Autism Treatment Center of America Forum

[SimonaSchoemetzi]

Hi there,

I came back from the Portugal Start-Up with really big 3Es!
Though they tend to fade a little bit I really want to keep a hold on them.

Now, we have two babysitters who are willing to be trained. Allthough one of them is going to leave in February.
But what do I do with my kiddywinkle while I'm talking and giving feddback to them?
Is it okay if she is with us and listening? Or would it be better if she doesn't know what we are talking about?

I'm not sure, how to get this organized, since there won't be anyone available for the playroom during this time. Any Ideas? How have others started?

Love,
Tanja

[BeckyDamgaard]

Hi Tanja,

We are so excited that you enjoyed The Son-Rise Program® Start-Up and are starting to train some people to work with Irina!

My suggestion is to train the two babysitters together to start with. For example: Babysitter A goes in the playroom for 15 minutes while you and babysitter B observe and you can take notes. Then babysitter B goes in the playroom for 15 minutes and you take notes. Then you send babysitter A back in the playroom and give babysitter B 15 minutes of feedback (based on the notes you took). Then send her back in the playroom and give babysitter B 15 minutes of feedback. If you want you can then do the whole thing again to see if they implemented your feedback when you sent them back in. That would mean they were both their for the whole 2 hours. Try that again the next day they come until they are getting the basics - bonding through acceptance (Joining, Giving control, celebrating, 3 E's).

Once you feel they have a good understanding of bonding through acceptance (might take 3 or 4 weeks, depending on how much time they are going to do each week), then you can schedule them to have back to back sessions (e.g. babysitter A goes in for one hour and you observe for 15 minutes, babysitter B goes in for one hour and you give feedback to babysitter A. You observe babysitter B, babysitter B goes home. You then give feedback to babysitter B later on the phone. OR
you can set Irina up with drawing or reading a book i the playroom (or something else that she can do on her own) and give the feedback then.

Work your way up to them both doing 2 hour sessions back to back. Once they are better trained you only need to watch them and give feedback once per week.

I hope this makes sense to you!

Becky Damgaard
Son-Rise Program® Teacher

[SimonaSchoemetzi]

Hi Becky,

thanks a lot!! This makes perfect sense!
The only problem left now, is, that babysitter A is only staying until February and babysitter B anounced today, that she might be working full time after this month and, in that case, wouldn't come any more.
So, first thing to do now, is find new volunteers - and then get them trained!

Thank you!
Tanja