December 3rd Sensory Friendly Film: The Muppets
Once a month, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities ”Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings“ – a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
To quote once again our Special Needs Parenting Expert Rosie Reeves: “It can be challenging enough to bring a child to a movie theater – they are dark, the sound is very loud, there are tempting stairs and rails and they are expected to sit still and stay quiet. When a child has special needs all these elements and many others can prove too daunting to even attempt such an outing. And yet getting out, being with the community and sharing in an experience with an audience can be invaluable for just such children – and their caregivers, too”.
On December 3rd at 10am local time, “The Muppets” will be
screened as part of the “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” program. Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program.
Coming January 7th: The Adventures of Tin Tin
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Editor’s note: The Muppets is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America. Please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description of The Muppets to determine if it is right for you and your child.
October Sensory Friendly Movie Screening: Dolphin Tale
For those of you not familiar with ”Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings“, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
To quote our Special Needs Parenting Expert Rosie Reeves: “It can be challenging enough to bring a child to a movie theater – they are dark, the sound is very loud, there are tempting stairs and rails and they are expected to sit still and stay quiet. When a child has special needs all these elements and many others can prove too daunting to even attempt such an outing. And yet getting out, being with the community and sharing in an experience with an audience can be invaluable for just such children – and their caregivers, too”.
On October 1st at 10am local time, “Dolphin Tale” will be screened as part of the “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” program. Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program.
Coming November 5th: Puss in Boots
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Editor’s note: Dolphin Tale is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America. Please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description of Dolphin Tale to determine if it is right for you and your child.
The Horse Boy – A Family’s Journey to Treat Autism
The Horse Boy is a documentary that follows a family as they travel to Mongolia to try shamanistic healing for their son. Although the child in the film has autism, parents Rupert Isaacson and Kristin Neff struggle with the same questions any special needs diagnosis would bring:
- Did I do something to cause this?
- Will my child ever be self-sufficient?
- What will happen to my child when I am gone?
The film forces the audience to look unflinchingly at the reality of life with an autistic child, showing long stretches of tantrums. Although the sequences may seem long to the viewer, it reminds us that these short scenes are nothing compared to the day to day reality faced by some special needs caregivers.
The parents are amazingly devoted to trying anything and everything to help heal not only their child but their overall situation. They put aside personal beliefs and prejudices as they place their faith and their hope into a different culture.
The family’s story raises fascinating questions. How far would you go, geographically, spiritually and emotionally, to help your special needs child? What specific parts of your child’s special needs really need to be treated? Do doctors really know everything about these conditions?
Buy the horse Boy on Amazon, or rent it instantly here
10 Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew
Once upon a time, the politically correct way to refer to someone with a mental disability was to use a term like moron or idiot. At the time these were actual medical terms with specific criteria. Today we are moving away from labelling a child as “autistic” and using “a child with autism” since autism is just one part of this child’s persona. This phrase tops the list of 10 Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew by Ellen Notbohm of South Florida Parenting.
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Editor’s Note: For every parent or caregiver of a child with special needs, this list is invaluable! Thanks to Rosie Reeves for bringing this to us. Here’s an excerpt from 10 Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew :
I am a concrete thinker. I interpret language literally. It’s very confusing for me when you say, “Hold your horses, cowboy!” when what you really mean is “Please stop running.” Don’t tell me it’s a “piece of cake” when there is no dessert in sight and what you really mean is, “This will be easy for you to do.” When you say, “It’s pouring cats and dogs,” I see pets coming out of a pitcher. Please just tell me, “It’s raining very hard.” Idioms, puns, nuances, double entendres, and sarcasm are lost on me.
Hollywood shows us a family dealing with Aspergers on Parenthood
Tuesday night I got to watch NBC’s Parenthood, based on the Ron Howard film of the same name. With a cast of wonderful actors the show examines the intertwined lives of of one family and airs on Tuesday nights at 10pm. In last night’s episode one of the adult siblings learns that 
his son Max has Aspergers Syndrome. While the show will not give you any new information on the disorder it is a wonderful window into how the boy’s behavior affects his family. His older sister seems a bit jealous of all the attention he gets, yet she is the one who knows how to best manage him. His father wrestles to understand that this is a permanent condition and that he can’t just be “cured.” His mother seems to be preparing for what she knows will be a long, hard road. His uncle uses it as an excuse to juggle girlfriends.
The episode mentions some treatment options and therapies when the overwhelmed parents visit another couple with an Aspergers child and pokes fun at how hard it can be to get in to see some specialists. To watch the episode go here. Next week’s episode will feature some of the issues Max has with school.
