(Look Ma! A whole blog post I never published!! I just found this today as I was working on a different project.  So, I thought I would share.
 
 
Original Post Date: June 2011. (oops!)

So to say I was a little discouraged when Sofie broke 3 of the covers on my ink pads in like macht 3 seconds would be an understatement. I didn’t care about the ink pads. I was just bummed that she really wants to be scrapbooking with me, but it’s too overwhelming with her autism and ADHD.

Then there was this scissor incident that was followed by her 3rd DIY haircut.

So, I was a little leary about giving her scissors. 

So, I had the BIGGEST AHA MOMENT ever at Studio J Boot Camp. Sofie loves the computer and she can drag and drop, so why not give her a go on  Studio J?  We decided that we should focus on keyboarding instead of hand writing because that just isn’t coming.  So, she even typed her own title. I helped her sound it out and find the keys.  Well, I did and here are the results.

The best part is that I did not have to worry about all the stickers she was “wasting” or where she put them. It was all hers. I may have added one or two things.  Forgive me, I am a Mom.

Now she can’t wait for the print to come. We ordered a Quick Pic Album for her and will use it as a What I Did Last Summer… book. 

Now, not only is that good for her self esteem and confidence.  It is already increasing her language development.   Her whole life is in pictures and she is so visual. She won’t spark a conversation as a rule. But when she is triggered visually, she can recall things I never knew.  Naturally, she points out crazy stuff in a picture like the sippy cup in the background or shoes. She is obsessed with shoes and always has been.  When she sees herself in these layouts, it’s like I am giving her a memory she otherwise wouldn’t have.  Her childhood memories will lie in the pages of her scrapbook, but not necessarily her mind.  Not to mention she is highly motivated to look at pictures of herself!

I see a lot of Studio J Scrapbooking for her this summer. She can be productive on the computer and have something to show for all her work at the end.