JAK CHAT

Sponsored by Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA), a full-time, tuition-free, online public charter school option for students in grades K-12 living anywhere in the state of Wisconsin.   Website: WIVA.K12.com     Families do well when they believe an individualized education is important to their student’s future success. We have found a common characteristic among parents who choose an online public school like Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA): a drive to remove barriers that restrict their children from reaching their true potential. These parents are motivated to choose an education that is well suited to their child’s unique needs. They understand the power of individualized learning and are willing to get personally involved in their child’s schooling. Students who thrive in an online school respond well when encouraged to be independent. Many schools talk about the importance of discipline and taking responsibility. Successful WIVA students live, learn, and thrive b...

Now, and in the month April and throughout the year, Just Add Kids encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making Southeastern Wisconsin a better place for children and families. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, we can help promote children’s social and emotional well-being and prevent child maltreatment within families and our communities. Consider the following five protective factors that protect families that are under stress: 1 – Social emotional competence of children Children who learn how to identify their feelings, empathize with the feelings of others, share emotions appropriately and problem solve with peers and adults are more likely to succeed in school and have friends. Give your children many opportunities to talk about feelings and discuss positive ways of coping with their feelings like listening to music, play-ing sports, drawing or writing, etc. 2 – Knowledge of child deve...

And how YOU can help! Read more... Dear Just Add Kids friends, I would like to tell you about a special opportunity that Beatrice, a 4 year old from Racine, has along with 599 other children with special needs. An organization called Friendship Circle is running a campaign called the Great Bike Giveaway  where they hope to give away 600 adaptive bikes to children with special needs from around the United States. I am sure you remember the day you received your first bike. The joy you experienced and the freedom you felt when riding a bike for the first time. For a child with special needs bike riding offers far more than a recreational experience. Bike riding provides a source of much needed exercise, gives therapeutic value and contributes to an inclusive environment where a child with special needs can ride a bike like everyone else. Due to balance and mobility challenges many children and teens with special needs require the use of an adaptive bikes. Sadly, many cannot afford the hi...

Sponsored by Sozo Chiropractic I thought I would share a little bit about myself for this blog. I know my bio is posted on the website but I wanted to go a little deeper. Sometimes when people find out I am a third generation chiropractor they will ask if I felt pressured into becoming a chiropractor. My response to that is always “No”. I was raised with a chiropractic philosophy and lifestyle. When we got sick, we would get an adjustment and then allow the body to heal. The health challenges we faced were addressed naturally. It wasn’t until I was a freshman in college than I grasped how special and unique this approach was. While in undergrad, I started to work at my dad’s office part-time, just to help me get through college. I was an education major at the time, planning to be an elementary teacher. I felt no pressure to become a chiropractor. However, that job changed my career path.  Read more... While working there, I saw so many miracles happen. I realized how much I loved chir...

Let's Hop To It! Compiled by  Just Add Kids'  Silva Karapetian Our Easter basket overfloweth! If you are looking for The Bunny, look no further. You've come to the right place. We hare you to find a more complete, interactive directory of places to go/things to do when it comes to celebrating the holiday with the Easter Bunny. And hey, not everybody is into the furry fella, so we've included some additional kid-oriented, family-friendly seasonal events, as well. Fun hop-portunities for you and your family are right here at your fingertips. Let's go! Come back often as we will add events here and on our website's calendar, JAK Happenings , as we learn about them. **DENOTES**activities and events that are designed for and/or welcoming to families of children/dependent young adults with special needs. Finding Easter Bunny! 2016 Directory (updated 3/26/2016) Sponsored by Educators Credit Union       BUNNY EVENTS: Easter Bunny Photo Experience Southridge Mall, Cent...

Welcome JAK-SKE! by Just Add Kids founder, Paula Herrmann Okay, so JAK-SKE isn't exactly new. Yet, if I asked for a show of hands as to how many of you know what JAK-SKE is, there'd be a majority of you who don't know. So, while JAK-SKE isn't a newborn, he/she's got a coming out, of sorts, to announce. Read more... First, for those of you who don't know what the what this JAK-SKE thing is all about, let me start there. JAK-SKE stands for Just Add Kids - Special Kids Edition . Oh yah, that's what that hard to read type says on the logo above ^^! We started with **'ing events in our JAK Happenings Calendar of Events . Those events are activities & events that are designed for and/or welcoming to families of children/dependent young adults with special needs. For instance, **Special Needs Family Day at Sealed Air YMCA** which we shall get to very soon in this blog post. Soon after that, we launched our JAK-SKE Facebook group whose mission is for its...

Teaching Your Child to Appreciate the Differences That Make People Special Reprinted from Prevention Services Network Family Resource Center Newsletter February 2016 Parents are uniquely positioned to guide their children to appreciate the differences that make each of us special. As a result of world events and heightened awareness of the relationship between bullying and school violence, there has been increased attention placed on the diversity that shapes the culture of the United States. Explaining diversity in a way that is understandable to children can be a challenging pro-cess.   Read more... Even when you have done your best to teach the importance of respect and treating others fairly, your child may still encounter hate and prejudice through the Internet and other forms of media, and even in their school or neighborhood. Teaching you child about appreciating diversity will help she/he do well in our diverse society, and promote good self-esteem and mental health. It's n...