Whenever they had a substitute teacher, my students proved that behavior change needs to be intrinsic rather than extrinsic. My practice of hanging onto a checklist of behaviors and attempting to monitor nearly 30 students all day, every weekday, was tiresome. So, I changed tactics. Rather than trying to put a check by little Johnny’sContinue reading “Check Yourself”
Author Archives: Ardella
Pick the Right Preposition
Sixth-grade students will yawn and look at you blankly when you try to teach them that a preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. Even telling students that prepositions help indicate, time, place, or position doesn’t bring too much light into their faces.Continue reading “Pick the Right Preposition”
Are You a Groupie?
Caregivers sometimes go it alone, thinking that no one else understands or that no one else cares. No two situations are alike, but there are similarities in caregiving that can bring people together. Try Googling ‘support groups for caregivers,’ and you will find many options to sort through. Find the group that best meets yourContinue reading “Are You a Groupie?”
Agenda Busters
Life has a way of ignoring your plans. Your agenda for the day sits there, nicely completed, and maybe even color-coded. At the very least, it’s in your head. You know what time you are picking up whom, what time you need to leave the house, and even when you expect to be back. ButContinue reading “Agenda Busters”
Awareness
A recent conversation with a friend whose husband now has Alzheimer’s reminded me that caring for someone with this disease is like trying to navigate unchartered waters. Since June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, I encourage you to visit the Alzheimer’s Association website at https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/stages (or send a friend there) for information on the stages of Alzheimer’s.Continue reading “Awareness”
Limit Options to Lessen Frustration
When my son was young, I would periodically take him to an ice cream shop whose specialty was its 21 flavors. After he had spent a lengthy amount of time looking at all the options, he would select vanilla. It drove me crazy! But come to think of it, I always selected the one flavorContinue reading “Limit Options to Lessen Frustration”
Whose Hands?
We all know the commercial that ends with, “You’re in good hands with___.” I remember a time when I must have thought my name went in that blank. My mother had gone from eating everything on her plate to eventually barely eating or drinking anything at all. I had been trying everything I knew toContinue reading “Whose Hands?”
When You Don’t Have The Mind
I recently read an article that encouraged people to focus on what they can do rather than give in to what they can’t do. That may sound reasonable, but the truth is, there are just some things we don’t even want to do. The first time I had to take care of my mother’s personalContinue reading “When You Don’t Have The Mind”
Connecting With Old Friends
As a busy caregiver, you may feel as though you don’t have the time to connect with old friends. But this consideration is not just for you, but for your loved one. Is it possible to connect them with an old friend? One Sunday afternoon I followed an unction to take Mom’s friend, Mrs. Foster,Continue reading “Connecting With Old Friends”
A Tip Worth Following
As a caregiver, I wasn’t aware of all the financial options I had as a taxpayer. This is information well worth knowing. When you have time, check out the article AARP publishes “Important IRS Tax Tips for Family Caregivers” at http://www.aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal/info-2017/tax-tips-family-caregivers.html
