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Category: girls meetings
HOW I GOT STARTED AS AN ENTREPRENEUR — Anna Schuck
One of our participants has had a story published in the Michigan Family Connections Newsletter. You can read it below!
I’m going to tell you about how I got started as a retailer. It all started when I was about three years old. My mom had gotten some plastic animals for me. I played with those animals a lot, and since I’m blind, the animals helped me to understand what real animals looked like. And since I have autism, my collection of plastic animals has become my passion.
Now jump forward to the year 2015. At this time I was standing in a little toy store in Jackson Mi. I was looking at some plastic animals they had displayed there on the shelf. In previous years, I had seen these figures advertised at Michael’s, and other craft stores. Yet, as I stood there, looking at them then, I started thinking “I wonder where these toy store people get these figures from? I wonder if I could carry these things too?”
And so, my business began. I started selling and ordering in 2016, but for a while before my first order, I had to scrape together $100 in order to make my very first order. Now, my dream has always been to work in a storefront, but that will probably be delayed for a time, perhaps forever, because my autism gets in the way. But in spite of all this, my business has really been the best part of my life.
The Girls’ Social Group will meet on April 5 and 19, and May 3 and 17. Thursday evenings, 6:30 to 8 PM.
Meeting Thursday 3/1 in Mason
We’ll be meeting for the Girls’ Social Group on March 1 and 15, and then every first and third Thursday through May. We meet at 1981 Eden Road in Mason. We meet from 6:30 to 8. Put a comment below if you want to ask questions.
Is there someone you’d think might like to know about our social opportunities for girls and young women with autism or other social issues? Send them the link to this webpage, and encourage them to join our list. Helpful resources only go as far as our mailing list members!
Next time: What we’re finding out about housing, summer opportunities for blind youth, and other useful thoughts about transition to adulthood.
Got Transition?
Have you visited GotTransition.org? Got Transition aims to improve transition from pediatric to adult health care through the use of new and innovative strategies for health professionals and youth and families.
For many young people with disabilities or other health care related issues, the transition to adult health care systems can be quite a challenge. Our daughter, at 25, just saw her behavioral pediatrician for the last time! She’d already successfully been managing her doctor visits for everything else, but it’s hard to part with the doctor who has walked through autism with us!
Our next group meeting for young women is on Thursday, February 15.
Younger girls, too — Meeting in 2018
Our girls’ group has become a fairly steady little group, but it is mostly girls who are out of high school. Sometimes we meet someone with a younger daughter or friend, and maybe they don’t want to bring a 12 year old to our group with older young ladies.
In February, we’ll start a monthly group for girls ages 12 to 17. Of course this is flexible, since girls develop at different rates. Generally, older girls are talking about living, learning, and playing in settings away from family. Younger girls are still very much thinking of themselves within family and school building contexts.
Older girls will enjoy goal-setting for adult life, while younger girls would rather talk about getting through high school. Which girl is your daughter, granddaughter, or friend? Watch this space for announcements of meetings in 2018.
If you aren’t following us yet, sign up. You may be receiving our occasional emails, but those who follow the blog get all of the announcements and resources we have to offer.
First Steps into Adult Life
It can be very challenging to take your first steps into adult life.
If you are a young adult with a disability that makes it difficult or impossible to find work, you might try going to college. But if you also find it difficult or impossible to attend college right now, there’s probably very few options of things to do to fill your days. It’s not that you don’t want to do something productive, it is just not working out right now.
Your parents long for you to be fulfilled, to be happy, to be living the life you want to live. Sometimes it’s hard to even figure out what life you want to live.
So what are you doing with your time? One thing you can do is join the Girls’ Social Group on December 5th and 14th for a time of learning and fun.
Another thing you can do is form a network of friends who will encourage you. In the past, young women who attend the Girls’ Social Group have made friends and followed each other on social media, kept in touch by text, did things together, and were really happy to see each other at every meeting of the group.
On December 5, we’ll meet again in Mason, 1981 Eden Road, from 6:30 to 8 PM. We’ll be talking about making those first steps into adult life. We’ll be planning some new activities for the new year. Come join us!
The 4 Parts of Girls Social Group Meetings
The girls’ group will meet on December 5 (Tuesday) and December 14 (Thursday). We meet in Mason, at 1918 Eden Road from 6:30 to 8:00.
Girls’ group meetings have four parts.
- Introduce ourselves and share snacks.
- Play a game that will make us laugh and talk together.
- Do an activity together that helps young women prepare for successful adulthood.
- Have at least a half hour of time to relax and talk.
A young woman you know (age 12 or over) might like to join us. Our meetings are facilitated by Lydia Schuck, PhD, a transition specialist. You can reach Lydia at 517-676-4621. Lydia’s daughter, Anna is a group member, and also hosts the meeting at her home.
What would you like to know about our group? Who do you know that might want to come?
Women on the spectrum
Check out this article.
It’s worth a read.
Women with autism hide complex struggles behind masks
Girls Social Group will meet on June 6, 1981 Eden Road, Mason, Michigan.
Sign up to receive regular announcements, and send a young woman our way. We all like to make new friends in a safe place.
June 6 Girls and Young Women meet for social time
Girls and young women who have autism or other social challenges, disabilities, or just needing to make a new friend can join us on June 6 at 6:30 PM in Mason (near Lansing), Michigan. Lydia Schuck, a transition-to-adulthood specialist, facilitates this group. Our goal is for every girl or young woman to be able to say, “I am going to hang out with my friends tonight.”
Girls join in a short social skills activity and then have time to talk together. Any girl can bring their own craft to do, drawing, whatever, but we also have crafts available, so that girls don’t have to talk a lot if they don’t want to.
Moms and Dads can stay or go, drop off or stay to talk with other parents. We have a good setup for parents to talk in a space that is just far enough to talk freely, but close enough for you to be sure your daughter is thriving at the meeting.
Over the years, we find that the group members are very kind to each other and that they form lasting friendships. You can see our contact information at the side. Please follow the site to get announcements and helpful resources.
