About our photo's

This section will be updated according to our photo's in the left hand menu, so you can understand why they are important to us or to Matthew in particular.

I like peace and quiet.
All children need their own space, just as Mum or Dad do. However some people have more need for personal space where others are the extreme, being party animals, socialites etc. or cannot bear being alone for long periods. When we go for a walk, it's not that Matthew does not appreciate our company, it's more that he has a "need" for his own space. Some children hold hands and don't ever let go or wander far, others walk at arms length beside you, Asperger children will occasionally be like either of these but in general they tend to "Explore" their surroundings by running, climbing, jumping, poking or anything else they see interesting. A trip to the beach and sand dunes is an ideal, structured way to allow this while you walk a relaxed pace. Woodlands can be just as effective.

Mum & Sister
Not forgetting Dad. Don't forget that Asperger's affects the whole family, not just the person suffering. This can also include Grandparent, Aunts, Uncles and Family Friends. They all need to understand the atmosphere of your environment or the effect it can have on theirs when you visit them. Brothers or Sisters in school can be affected by their sibling's issues as much as the Asperger child them self. Whitnessing bullying, being tormented about their sibling or even being asked to support the child or staff at times to understand things. At home, they have to understand each others need for space just like any other family, but this can be a little more trying at times. Set boundaries and consistant explanations usually help.

Bird Boxes
Making these with Grandad was great fun. First was research - nature and what size and shape of box to make, the type of bird to make a box for etc...
Planning next - what wood to use and finding a pattern, the tools for the job and preparation.
During creation - Safety and communication whilst working together or alone.
Photography - an image was needed to promote his "Ten" bird boxes.
Maths - working out cost and time to prepare a fair price against others on the market.
English & I.T. - Create a poster using information from the research about birds, the price and where to hang the boxes.
Personal Skills - communication with customers and advising them about their purchase, taking money etc.
Matthew followed through this project very well and has since made a small wheel-barrow for which he also chose and arranged all the silk flowers himself (for my christmas present) and has since designed and made a LightBox for card making as a commissioned project. He is also working on a larger scale project with Dad and Grandad, building a 6ft Windmill. This has involved a couple of trips to a real Windmill to inspect and photograph the interior, to help them create working parts. Heidi has great fun on their woodwork days spending time with Nan, cooking, sewing and card making.

Fun at the Beach
Dad wanted to visit our other Grandad whilst he was Sea-Fishing with our Uncle. We went for the ride but it was windy and chilly so no good for sunning our selves. To keep warm and avoid getting bored, Mum suggested we collect as many different sea-weeds as we could find and put them all together to make an artistic pattern. We also found interesting stones, shells, driftwood and even a live crab. By taking a photograph, we can later look up what all the sea-weeds are, keep the art for ever and remember what we found on the beach - all without filling our pockets or taking anything home. Mum has used the photo as her desktop too.
How many things can you see in the picture? Can you find out what all the types of Sea-Weed are?
What else is in the photo? If you feel like a real challenge, you could also look up the types of rock.