup truck, that until then,

> had only played with it by spinning the wheeels, or

> trying to get into the bed of it, and go for a ride!

> Well, he watched the farm truck, got HIS truck, and

> began pushing it along the ground. He would stop,

> watch the farm truck, and push his truck again...

> I was in tears! This is the first time I had seen my

> 10 year old son play with any toy appropriately!

> I will definetly continue chelation!

> ~```God bless you all, and Thanks for all of your

> posts, Lindy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Guest guest]

Oh, how I enjoyed your story. I'm thrilled for you and your son and

appreciate your sharing that with us. Isn't it great when we can see

the changes before our eyes and that we can recognize them for what

they are. Sometimes I get so busy " doing " all the things necessary

(the therapy appts, the docs, the supplements, etc), I don't really

stop and look at the little things that indicate change is taking

place. I forget to look because I'm so caught up in " getting it

done " . Thanks for reminding me of that today.

Kay

> Hello everyone,

> I have been gone for awhile...took my kids " home "

> to central FL for spring break.

> My son finished round 2 of chelation last week.

> I continue to see improvement, although miniscule.

> However, One day last week, he was watching a farm

> truck in the field behind our house, he ran to the

> shed, and got his toy pickup truck, that until then,

> had only played with it by spinning the wheeels, or

> trying to get into the bed of it, and go for a ride!

> Well, he watched the farm truck, got HIS truck, and

> began pushing it along the ground. He would stop,

> watch the farm truck, and push his truck again...

> I was in tears! This is the first time I had seen my

> 10 year old son play with any toy appropriately!

> I will definetly continue chelation!

> ~```God bless you all, and Thanks for all of your

> posts, Lindy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Guest guest]

Dear Leah, Lindy, Margaret and all,

What a wonderful and happy story. I can only hope that those reading

our posts are able to appreciate the many small steps that our children are

so painstakingly taking towards greater health. I have encountered too many

that have listened to my great joy that my daughter is making significant

gains and expressed little to no appreciation for her efforts. They are

only interested in the enormous gains that they read about: Boy begins

speaking after 2 days on this-that-or-the-other-thing. No, my daughter is

still not talking. I have not heard her dear little voice speak words since

she was two years old (sob!) however I know it's going to be a long road

until we get them back and that doesn't discount the many many small gains

that are picked up along the way.

Be happy!! We are all so very happy for you and your dear boy!!

[ ] Re: 10 y.o. son//round 2...chelation

> Welcome back Lindy,

> What a precious story about you son. It's so good to hear that things

> are already changing. Margaret I hope you read this one. The steps

> are little but they are obvious. Thank you for sharing Lindy, it will

> be nice to see some pleasant posts again. I hope this day goes better

> on this site . You must be overjoyed Lindy, is'nt God good!!! He does

> answer prayers.Bless you Lindy, glad you trip was safe. Leah

>

>

>

>

> -- In @y..., Holcomb <gotojoshua1_9@y...> wrote:

> > Hello everyone,

> > I have been gone for awhile...took my kids " home "

> > to central FL for spring break.

> > My son finished round 2 of chelation last week.

> > I continue to see improvement, although miniscule.

> > However, One day last week, he was watching a farm

> > truck in the field behind our house, he ran to the

> > shed, and got his toy pickup truck, that until then,

> > had only played with it by spinning the wheeels, or

> > trying to get into the bed of it, and go for a ride!

> > Well, he watched the farm truck, got HIS truck, and

> > began pushing it along the ground. He would stop,

> > watch the farm truck, and push his truck again...

> > I was in tears! This is the first time I had seen my

> > 10 year old son play with any toy appropriately!

> > I will definetly continue chelation!

> > ~```God bless you all, and Thanks for all of your

> > posts, Lindy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

>

> =======================================================

>

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " lisa edmond " <sjcsydney@...>

> No, my daughter is still not talking. I have not heard her dear little

voice speak words since

> she was two years old (sob> ...

Well, , let's try a little SonRise ... maybe something here will help

you. I paid $6400 for this kind of knowledge and the only way I can feel

that was well warranted is to constantly share.

With the SonRise Program, one thing you can do to encourage speech is to put

bookcases 4.5 feet from the floor. On top of those bookcases, put an array

of toys and games that are enticing to the child. You can do just one

bookcase. Just be sure to strategize what you place thereupon so the child

will want to get them and be forced to deal with you in order to accomplish

that feat.

The child should begin gesturing to get at something they cannot reach. Let

the frustration build. According to the Option Institute, you are supposed

to act stupid. Give a blank look and and throw your hands up as if saying

" What do you want? I have no idea! Give me a clue! "

You won't be able to get away with this for very long and ultimately you are

supposed to act like " OH! Now I get it! You want ... " and hand it to the

child, verbally labeling it with a simple made-up word if you have to. Any

pronouncable word is better than no words at all. I used to call an orange

an OH because we trained Lacey to realize Daddy would juggle them if she

asked him to retrieve them. All she had to say was OH and she would get

those oranges off the shelf, her Daddy would act as a trained seal and

everyone would express great jubilance.

Withh a single orange we formed a routine wherein we were the clowns and she

was the Master of Ceremonies. Next came " what will they do if I ask for

that ball? " Well, Daddy and I would roll it around on the floor with our

NOSES (lol) and that gave her the idea she was in control of our actions and

it would only take one sound, BAH.

I am Japanese and the word for grandmother in Japanese is " obachama " but a

shorter acceptable version for " countryfolk " was " oba " so one day we were

proud that the oranges and balls led to teaching Lacey to call for her

grandmother <smile>.

SonRise teaches in BabySteps. They also encourage you to manipulate the

scenario to where the child thinks he is in control but in fact you were

always the manipulator after a certain strategy designed to promote

encouraging speech. Speech equates to power must be the final theme of your

actions.

And I can attest to the fact when they think they can cause a circus in

their room, they shall endeavor to do so and everyone shall be greatly

amused. At the Option Institute they told us we had to act in an overly

exaggerated manner to accomplish forming the greatest impact on the autistic

child's mind and we found this to be very true in our case. Lacey began to

engage thereafter in mimicking games - first with our entire family of two

generations sitting in a circle rocking back and forth to match her actions.

Later we copied whatever she did and she learned she was our leader. She

began to wave her arms and we complied. We did whatever movements she did

and ultimately this led to her mimicking whatever we did, to learning within

the circle we are taking turns at being the leader and this is fun and

exciting.

And ultimately it led towards her mimicking our words and trying her best to

say them. Finally, we learned there are certain sounds she cannot

articulate correctly and were able to give a list of them to the speech

therapist so another could be helping her overcome her speech impediments

and learning how to move the tongue to say particular sounds (like FL).

We did not put Lacey into an all-white room and remove all toys up on

bookcases. We merely made one and learned what it would take to make her

" ask " for that item again so she could force us into action and learn speech

equates to power.

I try really hard, by the way, to keep my posts as short as possible, but

sometimes feel it may be worth it to go indepth. I hope this is helpful to

you and perhaps others. Sometimes it is difficult to explain why SonRise

methods have worked for so many people and a specific example goes far.

Now we have progressed to a state wherein I say " Come, little grasshopper "

and that is Lacey's que to mimick whatever I do. It is in this manner I

teach her yoga, dance and T'ai Chi and I could not have done accomplished

this without an orange.

She immediately follows me, sits upon the mat and folds her hands and bows

her head to me. It becomes a peaceful and respectful time between us.

In general I feel the (for lack of a better word) " aura " in America is too

fast-paced, too rushed and harassing to enlist a sense of serenity. Just in

having Lacey follow simple yoga movements and sit still with them until I

engage movement has done so much to elongate her attention span. It began

with a spark of amusement, a knowing that she was the controller and a sense

that we were stupid <grin> and has been ultimately so rewarding I cannot

express how I feel when she folds her hands and bows with reverence.

So be unabashed and act as a clown. Teach with a smile or your very nose.

They call it SonRise, but the real miracle is it was always within your

comprehensive outlook into what attracts children and engages them in fun

activities.

The fun part is to train grandparents to push a ball on the floor with their

nose <grin> and take videos!

Hopefully, you can tell me later your child has you wrapped around your

finger and is speaking with whatever sound you've chosen to make a word of

your own grow towards words that are already used by others. It took years,

but the OH finally grew into orange, the orange grew into a colour and the

colour grew into recognition of the written word.

Minc

[Guest guest]

Dear Minc,

What a beautiful post! Oh how I wish I had ink in my printer right now,

but I will certainly print this out soon.

I LOVE everything that I have learned from the Kaufmans (I've read

several of their books) and I saw Raun Kaufman speak at an autism conference

her in Irvine, California. He was most impressive, entertaining, and

compassionate. It was one of the thrills of my life to speak with him

afterward and to express my appreciation for all this I have learned from

his wonderful parents.

You are right - our society is just TOO fast paced for our children (for

ALL children!) and we do need to show them that we have all the time in the

world just for them. Thank you for this reminder. If I could embrace you

for it, I would - please consider it done.

Tell me, did you create a room with at least fewer distractions in which

to work with Lacey? I have a workroom where we have worked with Sydney

using discreet trial and I am constantly trying to make it more

distraction-free which can be difficult because I am forever picking up more

teaching/sensory tools and items for pure pleasure as well. And now there's

a baby wild rabbit in there (, of course) that I found at work. Shall

I get to work creating a " world " that is more optimal for Sydney's learning?

I wish you didn't live so far away.

p.s. the image of all of you juggling and rolling oranges around with your

nose for your daughters pleasure is way more heartwarming than amusing (-:

what a lucky little girl is Lacey!

Re: [ ] Re: 10 y.o. son//round 2...chelation

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: " lisa edmond " <sjcsydney@...>

>

> > No, my daughter is still not talking. I have not heard her dear little

> voice speak words since

> > she was two years old (sob> ...

>

> Well, , let's try a little SonRise ... maybe something here will help

> you. I paid $6400 for this kind of knowledge and the only way I can feel

> that was well warranted is to constantly share.

>

> With the SonRise Program, one thing you can do to encourage speech is to

put

> bookcases 4.5 feet from the floor. On top of those bookcases, put an

array

> of toys and games that are enticing to the child. You can do just one

> bookcase. Just be sure to strategize what you place thereupon so the

child

> will want to get them and be forced to deal with you in order to

accomplish

> that feat.

>

> The child should begin gesturing to get at something they cannot reach.

Let

> the frustration build. According to the Option Institute, you are

supposed

> to act stupid. Give a blank look and and throw your hands up as if saying

> " What do you want? I have no idea! Give me a clue! "

>

> You won't be able to get away with this for very long and ultimately you

are

> supposed to act like " OH! Now I get it! You want ... " and hand it to the

> child, verbally labeling it with a simple made-up word if you have to.

Any

> pronouncable word is better than no words at all. I used to call an

orange

> an OH because we trained Lacey to realize Daddy would juggle them if she

> asked him to retrieve them. All she had to say was OH and she would get

> those oranges off the shelf, her Daddy would act as a trained seal and

> everyone would express great jubilance.

>

> Withh a single orange we formed a routine wherein we were the clowns and

she

> was the Master of Ceremonies. Next came " what will they do if I ask for

> that ball? " Well, Daddy and I would roll it around on the floor with our

> NOSES (lol) and that gave her the idea she was in control of our actions

and

> it would only take one sound, BAH.

>

> I am Japanese and the word for grandmother in Japanese is " obachama " but a

> shorter acceptable version for " countryfolk " was " oba " so one day we were

> proud that the oranges and balls led to teaching Lacey to call for her

> grandmother <smile>.

>

> SonRise teaches in BabySteps. They also encourage you to manipulate the

> scenario to where the child thinks he is in control but in fact you were

> always the manipulator after a certain strategy designed to promote

> encouraging speech. Speech equates to power must be the final theme of

your

> actions.

>

> And I can attest to the fact when they think they can cause a circus in

> their room, they shall endeavor to do so and everyone shall be greatly

> amused. At the Option Institute they told us we had to act in an overly

> exaggerated manner to accomplish forming the greatest impact on the

autistic

> child's mind and we found this to be very true in our case. Lacey began

to

> engage thereafter in mimicking games - first with our entire family of two

> generations sitting in a circle rocking back and forth to match her

actions.

>

> Later we copied whatever she did and she learned she was our leader. She

> began to wave her arms and we complied. We did whatever movements she did

> and ultimately this led to her mimicking whatever we did, to learning

within

> the circle we are taking turns at being the leader and this is fun and

> exciting.

>

> And ultimately it led towards her mimicking our words and trying her best

to

> say them. Finally, we learned there are certain sounds she cannot

> articulate correctly and were able to give a list of them to the speech

> therapist so another could be helping her overcome her speech impediments

> and learning how to move the tongue to say particular sounds (like FL).

>

> We did not put Lacey into an all-white room and remove all toys up on

> bookcases. We merely made one and learned what it would take to make her

> " ask " for that item again so she could force us into action and learn

speech

> equates to power.

>

> I try really hard, by the way, to keep my posts as short as possible, but

> sometimes feel it may be worth it to go indepth. I hope this is helpful

to

> you and perhaps others. Sometimes it is difficult to explain why SonRise

> methods have worked for so many people and a specific example goes far.

>

> Now we have progressed to a state wherein I say " Come, little grasshopper "

> and that is Lacey's que to mimick whatever I do. It is in this manner I

> teach her yoga, dance and T'ai Chi and I could not have done accomplished

> this without an orange.

>

> She immediately follows me, sits upon the mat and folds her hands and bows

> her head to me. It becomes a peaceful and respectful time between us.

>

> In general I feel the (for lack of a better word) " aura " in America is too

> fast-paced, too rushed and harassing to enlist a sense of serenity. Just

in

> having Lacey follow simple yoga movements and sit still with them until I

> engage movement has done so much to elongate her attention span. It began

> with a spark of amusement, a knowing that she was the controller and a

sense

> that we were stupid <grin> and has been ultimately so rewarding I cannot

> express how I feel when she folds her hands and bows with reverence.

>

> So be unabashed and act as a clown. Teach with a smile or your very nose.

> They call it SonRise, but the real miracle is it was always within your

> comprehensive outlook into what attracts children and engages them in fun

> activities.

>

> The fun part is to train grandparents to push a ball on the floor with

their

> nose <grin> and take videos!

>

> Hopefully, you can tell me later your child has you wrapped around your

> finger and is speaking with whatever sound you've chosen to make a word of

> your own grow towards words that are already used by others. It took

years,

> but the OH finally grew into orange, the orange grew into a colour and the

> colour grew into recognition of the written word.

>

> Minc

>

>

>

>

> =======================================================

>

[Guest guest]

WOW, How exciting! What next?????

All my best to your future successes,

Sharon in Virginia

[Guest guest]

Minc,

Whilst I appreciate you have had a good experience with the Options

Institute and the SonRise programme there are many who have not. In the UK

last year they aired a documentary on tv about the programme which was very

biased (in favour of the treatment) and provoked a large response. Basically

many parents felt that their children had been damaged by the SonRise

programme.

As a result, I contacted the Options Institute and asked them for info on

any data they had collected showing the effectiveness of the treatment.

They were unable to provide anything even anecdotal, let alone studies.

In fact the only information I have been able to obtain has been negative. I

am glad you have found success, and I wish you all the best. I have been

concerned about their marketing approach for a while and it is reassuring to

hear a 'good' story.

Celia

=======================================================

>

[Guest guest]

Celia,

Damaged in what way?

S

On Wed, 11 April 2001, " Celia Forrest " wrote:

>

> <html><body>

> <tt>

> Minc,<BR>

> Whilst I appreciate you have & nbsp; had a good experience with the Options<BR>

> Institute and the SonRise programme there are many who have not. & nbsp; In the

UK<BR>

> last year they aired a documentary on tv about the programme which was

very<BR>

> biased (in favour of the treatment) and provoked a large response.

Basically<BR>

> many parents felt that their children had been damaged by the SonRise<BR>

> programme.<BR>

> As a result, I contacted the Options Institute and asked them for info on<BR>

> any data they had & nbsp; collected showing the effectiveness of the

treatment.<BR>

> They were unable to provide anything even anecdotal, let alone studies.<BR>

> In fact the only information I have been able to obtain has been negative.

I<BR>

> am glad you have found success, and I wish you all the best. I have been<BR>

> concerned about their marketing approach for a while and it is reassuring

to<BR>

> hear a 'good' story.<BR>

> Celia<BR>

> =======================================================<BR>

> & gt;

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " Celia Forrest " <C.Forrest@...>

> Whilst I appreciate you have had a good experience with the Options >

Institute and the SonRise programme there are many who have not.

Oh, no, I never said I had a good experience. I have, however, benefitted

from their basic premises.

They are NOT worth paying $6400 for one week's worth of training for.

Although I have met two children " cured " of all of their autistic tendencies

(and Raun Kaufman was the shiningest example), both also used dietary

intervention in coordination with an intensified 40-hour week one-on-one

therapeutic behavioural modification program.

In answer to other people's private letters, I did not build a separate room

or clear out an old one just to administer the therapy. I did it with a

singular bookshelf placed in Lacey's room. I did not remove anything that

would distract her because I wanted to learn her interests in order to serve

my purposes better.

I should not like to be locked in an all-white room devoid of interesting

things to touch and feel spiritually as well as physically (and certainly

not for 8 hours a day as they specify in their teachings.) Lacey loves

artistry, colour and all that can be magical within one's environment so I

did things such as paint an alphabet tree on her closets. I did take a

lesson and place large mirrors on two of her bedroom walls. I agreed that

unless they can recognize themselves and attach how they look to their own

emotions, they might not be able to transfer that knowledge into developing

a sense of empathy for others.

> Basically many parents felt that their children had been damaged by the

SonRise programme.

I'd like to know how.

My largest objection was to the cost. They should know better than to

charge parents of handicapped children such an exhorbant fee when we should

be happy to pitch tents rather than stay in such luxurious accomodations

just to attend a workshop. The therapy does not need to be taught on our

own children, we can watch how it works with another's child just fine.

To justify the cost spiritually what I did was to open a chatroom on

Internet Relay Chat during my stay and make reports each night as to what I

was learning.

They didn't exactly teach me much. The basic construction of the orange

story is within the realm of what they do teach, and that is the idea of

BabySteps. One parent of an autistic child had trouble because all that

child wanted to do was to gaze at food, touch it, and revel in the taste of

it very, very slowly with a single finger. The Institute taught them to

view that symptom as an opening.

Through her obsessiveness with food as a tool, the child's mother was

eventually able to teach mathematics by going into what measurements it

takes to construct various dishes. Eventually that mother taught her

daughter history by engaging in discussions about the introduction of foods.

And she taught geography.

That child eventually became a gourmet chef practicing in Europe.

So while food was a symptom, the mother was able, by following the teachings

of SonRise, to use it as a BabyStep that lead into broadening of a basic

concept the child was already engaged in with enjoyment and intensity.

A friend has a child who can hum nearly every tune the child has ever heard.

What SonRise therapists would advise in that circumstance would be to hand

the child a series of musical instruments. You find what they are

interested in and you go about broadening the concept to help that child to

reach his true potential and find a niche. Who knows? A child that can hum

might become a famous composer in time. Unless music becomes the tool like

the preparation of food became in the above example, perhaps a child's life

will always be spent in confusion and disinterest.

So the basic premise, I feel, is sound. The appreciation Lacey took towards

watching us perform circus acts lent itself towards a child who was

oblivious to our existence (at 2 to 3 years of age, she is 7 now) loving fun

, adoring interaction, feeling loved and learning how to express love by

showing affection to us for what we were doing with our time and noses. And

Lacey became humorous, gregarious and full of personality, which is likely

her gift.

She does not need to be like everyone else. We take it literally that

Scripture says " Unto each is born a glory. " The child who did not know we

existed in the same room with her, would not look at us (and indeed, took to

purposefully avoiding us), who only wanted to rock back and forth all day

long for months on end, became a girl who now loves song, dance and her

mother's theater antics, enjoys life with a sense of real exhuberance and

invites interaction, loves to gaze into our eyes and will talk when she

wants something, but still does not volunteer unless it will bring about

what she's expecting.

She's still the Queen who does not know she's merely a Princess <grin> and I

am in charge of this monarchy.

But I see things changing everyday and now have a child who runs into my

arms and says " Love you! " and says " Thank you " when we give a compliment, so

we've come a long way despite the fact we were separated for three years and

she was fed the foods that harmed her and placed into a school system that

could not find a way to pottytrain her for nine months when all she needed

was to be placed backward on the toilet so she'd feel more secure and

balanced and to be taken just before so we could have an opportunity to clap

and say " Good girl! " with great panache.

Now she performs, in other words, for us. It's a full-blown circus around

here much of the time.

I cannot see that SonRise methods can harm anyone. It just harmed my bank

balance, but sharing always makes it feel more worthwhile.

I don't think Lacey would have benefitted from being forced into only one

room for 8 hours a day. We were more casual than that and made life easier

and happier and gave her an abundance of stimuli to awaken her into this

world. We had to become more interesting than the world she was so deadset

in staying in and we used SonRise methods to accomplish this.

I could say Lacey might have been harmed by being imprisoned without any

stimuli, so perhaps that is what was meant. But we have to find the good in

everything on the whole, and SonRise is a good program as far as basic

concepts in how to engage the child, draw them close to you and how to

encourage speech. It is loving but it becomes unique once the parent

places their own touches to it.

For me to now receive actual reverence is a major miracle that an orange and

a couple of noses afforded us.

> As a result, I contacted the Options Institute and asked them for info on

any data they had collected showing the effectiveness of the treatment.

They do not know how to run an effective business. If they were smart,

they'd send out quarterly letters asking for short essays on the progress

parents using the methods are using. But they made their money and continue

to do so and it supports their huge piece of land where they also teach

meditative exercises to people all over the world, inspiring them to take

the time to luxuriate themselves with their lives.

They did not appreciate the fact I was broadcasting what they were doing

each night and Mr. Kaufman was quick to avoid looking at me during a lunch

when I was introduced to him. I found that rather ironic.

And throughout the years I continue to teach SonRise methods by sharing

exacting examples of what I've done or had others to do that made a

difference in their children's lives. I wish I could credit myself, but in

fact the basic premise and way of thought and acceptance to instill growth

was as a result of SonRise.

I always, however, advocate no one pay now that I've been there and done

that. Just give me a chance to put my learned way of thought to a problem

and pray I get an inspirational thought that is helpful.

One parent recently consulted me because he has a son who speaks of nothing

except ceiling fans. The SonRise Method is to take that child to a Home

Depot and stand in the ceiling fan section. Now that they've all be

regalled with stories about his mother's ceiling fan and how many blades it

has, what colour it is and how large it is as well as those facts about

every ceiling fan the child has ever seen, it is to be used as the tool that

eventually engages empathy and an understanding of all of the aspects

contained in love.

So the SonRise way is to ask that child to look at an overstimulus of a

multitude of ceiling fans and try to guess which fan would be the choice of

his mother were she there. Which one is Daddy's favorite, do you think, can

you guess?

And once that hurdle is overcome by a guess, another conversation has a

chance of emerging ... one that takes object towards empathetic feelings for

another, appreciation of another's way of thinking and taste, and lends

itself to opening more doors ... next the lighting area - what's my

favorite? What's yours?

So we can go from obsessiveness and one same " conversation " over and over

into a new arena where original thoughts may be introduced and a sense of a

" game " employed to make it fun to see what other people might be thinking as

far as the beloved ceiling fans is concerned.

The premise is to take a seed, plant it and grow an apple tree that feeds a

congregation.

Hopefully in the end the child is over the ceiling fan rage and who knows,

perhaps he becomes some sort of designer of electrical instruments? We

never know what a child's true calling might be, so we stay with what they

are interested in and forge a recovery plan based on that premise ... it's

still push that ball with your nose and hard work.

> They were unable to provide anything even anecdotal, let alone studies. In

fact the only information I have been able to obtain has been negative. I

> am glad you have found success, and I wish you all the best. I have been

concerned about their marketing approach for a while and it is reassuring to

> hear a 'good' story.

Well, Celia, lots of mothers have computers and want to make a bit of extra

money while still remaining within the world of their chosen study - if

autism is yours and you see The Option Institute as lacking, being an ocean

apart should not serve as a hinderance now that the almighty Internet

exists. Why not write to them and let them know they need a method by which

success stories are accumulated so others may reap the benefits. I'm sure

they're always wanting more money and that would be one way of them to

perhaps someday lower the cost and hold workshops with boatloads of parents

of autistic children.

You might have found a niche in life ... feel free to offer these letters

and let them know the impression you had and how a multitude of parents

would benefit but can't afford it so perhaps it is time that Institute

decided upon a new marketing strategy that employed actual stories from

parents - stories such as these, so other parents can benefit from the basic

premise .... maybe there's another book or a monthly newsletter wherein

parents could purchase subscriptions, who knows?

I'm sure they would love to have another idea to effect a better business

stance and a healthier reputation.

If I were running that corporation, I'd hire you since you began with a bad

attitude and hopefully I've given a better understanding of what the SonRise

program is actually about. Many parents are scared off by the thought of

building that special room, staying in there 8 hours a day, etc. and all

that is just not necessary so it might be time for the Kaufmans to recognize

simple facts and start a minor venture with a mother's view point such as

yours.

I'd love it if the mother who raised a gourmet chef would write an account

of detailed information in how she gave her daughter a complete education

that emcompassed nothing besides food! I would pay for an e-book such as

that to be sent directly to my computer. It must be absolutely

mindboggling.

They could give you a list of e-mail addresses of parents and pay you to

write a survey questionaire and ask for short essays. In the beginning it

might be a pain and you'd better insist on being well paid to become

convinced to be a strong advocate in the end, taking the vantage point of

not liking what you've heard so far (like any other parent might be

experiencing) and broadening the concept to find yourself a nifty little

advertising agency from the homestead so you can afford to lavish your child

during the formulation of his recovery plan.

Who knows? I think everything happens to lend itself towards an opportunity

and sometimes we just don't see it.

Minc (formerly known to The Option Crew as Minc Bumgarner)