Did you know that October is National Bullying Prevention Month in the US? Sad, really, that as a nation we have such a problem with bullying we have to designate one month a year as “prevention month.” The bottom line is that prevention needs to be occurring every single month, but if one month each year more people are focused on making that happen due to a distinction like this, I’ll take it; after all it gives me an excuse to share some tremendous resources on the topic.
Last spring I shared an interview series about bullying with Dr. Lisa Elliot called “Bullying is a BIG Deal.” Click to read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. Plus, we got such great responses to the series that Dr. Elliott agreed to address the topic of Adults Who Bully after it was brought up in the comments section by one of our readers. Very important because it isn’t always kids bullying kids we need to worry about in this world. Sadly, sometimes the bullies are indeed grownups who should know better.

Today, as the world remembers and honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., each of us will likely think of different things that Dr. King did to change the future. His civil rights work served as a catalyst to alter the social landscape of our society for ever – for the better. Many of us (most of us probably) will recall, with wonder and admiration, his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
As I remember Dr. King on this important day, I can’t help but think about the fact that like Dr. King, many of us have a dream for the future of our kids – especially our kids with special needs.
Our children with special needs deserve so much.

For more information on housing solutions for individuals with autism, go to www.myarchway.org
Also, join ARCHway at www.myarchway.ning.com
George Braddock is the founder of Creative Housing Solutions www.gbcchs.com a leading housing consultant and general contractor with a 25 year proven track record in pioneering the implementation of person-centered planning principles to more than 1,500 projects and homes for people with autism and other disabilities. He is also an ARCHway Consortium member.

For those interested in exploring quality of life issues fully, go to our website at www.myarchway.org and Join ARCHway. Also go to our social networking site at www.myarchway.ning.com
Below, a parent of a teenager with autism gives a very detailed and excellant description in simple, every day terms of quality of life factors that contribute to a very good life for people on the autism spectrum.

Visit out website at www.myarchway.org

To learn about other ways parents of children with autism can deal with stress by becoming better educated and equipped to deal with any number of autism topics, go to www.myarchway.org
1.Contact a counselor that deals with stress if needed.
2. Contact an appropriate special needs advocacy/support organization.
3. Access babysitters, after school programs, camps or respite care. (find out what your county and state developmental disability agencies offer)
4. Spend time alone with spouse. Find some space for this!

Help for Autism: A Good Quality of Life for People with Autism
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To find out more about how you can improve the quality of life for adults with autism, go to www.myarchway.org

People with autism, service providers or parents of individuals with autism who are wishing to undertake lifespan planning and planning for housing needs of their transitioning teens or adults with autism may contact ARCHway at www.myarchway.org or join or www.myarchway.ning.com where you can join our social networking site to stay in close contact with us.

Autism Resources Autism Reoriented Community Housing (ARCHway) is an community housing initiative by the Foundation for Autism Support and Training, a national non-profit offering advice and consultation on person-centered housing solutions for adults with autism. Members of ARCHways Consortium have 20-30 years experience and include pioneers of person-centered housing and assistive technology for people with autism and other related disabilities.

People with autism, service providers or parents of individuals with autism who are interesting in undertaking lifespan planning and also, planning for housing needs of their transitioning teens or adults with autism may contact ARCHway at www.myaarchway.org and www.myarchway.ning.com where you can join our social networking site to stay in close contact with us.