Kathie Harrington's World

Temple Grandin – Conversations from Penn State

The Autism News Temple Grandin, one of the most internationally recognized autistics and a renowned expert in animal science talks about her life | www.TheAutismNews.com

via Temple Grandin – Conversations from Penn State.

Autism and Drums – rum-pum-pum-pum

Cherie Willoughby of Repercussions and Willoughcraft Drums requested that I write a testimony as to how drumming helps people on the autism spectrum. I certainly can do that because my son, Doug, who has autism, was a drummer for many years. He started taking lessons in sixth grade and continued through two years of college at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) where he was member of the Star of Nevada Marching Band.

 Individual lessons are important at the beginning for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The individual attention assists with focus to task, socialization, following directions, and of course, one of the most important aspects for any child, building a positive self-esteem. For our family, these individual lessons soon bridged into lessons with another drummer and then into the junior high band as a whole.

 The reasons I, as a mother and speech-language pathologist choose drums as the instrument of choice for therapy, communication, social interaction, and personal development are listed below. They are numerous. They are simple to complex. They are about life.

 Drumming helps develop: turn taking skills, attending/focus, choices, listening, planning, sequencing, coordination, judgment, problem solving, eye contact, reading body language,

 Drumming brings in the right hemisphere of the brain where rhythm is lateralized. This assists with total body coordination for walking, running, and hand-eye coordination. This will assist with reading, writing, and academic skills.

 Drumming assists with pragmatic language skills (social language) Being a part of a group that specializes in music is significant for socialization and self-esteem. The responsibility of one person to a group of people does not come easily for a person with ASD ~ but with more practice the better it gets.

Drumming assists with learning how to drive – that might seem far out but from a speech therapy point of view it is not at all. All of the above skills are necessary with learning how to drive a car. In people with ASD, it takes many different aspects of bringing all of these skills together, over time, to accomplish this complicated driving task. Yes, people with ASD can drive. My son, Doug, has driven since he was seventeen.

 Drumming assists with happiness and fulfillment in life. Perhaps this is the most important aspect of all. Give your child with ASD something to be happy about. Too many people point out children’s weaknesses and drumming, be it loud or soft, good or bad, within the beat or not, will make them and you HAPPY!

 Thank you, Cherie Willoughby, for prompting me to write this testimony to DRUMMING. It sounds to me like YOU do a fantastic job for families with autism and without. Keep the beat alive!

My Dad

On what have been my dad’s 89th birthday, I sent this to the Hamilton County Genealogy Society.  This will be the first narrative post on their website, Iowa Gravestones. This is a site for Iowa history to be saved. My dad would have approved.

Arild Vernon Kepler was born in Stanhope, Iowa to Mable and Vernon Kepler. Raised in Webster City, IA, he married Mary Jane Higbee of Webster City on November 21, 1943. They raised four children: Julie May Kepler Richey (deceased), Kathleen Ann Kepler Harrington, Cynthia Kay Kepler Leitner, and David Vernon Kepler.

The following is a revision of the eulogy I presented for my dad on October 21, 1998 at his funeral.    

For My Dad

Arild Vernon “Kep” Kepler

August 22, 1921 ~ October 13, 1998

Interment: Graceland Cemetery Webster City, IA

          When I was a little girl, we went on a trip to California in a 1956 red and black Ford. From the moment we rolled out of our driveway in the middle of Iowa until we reached the parking lot of Disneyland, I’d ask my dad the same question, “How much further, daddy?”

           My dad, with is patience and wisdom, would always reply in the same manner, “Oh not far, Kathie, it’s just over the hill and around the corner.”

           After many hills and many corners, my dad was right; we arrived at Disneyland.

 * * * * *

            Every member of our family wants to thank you for being here today. We appreciate so very much your compassion and your warmth. We acknowledge your part in making my father’s life a reason to find celebration and joy in our time of sorrow. In the future, when our minds drift back upon happier days, it will not be about my dad’s death that we reminisce but rather about his life. He was happiest as a poet, a storyteller and a Thespian and his love of music provided harmony throughout his years.

            Many of you knew my dad when he had black hair. I didn’t. It was always gray and then white for me. Many of you knew my dad when he was young and vital and had a vision for the future that was intense. To me, my dad will always be young and vital. Many of you knew my dad before he had a handlebar mustache. I remember buying him mustache wax. I think that all of you knew my dad as “Kep” but to me, he was my dad.

            Many of the people of Iowa Falls and Webster City ate my dad’s cooking at the Red Rooster Grill. It was there he taught me to cook, do dishes, run a business, and make coffee. It was there he taught me dedication, responsibility, work ethics, and the importance of wearing a smile in order to make another person’s day a little brighter.

            When my dad went from selling food to selling cars many of you were there.You were there when the good times rolled and you were there when they rolled back the other way. We know you were there, not because you had to be, but because you choose to be.            

            My dad, loved living. He was a generous and loving husband for over 50 years to our mother. Together, they weathered life’s storms and found rainbows. Together, they built bridges and covered them with love. And together, they walked through each moment of each day as he so eloquently portrayed in his poem, “Life’s Partner.”

            You might have known “Kep” as the one who told the best joke at a party or the one who loved to play solitaire on the hoods of cars, tell World War II stories, or look in wonder and curiosity as new technology became a part of our every day lives. You might have known “Kep” as the one who loved John Phillip Sousa Marches or recall his recitations from John Adams to “Jo-Jo the Dog Faced Boy.” However, it was my dad who drove my older sister to Fort Dodge and back every two weeks for seven years when she had braces on her teeth. It was my dad who took me to every Audie Murphy and cowboy movie ever made. That was our Friday night date at the Met Theater. It was my dad who started a citywide collection for new high school band uniforms. It was my dad who went on a letter writing campaign to state and national politicians for “notch babies.” As far as I know, Uncle Sam is still beating the “babies.” It was my dad who searched for the innocents of the fifties in the nineties. It was my dad who instilled in my children the importance of history and the lessons worth learning. It was my dad, whose advice I sought, and whose courage I clinged to. It was my dad who opened my eyes, as a mother, to the acceptance of a child whose dreams were without wings. It was my dad who just two weeks ago bought a new video for his youngest grandchild. He wanted her to learn the most valuable lessons in the world from those who had taught him, the lessons from “The Three Little Pigs.” It was my dad who wrote poetry by finding humor in his ever-aging, ever-handicapping world.

            My dad believed in heaven and in a loving God who would remove the pain of the world we know. He believed in the quality of life, not the quantity. My dad had no fear of death. He knew that his time was near and he knew where he was going as he penned in one of his poems, “The Setting Sun.

            Each one of us knows people because our lives have sung in harmony somewhere along life’s way. We know that person for the shared experiences we have. I want you to know my dad because he was more than “Kep.” He was more than that sailor, veteran, grocery, restaurant, and dealership owner. My dad had a good life and in that, I find reason to celebrate. You see, my dad may be gone but he’ll always be close to all of the people he loved because he’s in a good place. After all, he’s just over the hill and around the corner.

Cookies for God

Doug and Katie gave Cookies to God

Cookies for God

is a special short story that I wrote for and about a personal experience with my children, Doug and Katie, when they were young. It is an inspirational account of what we can give to God and how. All parents will want to share this experience with their own child. What a great idea for a Sunday School class as well. Read it and enjoy at Divine Caroline.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s Heeling Autism – vote now

This month, Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s Heeling Autism program is in the running for a $250,000 grant from Pepsi’s Refresh Project. We are currently ranked 7th out of 415 – we need to be in first or second place to receive funding.

Heeling Autism dogs change the lives of children in almost miraculous ways. The dogs elicit social skills and emotions that other therapies may not. They keep children safe so that trips with their families become more enjoyable, and less stressful. Our dogs are provided absolutely free of charge and provide infinite hope in their new homes. Unfortunately, there is a two year waiting list for a Heeling Autism dog.

Can you help us encourage more votes? You can post this link – http://www.refresheverything.com/autismdogsforchildren – to your blog / FB page / etc. Your supporters have the potential to make a huge difference.

Thank you for your consideration; please let me know if you have any questions or if you’d like more information.

Warmest wishes,

Michelle

Michelle Brier

Events and Marketing Manager

Guiding Eyes for the Blind

611 Granite Springs Road

Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

Bringing up Twins with Autism

Bringing up one child with autism was a journey in many ways ~ but two. Read more about this family and admire their love, faith, perseverance, and knowledge. Thank you Sue Hiller for sharing your story about Kara and Jenna. The twins are special and so are YOU.

Drumming for Autism

Treatment Right on Beat ~ this article reminded so very much of our own family’s experience with our son. Doug took drum lessons for many years. It offered him following directions, one-on-on as well as group activities, rhythm – that gave him patterning for his brain and flow of speech and as well as balance. Drums also helped with focus, attending, and hand-eye coordination.

Doug made many friendships because of playing an instrument and being a member of the band. He was in the Chaparral High School Band as well as the Star of Nevada Marching Band at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Be sure to read my story in the Story Shelf called “A Walk by Faith,” about that experience.

You go, Tyler and Jim, U R Right on Beat!

 

Life with McDuff

My writing friend, Judy McFadden, a member of the Henderson Writer’s Group, self-published her book Life with McDuff. She has had wonderful success and I congratulate her. Judy won the Angel Animal Network Contest  AND McDuff is also being written as a Hollywood screenplay.  Mc Duff will be right up with the ranks of Lassie and Rin-Tin-Tin. (Am I dating myself?)

“McDuff taught unconditional love, forgiveness, looking beyond appearances, nonresistance, and being of service to others.  And, he didn’t stop – even after death.”

CONGRATULATIONS JUDY!

20th Anniversary of ADA

Autism Speaks was on hand to witness President Obama commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act at the White House.

The ADA was significant to our family in the past as we litigated under it for our son’s rights. WE WON!

As parents of children and adults with autism, we must and shall always stand up for what is right ~ we will WIN.

Laughter in Life

Laughter is sooooo important for every aspect of our lives. I want you to follow my On the Road with Humpty Dumpty blog to see just how wise he is about laughter. There you will find a list of all of the wonderful things that laugter does for us.

Yes, if you have a child with autism, it is often hard to find a moment of laughter some days ~ but those moments are there.

Yes, if you have a disease, it isn’t always easy to laugh ~ but it will help.

Yes, if you are depressed and can’t determine what decision to make ~ laughter will be on your side.

Mark Twain wrote: Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.

Now do yourself a favor and see what Humpty Dumpty has to say about laughter in post #107 and become a follower of this very wise little man.