School Year Kids/Teens 09-10 - Session 4

Hi, Parents:

We had twelve kids tonight, and did sort of a holiday theme. They came in, and we talked about the LUNCH Points program. I showed them what parents need to do, and how the kids can earn raffle tickets when their parents fill them out. They were also reminded that they each have a “secret behavior” that, when they do it, will get them bonus raffle tickets. They were reminded that their parents are not supposed to ask them what the behavior is. So, it is their responsibility to tell their parents what the behaviors are. Parent are you listening? Don’t ask, please. We also spent time talking about what would happen in January; particularly the first parent meeting / raffle for the kids, followed by laser tag at the second meeting in January. They were uniformly excited about this.

At the start of group, the kids watched a short movie, which I took with permission with a new child, “N,” who will be joining the group in January.

The star of the show tonight turned out to be Sophie (the Samoyed). She hadn’t made an appearance in group since the summer, and some of the kids were struck by how much she had grown. Others simply were seeing her for the first time. I was surprised at how calm she was being around all the kids. She simply walked around, and, for the few kids who did not want her to come up, she did not; she just ignored them and walked right by. For other kids who wanted her to spend more time with them, she did her “standing up hug,” but also immediately got down when asked. So, that was nice to see. She remained quite calm given the circumstances.

We went to dinner early tonight. Dinner was at Tony Roma’s. We left shortly after 5:00. It was a good thing, because Tony Roma’s always manages to take longer than I anticipate, even when I anticipate. We finished up at Tony Roma’s at about 6:25, leaving us just enough time to come back to the office, where the kids watched a couple of animations.

If you have any questions about the LUNCH Points program, please view the video tutorial, send an email, or contact us and we will walk you through it over the phone. The behavior bonuses will start shortly. As long as you fill it out at least once or twice a week, that will be plenty.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, and I look forward to seeing you in January, 2010.

--Bruce

School Year Kids/Teens 09-10 - Session 3

Hi, Parents:

Tonight can best be described as “action packed.” We had our full group present, including one new group member (new “S”), and the group really rose to the occasion to help him feel comfortable, even though some of his behaviors were not exactly appropriate. He adjusted initially but then became somewhat bored as the other group members were doing animation, working on their projects and enjoying being an audience. However, he came around as the group went on.

We went for Chinese food tonight, and initially some of your kids said they didn’t like Chinese food, but none of them complained about going. (All right, maybe just one or two, but it didn’t last very long.) All of the group members interacted with one another; they were socializing during mealtime; they tried new foods; they respected children who had certain diet restrictions, and most importantly, they simply engaged in conversation.

Prior to dinner, what we did was focus on continuing a project where, in pairs, the kids come up with a joke together, create a comic for that joke that can be anywhere from one to three strip panels, and then read, i.e. narrate, the comic in front of everyone else. We completed three of these tonight, which means that six of the kids had turns to do theirs. As you’ll see when we post that on the web after next group, the majority of the kids are coming up with comics which may or may not be so funny, but some of the kids are coming up with comics that the group absolutely loves. In an exercise like this, it is easy for some moments to be boring for other kids, and working on self-regulation behaviors at these times is very important.

It’s dark now, very dark as we transition, and I have split the group up into two so that there are two counselors monitoring each seven or so kids. It makes the navigation part easier, and, in my opinion, safer. All of the group members are being pedestrian safe; we are not having any challenges in that area.

The thing that we will be focusing on from this point forward is not worrying quite so much about externalizing behaviors, because the majority of kids who exhibit externalizing behaviors are already showing more control and improvement. Instead, we will be focusing more on those internalizing behaviors that are present exclusively in some of your kids, such as shyness, difficulty with conversations and not noticing another person’s feeling state. We will be trying to be more effective in those areas with all of the kids.

Additionally, we started working more on manners tonight; not just eating manners, such as not banging the spoon and fork together or turning the plate upside down, but also working on how you ask for things. Going to Uncle Chen’s is a nice experience because the staff there is very comfortable with the kids, and they are well treated. All in all, a very nice evening; a very busy evening for the counselors and myself. We will be doing audio progress notes after the next group, so towards the end of December you will see you first audio progress notes for the kids. As a reminder, there will be parent meetings in the office the first week in January. More to come about that.

Thanks very much, and happy holidays. -- Bruce

School Year Kids/Teens 09-10 - Session 2

We had a total of nine kids tonight. The numbers were a little smaller because we had to move the meeting night and also because a couple kids were sick. The group really is settling in very nicely and very quickly. For today’s project, they met in small groups with the counselors and practiced joke telling with one another. They then came into the larger room, and, two at a time, had an opportunity to tell me what the joke was. The joke was then transferred into a comic strip, and at the next meeting, everyone will have a chance to narrate it.

One of the things that is really nice to see is how the kids are really beginning to talk with one another, and some of the kids who were quieter at the first session are now starting to be more outgoing. We are also starting to see a little bit more misbehavior such as kids slumping or sitting sideways in chairs, but that is at a very manageable level.

One of the things that is coming up for many of the kids is manners, such as using their forks properly, knowing how to cut with a knife and trying new foods. Tonight’s foods to try were raw mushrooms and raw broccoli. The kids were told that they could earn a hero ticket for any child who tried these for the first time. Several of them partook in trying out the new foods.

Overall, the tone of the group was relaxed and organized. They crossed the street safely and stayed together as a group. No serious misbehaviors were noted.

There will be a parent teleconference (which will probably have already occurred by the time you read this) tonight; mostly for new parents. Our first parent dinner for both teen and kid parents will be the first Tuesday in December (December 1). The location will be announced in the next week.

The dinner ended uneventfully. However one thing that was interesting to note was the some of the kids became a little bit restless, while other kids were getting a second wind and finishing more of their meals, with many of them continuing to try new vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms and spinach. They crossed safely but became a little bit restless as they were coming back. We had a chance to implement some of our safety procedures, such as staying away from the curb while walking, standing six feet away while standing at a corner, So, all in all, an enjoyable, uneventful evening. -- Bruce

School Year Kids/Teens 09-10 - Session 1

Hi Parents!

Today was our first session for the 2009-2010 School Year Program. We had twelve out of thirteen kids attending. We have a total of four paraprofessional counselors. Some of you may remember Stacy, she worked last School Year. Carli worked during the summer program. We have a returning counselor, Linda and a brand-new counselor, Cyndi. Linda has her Master's in Psychology and Cyndi has been working in Special Ed for the past four years.

Back to the kids. Those who were returning seemed excited to be back, and many of them immediately recognized and said "hi" to one another. It was impressive to see how many of them have grown so much since May, and in one or two cases, even since the summer.

After they were dropped off by parents, we did something brand new. After saying their "goodbyes," we headed into Gelson’s market. The purpose of this was to give them an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the market, but also to help introduce them to quick group decision making. They quickly went past the deli, and some of them wanted some BBQ pizza, so we took one slice and cut it up into appetizer-sized portions. We selected some apples and also a bag of healthier-style popcorn. You would think that getting apples would be simple, but one of the children became a bit upset at the idea that the apples we were getting were not the kind he liked. He handled this disappointment. This is the kind of opportunity that often comes up in group, and we just try to normalize the experience for the kids.

After finishing up at the market, which went smoothly, alumni members each carried back one grocery item to the office, and we settled into the waiting room, where kids quickly looked at magazines. I spoke with them about what would be happening in group and had them go around and learn each other’s names. We then transitioned into the main room, where they were served their snacks, and then we did a Powerpoint together.

The purpose of the PowerPoint (actually Keynote) was for them to begin a simple group exercise where they take turns selecting their nicknames, identifying something they wish to earn during group for the raffles, then specify at least one behavior they wish to work on outside of group.

This took about 45 minutes and all of the kids had a chance to participate. We also watched a couple of animations, then headed off for dinner, tonight was Baja Fresh. Some of the kids were enthusiastic, others balked slightly, but everyone managed to get something to eat and visited with others.

The evening ended uneventfully and all of the kids looked as though they enjoyed themselves.

I have to be in New York the week of our next meeting, so we have changed the time to Tuesday, 11/10. This is a one-time situation. Otherwise, we should be meeting on the first and third Wed of each month. Also, the first Parent Telemeeting is scheduled for Tuesday 11/10, at 8pm. It's mostly for new families, but all are invited. You will each receive invitation links.

See you next time!

Bruce

Summer Session 09 - 12

Today the kids went to the park and played for a period they been earning many more tickets than before for a range of prosocial behaviors. For example when we went for snack, those kids who chose fruits or other healthy snacks earned' Blue Tickets. For kids who typically never try fruit or other healthy items, they earned red Hero Tickets. After snack they came back and some of them were able to play the Wii after we reviewed their lunch point certificates. One child's parent forgot her LUNCH Points certificate and wanted to know if it would be all right to go back home and retrieve them. As we've discussed, this is a child responsibility. This really is much less about your child earning time on videogame or prize and more about helping them remember to do things that they feel are important. This can easily translate to homework and other types of important tasks were remembering something is crucial. If you help them very little or will take place. Instead they will continue to be dependent upon you to "save the date."

Some of the kids came in to work on animation. We continued working on our original cartoon and he began adding sound effects to it, with different kids taking turns. The reason we work on animation is less about the technology itself and more about paying attention, being able to follow requests the first time, alternating between doing things individually, in pairs, and as a large group on cue without additional prompting reminders. It also involves language tasks such as story generation, following a topic, controlling silliness and other relevant areas.

It is now time for lunch and today we plan to go to a Japanese restaurant, Octopus. We help those who needed assistance order their food and find something more to eat than "just rice." Many of the kids either ordered plain chicken, but a few brave ones either had sushi, California rolls, some tried tempura and other combinations. Perhaps our most challenging situation was the child who only wanted ketchup.

[Sorry... incomplete blog entry]

Summer Session 09 - 11

Kid blog entry-Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Today was a community outing day. We started off in the office for about an hour and worked on creating PowerPoint type animation (actually Keynote) by adding pictures drawn by one of the group members combined with jokes told by pairs of group members. The kids also had a chance to play the Wii (about seven of them) and we held two raffles. The first was a Hero Ticket raffle and we gave away eight prizes. Aside from the fact that the raffle is an enjoyable opportunity to win prizes, it also allows us to work on feelings of disappointment and monitoring, when there is no motivation. What I mean by the last part is that the the kids are expected to continue monitoring their tickets and numbers to see if they won, even after they may have won a prize. This helps the raffle process move along smoothly.

Around 10:35 AM we went out to catch a bus and headed off for an early lunch, arriving around 11:10 AM. Today we ate at Hamburger Hamlet and nearly all of the kids ordered lunches, mostly their mini burgers. There's quite a bit of socializing which is always nice to see. I made a special point of talking to the kids about eating more slowly because some of them have a tendency to consume their meals fairly quickly. Afterwards we headed off to Ultrasound for two games of laser tag. All of the kids commented that they had been looking forward to this and seemed to enjoy themselves. We came back on 1:45 PM bus arriving back to the office at approximately 2:05 PM. This allow just enough time for the kids to collect their items and also for us to have two lunch points raffles.

There were very few behavior problems occurring today. One child, "J," became fearful at the start of laser tag as he had when we went previously. He did not become upset initially, but rather after he asked me to "stay right by my side," and I reminded him that I promised that I would keep them safe while he was in there. It was at this point that he became upset in insisting that someone had to be right next to him. I felt that reinforcing that behavior, especially when he had enjoyed himself immensely the previous time after he had come down from becoming upset, would be taking a step backwards. He then approached another staff and made the same request. It was interesting to watch that after he entered the room, within one minute he was off running around playing laser tag with other kids and had completely lost interest in me. (Clearly, my presence wasn't as important as it initially indicated). I think it's important to recognize that many times kids become fearful and while it is important to provide reassurance, is also helpful to recognize that this can be a learning opportunity to teach them what is safe versus unsafe. A child who is acting as though an environment is unsafe is likely to maintain dependency upon others and, left unchecked, these behaviors can easily carry into adolescence or even adulthood.

The second problem involves one of the children, "J," who had forgotten to bring a replacement plan for the one that he had broken purposely on Monday. I asked him to describe to the group what the problem was asked for their input. Several members felt that he should not be able to participate in any activities today, clearly a much harsher consequence than I would have ever considered. We decided then he would have an opportunity to participate in the raffle today, provided he agreed to bring in to replacement pens on Friday. He was reminded that this was his responsibility, not his parents and the pens did not have to be new, just in working order. Later in the day, as we were waiting for the bus return home, another child picked up a penny that had been lying in the dirt, mixed in with trash. I instructed that child to put it back down. Moments later, "J" took the opportunity to pick up the penny that that child had put back. I informed him that the penny had now become his reward rather than the opportunity to participate in the final LUNCH Points raffle today. Situations like that are difficult, because when you have a child who is seeking negative attention, as "J" did at different points throughout the day, consequences are rarely an effective solution. Rather, prosocial teaching opportunities are preferred. Since however, we were at the end of the day, and "J" has also encountered trouble at lunchtime purposely burping and earlier purposely making "farting sounds," it seemed appropriate to use at least some kind of limited consequence. This also brings up one of the potential disadvantages of a short-term program. Since "J" has only recently escalated his frequency of these negative attention-getting behaviors, there is an insufficient amount of time left in the program to work on that more effectively. It generally makes sense not to make too big a deal or focus too much on negative behaviors especially at the end of the group program, but rather to leave it for another opportunity, whether it is through our program or elsewhere.

In general the group appeared positive and enthusiastic and several of the kids continue to ask what we would be doing Friday which we told them we would explain on Friday. That's it for today.

Summer Session 09 - 10

Kid blog entry-Monday, July 27, 2009

This begins our last week of the intensive summer program for kids. Today is mostly an in office day because, on Wednesday, we will be headed off to laser tag for a second time. Friday is mostly a “wrap up” day. We will have completed all of our raffles earlier in the week and we mostly spend the day on “end of group” activities. Sometimes the kids have emotional reactions to group closure and I have found that staying close to the office, with the exception of having lunch nearby, seems to be most productive.

Today’s session included working on a new type of animation where the entire group had an opportunity to participate. It will be posted later this week because there are some publishing tricks I need to perform to get it up on the web. Most of the kids did find today, except three had increased levels of externalizing behaviors.

We started the day off by serving breakfast to your kids. I had announced this at the parent meeting the previous Friday and most of the families knew about this. It should also have been posted on our calendar and I’m sorry that I neglected to do that. In any case we served them pancakes (yes I made them from scratch at home the night before and refrigerated them), bananas and blueberries, turkey bacon, dry cereal, and orange juice. One child does not eat dairy and so, for him, I made a special nondairy version of the pancakes (surprisingly good!). I’ve never seen 40 pancakes disappear so quickly as they did into the mouths of your children. What was especially nice was that we saw a level of conversational interaction that simply normally is never seen early in the morning when they first arrive.

After breakfast we began our Hollywood High animation project. Initially, some of the kids were out in the waiting room playing the Wii, having earned them through their LUNCH Points. The others remained in the training room and I demonstrated how this new type of animation works. Actually, it’s a very old program that will not run on Windows Vista and will not run on the new version of Mac OS. Despite that, it is a quick and robust method for having your kids pay attention to story lines, conversations, emotional expressions, and simply being creative. The story that developed turned into a classroom teacher who speaks with an unidentified individual as the two of them relate what they did during the summer. It’s a bit silly, but it held your kids’ attention for nearly 2 hours during the day today as they put it together, working on it before and then finishing it up after lunch. I especially liked the fact that we were able to have two kids generate entirely different endings for the story, and the group was able to blend them together to create one integrated ending.

Lunch today occurred at Chipotle, and nearby Mexican restaurant. Your kids learned a valuable skill today, unintentionally. Apparently the question, “is it spicy?” Is important to ask. Some of the main entrées are not spicy while others are. One of the things I like best about this particular restaurant is that they have an area, which for our group, turns into a “conversational pit.” Watching your kids just having a bite to eat and sitting around talking with one another is extremely rewarding.

After lunch we finished up the animation, made chocolate dairy and nondairy milkshakes for the kids, and had our final Blue Ticket raffle, and called it a day.

I did mention that there were problems with three kids. One child, “J,” had started off having a rough day and chose to express himself by purposely breaking our sign-in pen. when he was asked about this, "J" said that he had been angry. I acknowledged his feelings and explained that being angry did not give him the right to damage our property. Initially he seemed to have little interest in trying to resolve this and made little eye contact, something that is not uncommon for children who have just behaved in an oppositional or defiant manner. I told him that the pen which he had broken had now become his reward since he didn't appear to have any interest in discussing the matter further. He looked somewhat surprised, and asked him if he cared about receiving that is the reward as opposed to participating in the upcoming Blue Ticket raffle, which would be held later in the day. He indicated that he "didn't care" and I said that that was fine and just keep the pen and return to group. Parents and others often assume that when a child says "I don't care" they actually mean it. I've found that it's best to us than they really do care but not to confront them at that point in time. In the case of "J," my plans to let him sit with this information for a few hours until the time of the raffle and then to reapproach him. In fact, later when it was time for the raffle and I informed him that currently has reward was the broken pen and once again asked "do you care?" I received a different reply. This time "J" said "I do care." Obviously the pen itself was irrelevant and this was much more about the level of antisocial behavior that needed to be addressed. The plan that we came up with was that "J" would take responsibility for bringing in a replacement pen on Wednesday in return for participating in today's raffle. Those of you out there who are strict behaviorists probably feel that I have things a little backwards. However for me to behavior that I was rewarding was a child's acknowledgment that they had done something that was unacceptable and I felt the "J's" statement to this effect was significant.

The second child, another "J" had a meltdown in the morning, after staff asked him to place his toys that had been in his pocket and found their way onto the desk, in the adjoining office. He became inconsolable over these two pieces of plastic and, when I could not calm him down in the office, I took him outside. He began making negative statements saying that he did not deserve to be in group and he did not deserve to participate in the raffle. I had made no mention of taking any of these things away from him and chose to verbally punish him for making these negative statements. Early on in group when he was making frequent negative statements I initially tried to be supportive, which caused the frequency and intensity of them to skyrocket. Ignoring the statements does not appear to work as they have a self reinforcing quality. Verbal punishment has been effective in creating "teachable moments" and providing an opportunity for him to say something more positive and/or neutral about himself or the situation. This one did not resolve as easily as previous ones and it was necessary to give him an actual "timeout," Something I almost never do. I had a counselor remain with him and placed him in a seated position outside that, while not uncomfortable, did not provide him with additional reinforcement. They were both instructed that, when he was calm enough to return, he was welcome to come back into the group. After approximately 10 minutes when he did not comment down, I let him know that we were about to do "a surprise" and I was sorry he was probably going to miss it because he was so agitated. At that point "J" began screaming "I don't want to miss the surprise." I reminded him that the only way he would have access to the surprise was to be calm and in control of his emotions. Within two minutes he had completely calmed down and was able to return to the program. He participated without incident for the rest of the day.

The third child, "A," had his meltdown during lunchtime just as we were about to order. As with the second "J," I was unable to calm him down quickly in the restaurant environment as I had on previous occasions. I asked him to go outside and he refused. At this point I picked him up and carried him outside, something that he did not like but my purpose was to quickly move him into a different environment so he could begin the process of calming down and begin collecting himself. Because he was outside closed to traffic I lightly held his wrist. He did not want this to occur and began to struggle and I explained to him that it was not an option to have me not holding his wrist as long as he was agitated and outside near traffic. I explained to him that I was worried about him and wanted him to calm down and, once he regained control, he was welcome to return and join the group as well's order his lunch. within a couple of minutes he calmed down and was able to return to the restaurant. It almost went smoothly after that, however he was ordering his food in a way that bordered on "ordering around" the staff behind the counter. We use positive practice, which he found mildly frustrating but complied, to have him order in a way that was more respectful.

The rest of the day went smoothly and, as I alluded to earlier, we did a Blue Ticket raffle, where each of the kids had an opportunity to win a prize. That pretty much covers today.

Summer Session 09

Hi Parents,

No, you didn't miss a previous blog, I'm just a little behind in trying to catch up. This recounts what we did on Wednesday, when we had a great time on a community outing. We took the bus to Sherman Oaks and spent time at Ultra Zone, where the kids played two games of laser tag. Because our scheduled time wasn't until noon, we had an early lunch at In and Out Burger. All of the kids found something he, with one essentially having the burger equivalent of a grilled cheese sandwich. A couple of kids had wanted to find "healthier alternatives," and we offered to take them to a nearby minimart. But, when he came down to it they opted for burgers as well.

One of the reasons for taking your kids to laser tag is because there will be many birthday party opportunities coming up that will likely involve this particular activity. Additionally, it provides us with an opportunity to help your children work on behavioral and emotional control in a situation that, for some is overstimulating, and for others is unpleasant. One child in particular, "J," was terrified of going in. This is always a tough clinical decision for me because I never want to force a child to do something but, at the same time, I also don't want to miss an opportunity to help them cope more effectively with phobic-level fears. In the case of J, I made a decision that I would require him to go in for just a few minutes. Easier said than done. He screamed, he protested, you would have thought that I was torturing him. This behavior lasted approximately 3 minutes. Then he calmed down, began to search for other kids to shoot with his laser (by the way they are not lasers and the lights cannot harm the children; they are infrared beams which is the same kind used on remote control devices). J stayed near me, which was just fine. By the second game, he began to separate from me and was playing on his own with other kids. This is an example of one of the positive benefits of using the controlled environment setting we have within the LUNCH Groups program.

The rest of the kids enjoyed themselves thoroughly, except for one girl "E," who was having a very hard time. She misperceived other children pointing their lasers at her and became angry when this occurred. I had assigned one of the counselors to remain close to her and she and the counselor stayed together throughout the laser tag experience. During the first game we asked her to wear a vest, in the hopes that she would desensitize. However, when it became apparent that that was not a good strategy, during the second game we just asked her to walk around, not wearing a vest. This worked better.

The bus ride to and from was uneventful and your kids were well behaved, in fact the bus driver spontaneously commented how much better behaved they were than most of the riders he encountered.

All in all, a long, tiring, and fun time for all.

Bruce

Summer Session 09 - 5

Today was laser tag! We started off in the office and worked just to talk a bit and review what would occur. The original plan had been to head off to laser tag in Sherman Oaks then have lunch at Hamburger Hamlet. As it turned out, they preferred In N' Out nearby, so we had one laser tag game, went to lunch, then returned for a second game. It all went extremely smoothly and they appeared to have good time. Going to laser tag represent a highly stimulating experience for some and can be a bit frightening for others. None of the kids had a significant challenge and no one seemed bothered by the noises, dark environment, or flashing lights.

Lunch went smoothly. Juggling orders for 14 teens would seem a challenge, but the group cooperated so well together that it went very smoothly. In the early sessions, I had the counselor interspersed with the kids. But now, they sit on the side or at the end and just "rabbit punch prompt" as needed. This form of prompting (my term for it) means they go over, facilitate the opportunity for a desired behavior to occur, then get out of the way. Same for reinforcement, which is typically social praise or in the form of a ticket (we just tell them and check it off on our clipboard when we're out of the office.)

The bus ride to and from went smoothly as well. Nearly all of the kids were socializing and, even though a couple had never ridden a public bus before and expressed some trepidation, no problems arose. The wait for the bus on the way back (came right away on the way there) was considerably, perhaps 20 minutes, and some of the teens showed more signs of impatience, which addressed with them. Upon returning to the office, there was just enough time for them to get water and head out for the pickup.

Definitely a busy, hectic, fun day!

Bruce

Summer Session 09 - 4

Today was "Park Day." We started off by purchasing snacks at Gelsons for them to take to a local park. After a short stop in the office to pick up supplies (Frisbee, horseshoes, badminton rackets, soccer ball) we took a 10 minute walk to Libbitt Park, just north of Ventura Blvd. Except for 1-2 kids, all of them engaged in a variety of physical play activities, which they mostly structured themselves. I worked with them on a little bit of soccer (my years of soccer coaching paid off) and on how to throw Frisbees (it's all in the wrist action, you know!).

Lunch occurred at California Pizza Kitchen and went extremely smoothly. Just to make you aware, whenever a child needs to use the restroom (that seems to happen a lot), I go in and make certain the environment is safe. Depending, I either wait if other adults are present, or wait outside if your child is the only one there. The counselors do the same for the girls in the group.

At this point, we're looking for quick decision-making when ordering, compromising, and social interaction. Most of the kids had "kid's meals" and I supplemented by ordering a couple of extra pizzas and a full salad, which a couple of kids earn Hero Tickets for trying.

We came back after lunch and conducted our first "blue ticket" raffle. Everyone wins in this one, however there are limitations on the number of certain prizes (e.g., Slinkys) so those who win earlier have more choices. The process of "winning" is an exercise in itself. The kids receive color-coded strips with all of the tickets sorted in numerical order. This makes it much easier than poking through a pile of tickets to see if they won. We call out the last 3 digits of the number, and paying attention certainly matters. We give extra attention to those kids who might have any learning challenges to help guide them through what to do. Once they win, they either go into the other room where a counselor is seated with prizes on the desk. Or, if another child is already in there, they wait in the magazine room until it is their turn. Interestingly, if a child becomes too absorbed in their magazine, they might miss their turn as another child goes in. We allow this to occur, then remind them to pay attention to when it is their turn.

Once in the room, they can ask questions about the different prizes (robot spiders, slinkys, gift cards for $10 to different stores, etc) and can choose 2 small prizes or 1 bigger one. Acknowledging the counselor's "Congratulations!" is important. We're not so concerned with what they say, just that it be context-relevant and that they show some body orientation toward the counselor as they respond.

The LUNCH Points program is now up and running. Consult the web site, http://www.lunchgroups.com, or email me if you have any questions.

Bruce

Summer Session 09 - 3

The kids are starting to show more group cohesion and we've been able to successfully work with the majority of those who display oppositional or less/non-compliant behavior. Typically Positive Practice is the method we use. This is where we have them "back up the the tape" of what they just did and demonstrate the behavior in a more positive way. We also make use of both the "blue tickets" and "hero tickets." Blue tickets are given whenever a child exhibits a positive behavior that we want to see occur more often. Hero tickets are given for behaviors that require more motivation and effort.

As for group today, it was certainly a bit hectic, but there was quite a bit going on. We started off by shopping at Gelsons for frozen fruit to make our own smoothies (I purchased a high powered blender to do the job). Practically all of them them tried it and they generally gave it a "thumbs up" (frozen strawberries, mango, apple juice, and little orange sherbet). Lunch slightly delayed to coincide with the parent meeting from 1:15pm-2:15pm. The kids worked on more of their first project, creating voices. They also watched a cartoon about negotiating, which I will be discussing with them at a future date (two aliens try to change colors on Earth then compromise).

The parent meeting was audio-recorded and a link will be sent to families next week to access it. We mostly covered what strategies parents need to employ to support the program and plan for generalization of gains. Major areas included: types of consequences used, an explanation of how to prompt and remind kids, use of social rather than tangible reinforcement, and avoiding any "promises for being good in group." We also reviewed the LUNCH Points program, which is our home/community behavior generalization system and this will go live over the weekend.

While the parents met, the kids were outside with four counselors (Rina provided backup) eating what they had purchased at Gelsons then played games, before coming inside for more activities. The only disruption, ironically, where the kids who were not part of group who accompanied their parents and waited in the waiting room during the meeting. It's hard to juggle and, that proved to be one additional distraction, but overall, we were able to cover what we needed.

There will be a parent dinner for both groups next Tuesday and another parent meeting, just for the Kids' Group in two weeks. Consult the calendar. Teleconferences have not presently been scheduled, but if you wish to review how to use the web site or need assistance with other technology, email us and I will set one up.

Have a great weekend!

Bruce

Summer Session 09 - 2

Our second meeting went extremely well, especially considering that two children were having some personal matters ongoing that could have easily impacted their emotional functioning. As it turned out, both participated and we made special provisions to make some individual time available as needed. Today involved the kids working on their first project (click on "Current Projects" under our "Group Project" page) and taking a walk to Michael Jackson's parents' house, which is just up the street from my office.

As it turned out, it was a good time to go because they were in the process of taking down the blockade which has been diverting traffic since he passed away. The kids had been asking about this since the first group, since they were able to see people walking up and down the street. We stopped in for a quick "walking snack" at Gelsons; most of them selected fruit (which the produce staff kindly washed for them). Next, they walked the long block up from Ventura to the house. After they read the signs and saw what was there, they met with a news reporter who spoke to them a little about her job and posed for pictures with them. (Not my idea, the group asked her and she graciously obliged). We will print out pictures of those who participated.

About the only thing that has come up which is really minor overall is that, we have one child who speaks very negatively about himself and I'm searching for the proper intervention to help with that. And, we have another child who displays behaviors at times that stand out or make him appear unusual and we're figuring out the best way to address that. Otherwise the group is showing cohesion, interest and doing quite well.

They are showing excellent ability to be organized and work on emotional control. Many of the kids are earning hero tickets because they are interested in trying new activities. We will be talking more about the LUNCH points program, which is designed to facilitate home and community behavior generalization.

The drop-off today was smooth. Thanks parents! All of the kids were picked up within just a few minutes of the planned time. Remember.... Parent Meeting this Friday from 1:15pm-2:15pm in the office.

Summer Session 09 - 1

Hi Parents!

Today we had 14 kids come for the first summer session. I have to tell you.... they were simply GREAT! Usually group members do not follow directions this well until a few sessions into the program, but not your kids. Since it's the first day, we're getting to know them all and they're getting to know each other.

The day began with them learning each others' names, followed by them choosing nicknames, talked about different restaurants they liked, and different kinds of prizes they wanted to earn in the upcoming raffles.

We also went to Gelsons for our snack around 10:20am and stayed there for 1/2 hour. Returning to the office, we took a poll about healthy and less healthy snacks. You will seeing more about this in a future blog. Before we knew it, lunch time rolled around and the group chose to go to Numero Uno, a 3 minute walk. It was at the restaurant we encountered some of our first problems (very mild though). Some kids couldn't make a food choice, some spilled their drinks, and others used the bathroom frequently. One child pinched and briefly went to a different table, then returned after what"seemed like 20 seconds" (so he said, but really it was closer to five minutes). Most of them used "please and thank you" spontaneously and, in general, the three other counselors rated their behavior as "good."

We returned and they helped me write this entry (won't be doing that everytime!) and we talked about what kinds things they were willing to change to earn even more tickets, both in group and outside of group. It was a little boring for them, until we began talking about where they wish to go for the community outings and what behaviors they wished to change. One of the counselors gave me feedback that she thought it may have caused a loss of momentum (spent about 20 minutes) and I think she was right. My interest and intention was to see how well they recalled details as a group and, to this end, it was a useful exercise for me.

The day ended reasonably uneventfully, although a few things occurred that are worth mentioning. First, a couple of the group members, who had been stable and essentially "fine" throughout the day, became a bit emotional. My strategy for that is to try to help them get back into control pretty quickly, and both did, taking less than 4 minutes for each.

The other thing that occurred had to do with parent pickups. It really helps us if parents are either waiting at the white metal barrier at the southwest end of Gelsons. Coming to get your child or motioning for them to come to you makes it hard for us to keep track of everyone and get the necessary parent signouts. So please, help us out on this one!

Looking forward to Wednesday!

Bruce

Final Group Meeting

Tonight was the final meeting... it went very smoothly and quite a bit occurred. We had all of our kids except one, who unfortunately was home with the flu. The meeting began with all of the members going into Gelsons market and shopping for our BBQ. A few kids didn't want the steak or Kosher hot dogs we purchased and were not interested in other alternatives, except "Chicken Tenders." Our rule for the BBQ is that we will purchase side dishes, chips, fruit, and other items, but the food itself needs to be cooked by us. One child later changed his mind and another stuck with peanut butter crackers.

It's always a tough decision... we don't wish to make the BBQ experience unpleasant for any child, but eating something like Chicken Tenders, that they probably order all the time, makes it a different experience, especially because we've already had our "park dinners" and similar outings where that's what they ordered.

In any case, our 12 kids made it successfully through the market, with only one child not being able to figure out what he wanted to drink. We do not permit a child to have large sugary drinks, such as 2.5 servings of Gatorade and this child hadn't been able to decide when all of the other kids were making choices, so he wound up with water. Interestingly, he didn't complain or melt down, which would have likely occurred earlier in the group.

Tables and chairs were set up outside by the Alumni members (yes, I helped) and everyone socialized while dinner was being prepared. We have a new addition to the office, "Sophie." She is a Samoyed, presently 3 1/2 months old. She came to us at nine weeks of age and has been growing steadily, now up to about 25 pounds. I have been socializing her (just praise and mild verbal correction) and it seemed she was ready to go "into action." All of you will receive photos of your kids posing with her. Watching ten of them surround her and interact was truly wonderful... she seemed to be enjoying herself too (and slept very well last night).

They washed up or used "wipies" after playing with her and had dinner. Afterwards, we had a project for them, our "Parent Appreciation Certificates." They wrote out their portions on scratch paper, then copied them information onto the certificates. I don't know if we're getting better at this or you just have great kids (both?), but this went extremely smoothly. Last summer, when we introduced this project, it took double the time I had allotted and a couple of kids were not able to complete it. Not so this time around. Everyone participated enthusiastically, took it seriuosly, and completed it in a timely manner.

Finally, time for dessert. As you know, we usually do not give the kids desserts or treats, except infrequently. We let them shop at the bakery for cupcakes and other single portion items. One child who had a dietary restriction successfully found a non-dairy item to consume (Oreos) and even shared with another child who came late and had missed the shopping portion.

All of the kids received framed photos of themselves, the parent certificates, plus their certificates of achievement for participating in the group. Group members either "attained" Alumni Status or "maintained" it. This means they demonstrated an understanding of group rules and generally followed them, plus, can take on additional responsibilities in subsequent groups, should they return in the future. It's pure social status, but you'd be amazed how it affects kids if they temporarily "lose" their Alumni Status. This hasn't happened recently and the way they gain it back is to display expected prosocial behvaiors.

I think I covered everything. It was an active evening, with few or no problems. It's hard to believe that eight months have gone by so quickly. I will be doing a follow-up blog that shows the results from this year.

Thank you for participating. Have a great summer!

Bruce

Kid Group Session #14

Hi (pant, pant) parents,

That is the sound you hear when your kids have a great time, and wear out us out of shape adults (okay, just me). A truly active, fast-paced night with plenty going on, mostly good, some not so good. But, in the end, all worked out, although not without some challenges.

Group began with the kids shopping at Gelson's for their picnic meal; they bought sushi, macaroni, fruit, chicken strips, edamame, mashed potatoes, and drinks. We had the items packed in multiple bags, just so each child could carry something. The athletic equipment we brought along was horseshoes, a soccer ball, badminton rackets and a birdie, and a Frisbee. The park was about 5 blocks away, just enough for some to complain and for everyone to feel as though they had a bit of a "hike." Once we arrived, some initially refused to participate, but eventually all of them did become involved. There were dogs at the park and they seemed friendly, but it is my policy that we stay away from the dogs, so they remain a distractor for the kids to igore, which they did. We stayed at the park for about an hour, then returned to the office for a raffle.

Because we had so many different things going on with different kids (one started off crying, another had a nose bleed at the park), I wound up switching from my usual positive reinforcement approach to a negative reinforcement approach. It was interesting that this quickly increased motivation, but I didn't feel good about using it. An example of negative reinforcement is as follows: "All kids who are in front of me (I was the middle counselor at the time) in the next minute will earn a blue ticket." Several kids who were lagging behind ran to get in front of me. Of course, it didn't last.... once they received the ticket, they began to straggle behind. (That's the main problem with negative reinforcement; it is only good as long as the "deadline" or other situation to avoid is present. When it disappears, so does the student's motivation to change in most cases). With a few I was able to keep them going with positive reinforcement, primarily social praise, but not all.

In one case, I physically moved a child across the crosswalk by placing my arms under their rib cage and walking quickly with them. This occurred because I had prompted this child numerous times to move more quickly and there was no change in his behavior. Interestingly, the change in his walking and staying with the group lasted for a fairly long time after that. I consider this form of intervention to be "last resort" and somewhat extreme. With one other child who kept screaming at the other children, I also used a restrictive approach, yelling very loudly, "I said 'go.'" as they continued to straggle 20-30 feet behind others while screaming. This too followed less restrictive approaches, including reinforcing small bits of behavior, ignoring minor outbursts, and having other children model behavior, be reinforced, then reinforcing the child for modeling. In this case, after I yelled, the child responded by running and catching up with the others. After that, he was in more control of his behavior, less reactive, and generally more cooperative, even smiling. I think it was effective because 1) it comprised perhaps 1-3% of all group interventions; 2) it is brief; 3) I follow through on what I say I am going to do; 4) once it is over, I am looking for positive behaviors to reward, just as per usual.

In two cases I used "prescribing the symptoms" for children who were upset but wanted to eat. I told them they couldn't eat until they calmed down because it might give them a stomach ache. Each child calmed within 30 seconds and their time was uneventful following.

Ironically, the child who came into group crying stabilized the quickest of any of them. I initially tried talking to this child, which was unsuccessful, then switched to just handing him things (e.g., groceries), praising him for getting in and staying in control, and treating him gently but without special consideration.

All of the kids won a prize and everyone's mood had improved by the time we were mid-way through the park. We tried something different for the raffle tonight: we had our usual ticket strips (see left), but we also handed out "strips of tickets" for the number they earned today. These provided a novel opportunity for them to follow (for some, struggle) with comprehending directions and having to act upon them quickly. They also had to switch "sets" between reading their traditional strips and finding the numbers on the blue tickets. Just having to tear the strips lengthwise so the number groups remained together and asking others for help was a new experience in group for some of the kids. Every eventually did well with this exercise.

All of this serves to highlight the critical necessity of evaluating each child's situation and how they respond to lower level, less restrictive approaches, but not being afraid to using a more restrictive approach temporarily if their behavior appears to warrant it, then monitoring for any positive or negative fallout afterward.

Next meeting will combine a group meeting and a parent meeting in the office during the last hour. We have just two group meetings left. All families who are interested in the Summer program should have already contacted Rina. If you have not, please let her know immediately so she can send you the paperwork. We have begun interviewing new kids whose families are interested and will likely fill up in the next two weeks.

That's it. I'm also doing individual audio progress reporting for each child. You will receive those sometime next week.

Kid Group Session #13

Well, getting close to winding down. There are three group meetings left. Tonight began the process of beginning closure with the kids and helping them to solidify those gains they have made. Of course, when I asked them informally, who was looking forward to group ending and who was not looking forward to that, only one child said he/she was looking forward to the end. Another, who raised their hand, clarified that it was only because "I have a lot going on these days." The others were uniform in that they enjoyed coming, found they were practicing working on social skills, and knowing what to say to make friends.

Four group members had LUNCH Point certificates tonight and wanted to play the Wii together. The others came into the office and we did a group project, showing their web sites to others. I will post a notice once it is completed.

Afterwards, we tried a brand-new restaurant, Chipotle. Everyone found something to eat, even the couple of kids who said they initially did not want anything. We left for the restaurant at 5:40pm, but were pretty much done with dinner by 6:20pm. I asked if there were kids who wished to have fruit for dessert; several raised their hands. We went to Gelsons, where they washed those pieces that required washing. It's interesting how it doesn't really matter what the activity is, focusing on staying in control, decision-making, and staying with the group seem to come up. Some kids asked if they could have coconuts, kiwi, kuquats, and grapefruit (no, to complicated, needs peeling, too large). Despite the fact that we made it clear the fruit was to be consumed after it was purchased, one member wanted to take it home to share. I mention this because we are very clear about the rules and, while sharing is fine, the idea is to make a decision and, in this case, experience the postive consequences (eating it). It was a good exercise and one I'm likely to repeat.

So that's it for this evening. For a couple of kids who became momentarily agitated over needing to use the bathroom, it was nice to see them regain control within a matter of seconds.

Reminder: The next parent meeting is a dinner for both groups, Tuesday April 14th. We're going to keep it going at the same location. Details will be sent to you.

Kid Group Session #12

Hi all,

Tonight was our bowling excursion and eating at Carneys, a real (non-moving) train. We had 12/13 kids show. The first task, getting their bowling shoes, was easy for some, more challenging for others. Just a tip... it helps if your child knows their shoe size (looking inside of their existing shoes wasn't always successful). We set up three lanes, with four kids on each lane. Things went pretty smoothly, some kids did better with bowling strategies than others. My general goal for the group is for them to pick up the ball, pause, look at the pins, walk up, look at the pins, and bowl. Ideally, they will watch how the ball travels, and pay some attention to where it winds up. If things, i.e., their score, works out the way they wanted, can they be excited, but not over the top. Similarly, if the score is less than they expected, can they modulate their level of disappointment. The majority of group members did well with this.

Bowling went slightly more slowly than expected, but not out of hand. I had planned we would eat around 5:40pm, but bowling took longer than expected. We wound up bowling a full game, then about 1/2 of a second game. We had some tortilla chips to tide them over until dinner.

Everyone transitioned to dinner without incident. Bathroom breaks were more organized than when we went for laser tag. When a group member would want to use the bathroom, we would often have them wait just a few minutes so they could go together with others. In any case, we walked down the sidewalk to Carney's. It was a little warm in there, although not crowded when we arrived. A couple of the kids behavior appeared to reflect their discomfort with the warmth and change, but all were able to recover within a few seconds to a few minutes. The ordering process itself, took quite some time, but they all made it through patiently and surprisingly well. Some of the kids waited with their drinks off at a table while other continued to order. Once everyone had ordered, we transitioned outside to picnic style tables. A few of the alumni members brought out every one's food and they engaged in casual conversation, with no further problems or incidents. The majority of them finished eating by 6:40pm, and they horsed around and played until it was time to leave at 6:55pm to walk back for pick up.

So, in all, a good outing, with lots of socialization, emotional control, quick transitions, and only a few disappointments.

Kid Group Session #9

Hi Parents,

Tonight was interesting and, I must say, a little hectic at times. We were not as consistent as usual in responding and I processed through why that might have occurred. Interestingly, in part it was related to many of the students, especially the one who tend to be a bit quieter, opening more more. A lot of positive socializing occurred and it was an active, occasionally overly loud group. No major tantrums, almost reminded me of what a school situation look like.

We began the avatar "joke-telling" project and that went well. Many of your kids had many, many LUNCH Group certificates, some as many as 11 of them. We allowed 8 kids to play the Wii, breaking into teams. In hindsight, I think I made an error in allowing that but I didn't to leave out kids who were really excited to have earned certificates and wanted to play. Next time, I think I'll limit it to four, regardless, and maybe switch off during the group.

Some of the kids, mostly the boys, were, at times, verbally inappropriate with one of the girls and, also, we were not as proactive on that as I would like to have been. I checked in with staff, made some adjustments in how to respond when that happens, and I think we'll be much better prepared if it occurs again. The other girl and one of the boys however "stood up" to this inappropriate behavior. I will address this over the next two sessions in group. The main thing that didn't happen, that I want to occur next time, was having them spend more time practicing positive behaviors right after a problems occurs.

Working on the avatars went very well. I'll show the set up at a parent meeting, because it is difficult to describe. In essence the child has a chance to select the avatar character they wish to become. Next, we calibrate the system by having them "smile," "acti angry," blink their eyes, and "open their mouth." Aside from being a compliance task they never refuse, it helps them focus on their own behavior. Their back is to the TV showing the avatar in motion, so they don't see it until they are done telling their joke. The small "audience" in the room claps together as a way of saying, "action" and cheers the person on after they finish telling the joke. Some of the kids who tend to be quieter were more outgoing today, and that was nice. Additionally, for kids with more attentional problems, it is a useful attentional task.

The kids tolerated a lot of changes tonight as we progressed through the group. Even though some of them showed slight and episodic overreactions, they were short-lived and of extremely mild intensity. Going out to eat went well and there was quite a bit of socializing occurring. ONe of the kids inadvertently wound up with one of the staff's dinner.... that was interesting but worked out in the end.

Next meeting is off to Laser Tag and all of you should have received detailed instructions thins evening.

In two weeks (the night before group) we will again be having Chinese food. Some of you complained about the service, so I visited the restaurant and spoke to them. They are now under new ownership and the person I've known there promised things would be better and back to normal. So we're going to try it again, more info to follow.

So that's it for now. The group is full at this point and we will not be taking on any new students. Feel free to email me if you have questions or comments.

Kid Group Session #8

Hi Parents!

Tonight we welcomed three new group members. One is returning and is considered an "Alumni" member (remember these are group members who previously followed "the rules" and are now expected to be helpful to others). The other two are new, both boys. So, with that, the group is now officially "closed" until May when we conclude. If you are considering our summer program, please contact Rina to let her know. Existing group members are given first priority.

Tonight's meeting involved a "Hero" raffle. Last group was a regular raffle. The big difference is that, in the Hero raffle the prizes are a bit bigger and not everyone wins. As a refresher, we give out Hero Tickets for behaviors that are considered "low probability" or that your child indicates are more difficult for him/her to achieve. So, if your child doesn't eat much at meals, but agrees to try a new food, that can be considered a "Hero Ticket" behavior. They know that they cannot ask for a ticket, but they can earn one also for giving a sincere compliment to another group member. Finally, we modified our LUNCH Points program to randomly award up to three Hero Tickets. All you need to do is log in to report on one of their behavior and, when the certificate is generated, look to see if anything besides a compliment is listed.

Also, we held the parent meeting tonight and attendance was pretty good. I was glad to see that breadth and range of discussion and participation. Next month's meeting will be a a nearby restaurant, most likely the third Tuesday (Feb 17) from 6:30pm - 8:00pm. Rina will be sending out details next week.

Finally, we have our first outing planned for the third Wed group meeting (second meeting of the month), which will be for Laser Tag. We will send you complete directions, but plan to drop off and pick up your child at that location and the nearby restaurant we visit in Sherman Oaks. You will all receive handouts next session, so look out for that.

Things seem to be going smoothly. Please write me if you have any questions, etc.

Kid Group Session #7

Hi Parents,

Tonight was a "regular raffle" night. That means ALL of your kids had a chance to win a prize. The way we do this is Rina converts their tickets to a color-coded strip of paper that shows them how many tickets they earned each session (both regular and "hero" tickets) and puts all of the number in sequential order. We have found that this dramatically speeds the amount of time it take them to determine whether or not they are a "winner." Even though every child does win, the order in which they win affects how many different prizes they are able to choose from. So, the kids who win early on have the greatest number of choices, and it dwindles as more and more prizes are handed out.

By the way, they don't just grab a prize and run. Remember the "N" in LUNCH Groups stands for Negotiating and the "C" stand for Communicating. That means they first wait their turn, politely and patiently, then have an opportunity to enter Rina's office to view the available prizes (she really arranges them quite nicely!). They discuss their possible choices with her, not acting too hastily and not taking too long. We strive for a balanced, positive emotional experience, but without them losing control or acting wild.

Once they complete the "transaction," which also requires that they use appropriate language, eye contact, and voice inflection/modulation, they are expected to say "thank you." Okay, we have to work on that a bit more.... not much thanking going on currently. Earlier in the group, I would prompt them to return and say "thanks," but I was conducting a "probe" to see how much spontaneous generalization was occurring. As I said, we'll work on that.

We had dinner at Gelsons, picnic style outdoors, the kids universally seemed to enjoyed that. I video-taped a fair amount during the session and will plan to show some of it at the upcoming parent meeting next session.

So, that's it for now. Behaviors are showing change on our side.... how about on yours? Remember, you are welcome to email me and provide a list of those behaviors you most wish for us to target. We will find a way to introduce them during the group that does not specifically make your child feel targeted, but allows him/her the opportunity to select one of them to be added to the LUNCH Points program.