Nomin Kindergarten & Handicapped Day Care

A couple from Ulaanbaatar, who own and operate a Kindergarten there, bought an old Darkhan Police Station and converted it into a large Kindergarten.  For the first time she is accepting handicapped children at a very reduced rate so parents can afford to place the children in this Day Care. They have no experience working with the handicapped and a local handicapped children support organization was asked to help.  We have been working with that group on other projects and we were invited in to offer our advice.  Since I worked for 7 years as an OSHA consultant I provided advice and ideas on how to make the facility "accessible". 

At that point Debbie really took over and has been instrumental in changing the dialog about how to support the handicapped.  Her experience working with Autistic and Aspergers kids in Kansas has been a huge help here.  Her ideas and experience teaching them "Life Skills" has become the new buzz words for how to teach these kids to become more independent from the constant care of their parents. She has given a number of lessons to the staff and parents on how to teach the kids to brush their teeth or their hair. Also, how to hold a spoon, etc.  She has other great ideas to help them communicate using patches with Velcro on the back. Last night we attended a presentation in another city nearby and the presenters spoke about the need to teach "Life Skills" they learned from her to the handicapped kids in their town.

(News just received. At the event last night the parents has been requesting a room in one of the schools to be just for the handicapped kids. They want some developmental tools, floor mats and physical therapy equipment too.  The board said no at previous meetings.  I meet with them and I guess I argued a pretty good case.  The parent heading up the effort told us they approved the room today.)

She has been out scouring the city looking for toys that can be used for teaching kids to speak that haven't spoken or made noise before.  She found a toy the kids immediately took in hand and tried to speak or make noises. The parents were in tears.  She found others that helped them to develop flexibility, eye-hand coordination and increased motor skills. She is also helping to develop a proposal to submit to Deseret International Charities to fund floor mats and physical therapy equipment.

I am so very proud of her. She is so good with kids. They all immediately fall in love with her.  We are in demand to attend every handicapped event or activity in the area. They all want our advice and to speak at the event and to have pictures taken with us.