1. Potty Training
Summer is a good time to finally get your child out of diapers. There's a large supply of unstructured time; nice weather for going around bare-bottomed; and in many cases the deadline of must-be-trained preschool providing motivation. To get started, read:
- Before You Potty Train, to make sure your child's ready
- The "No Pants" Toilet Training Method, for step-by-step advice
- Ten Good Things About Not Potty Training Your Child, in case it doesn't work
- Your Toilet-Training Strategies, to see what worked for other parents and share your own successes
2. Starting a Reading Routine
Want to keep your child's brain from turning into pudding over the summer? Starting a reading routine is one way to make sure there's a little intellectual stimulation amongst all the video games and TV watching and fun-in-the-sun. To get started, read:
- Start a Reading Routine, to get in the habit
- When Your Child Hates Harry Potter, for some alternative selections
- Luring Reluctant Readers with Nonfiction, to try a new direction
- Share Your Learning Tools and Tricks, to find more fun ideas and share your own
3. Getting Your Records Together
So where are they -- in a drawer? stuffed willy-nilly in a file somewhere? piling up in some rickety stack? All those specialist reports and therapist reports and IEPs and research material and what-not can get out of hand quickly, yet being able to find what you need when you need it is essential for getting your child proper treatment and services. To get started, read:
- Make a Care Notebook, to create a handy-dandy place for all that paper
- Five Places to Store Your IEPs, for keeping school records accessible
- Keeping School and Medical Information Organized, for one reader's crate-based system
- Where Do You Keep Your IEPs?, for more reader suggestions and a chance to share your own
4. Keeping a Journal
You've been meaning to. Maybe you've even bought a pretty blank book. Or two. But you just can't seem to get going. Keeping a journal is a great way to relieve stress, remember special moments, download deep feelings, and create a bit of time for yourself, but finding the time is sometimes less of a problem than finding the inspiration. To get started, read:
- Five Journal Ideas You Can Really Keep Up With, for quick and painless thought-sharing
- Tell Your Story Online, to journal with an audience
- Keep a Joy Journal, to focus on the things that make you smile
- Share Your Special-Needs Parenting Blog, to see what other parents are writing about
5. Making a Behavior Plan
The summer is when you're likely to have the most uninterrupted time with your child to try out behavioral techniques, set up routines, analyze behavior, implement a plan, and fine-tune your strategies for maximum success. To get started, read:
- The ABCs of Behavior Management, for advice on a variety of challenging situations
- Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Child's Behavior, for some tried-and-true techniques
- Behavior Books That Work, to give yourself some summer reading
- Your Behavior Tools and Tricks, to exchange advice with other parents
