AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me)
KUALA LUMPUR: There were giggles, excited screams, rolling pins, cookie dough and flour in the air as children got busy baking cookies for the holiday season.
But this was not a normal baking session, but rather a fun learning experience for 22 children with Asperger's syndrome guided by Melia Hotel Kuala Lumpur staff.
The children from Asperger Development Malaysia Berhad (Adam) helped to bake an impressive 22kg of Christmas cookies for Melia Hotel to sell for charity.
Proceeds from the cookie sales will be donated to various charity organisations by Melia Hotel.
Adam is a non-profit organisation initiated by parents of children with Asperger's Syndrome with the aim to provide public awareness of the disorder.
Member of Adam and program organiser Sasha Tan told The Star she had heard about Melia Hotel’s annual charity cookie baking event and approached the hotel to see if Adam could help in their initiative.
“Not only did Melia Hotel agree to have the charity cookie baking event together, but they also were willing to host our first Adam Youth Living Skills program,” said Tan.
“The staff not only helped our kids bake cookies, but they also organised a tour for them around the hotel and see how the various departments work.
“It is very meaningful for the children because they can get the hands-on experience by helping out with chores to let the kids feel what it is like working in a hotel,” she said.
The children were deep in concentration when they were taught how to fold origami lotus hand towels for the hotel rooms. And many were quick to pick up the intricate skill.
They were also taught how to make beds properly, and some of the children gave a helping hand to housekeeping when folding the sheets.
Other than the hotel rooms, the children were also brought to the restaurant, kitchen, lobby and VIP lounge to observe how they operate.
When asked what was his favourite part of his experience at Melia Hotel, Chan Kah Jun said that he enjoyed baking the cookies.
“It was fun to make our cookies in our creations. My creation is a carrot-like cookie and the rest is moulded cookies,” said the 12-year-old.
Despite baking “a hundred cookies” before, 10-year-old Philemon Phoon Yu Hern said that the baking session was his favourite activity.
“I liked all the cookies we baked, the gingerbread and the butter cookies,” said Phoon.
Many of the children were shy and not willing to talk to someone they had just met, but by looking at their faces throughout the activities, it was clear that they were enjoying themselves.
Asperger’s syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder characterised by difficulties in social interaction and non-verbal communication. Asperger’s may also result in restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests.
“Kids with Asperger’s usually struggle with confidence due to lack of social and communication skills,” said Adam committee member Rubiana Choong.
“Because of the challenges, most of them grow up to be adults with lack of self confidence and unable to adjust into the society.
“So to help them, we always try to have different activities that encourage them to socialise and teach them living skills so that they can be independent when they are adults,” she said.
Choong said that with the first Adam Youth Living Skills program, the aim was to expose the children to different industries that they can potentially start careers in.
“This is to tell them that there is hope and a chance for them to be independent although they are Asperger’s children,” she said, adding that she hopes to organise future Living Skills programs in different industries and with different companies.
Tan, who is also a mother to a dyslexic child and a child with Asperger’s, stressed that Asperger’s kids are not “weird and disabled”.
“They are just like any typical person but think differently. With early intervention, we hope we can help them to learn social skills and they can grow up and be independent just like anyone else,” she said.
“Parents should not be in denial when they discover or their child is diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder. Always remember this: Let’s not use the label for our child. Instead, use it as a path to seek the treatment and therapy to guide them to be successful and independent in the future,” said Tan.
SOURCE: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/12/19/aspergers-kids-get-experience-working-at-hotel/
KUALA LUMPUR: There were giggles, excited screams, rolling pins, cookie dough and flour in the air as children got busy baking cookies for the holiday season.
But this was not a normal baking session, but rather a fun learning experience for 22 children with Asperger's syndrome guided by Melia Hotel Kuala Lumpur staff.
The children from Asperger Development Malaysia Berhad (Adam) helped to bake an impressive 22kg of Christmas cookies for Melia Hotel to sell for charity.
Proceeds from the cookie sales will be donated to various charity organisations by Melia Hotel.
Adam is a non-profit organisation initiated by parents of children with Asperger's Syndrome with the aim to provide public awareness of the disorder.
Member of Adam and program organiser Sasha Tan told The Star she had heard about Melia Hotel’s annual charity cookie baking event and approached the hotel to see if Adam could help in their initiative.
“Not only did Melia Hotel agree to have the charity cookie baking event together, but they also were willing to host our first Adam Youth Living Skills program,” said Tan.
“The staff not only helped our kids bake cookies, but they also organised a tour for them around the hotel and see how the various departments work.
“It is very meaningful for the children because they can get the hands-on experience by helping out with chores to let the kids feel what it is like working in a hotel,” she said.
The children were deep in concentration when they were taught how to fold origami lotus hand towels for the hotel rooms. And many were quick to pick up the intricate skill.
They were also taught how to make beds properly, and some of the children gave a helping hand to housekeeping when folding the sheets.
Other than the hotel rooms, the children were also brought to the restaurant, kitchen, lobby and VIP lounge to observe how they operate.
When asked what was his favourite part of his experience at Melia Hotel, Chan Kah Jun said that he enjoyed baking the cookies.
“It was fun to make our cookies in our creations. My creation is a carrot-like cookie and the rest is moulded cookies,” said the 12-year-old.
Despite baking “a hundred cookies” before, 10-year-old Philemon Phoon Yu Hern said that the baking session was his favourite activity.
“I liked all the cookies we baked, the gingerbread and the butter cookies,” said Phoon.
Many of the children were shy and not willing to talk to someone they had just met, but by looking at their faces throughout the activities, it was clear that they were enjoying themselves.
Asperger’s syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder characterised by difficulties in social interaction and non-verbal communication. Asperger’s may also result in restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests.
“Kids with Asperger’s usually struggle with confidence due to lack of social and communication skills,” said Adam committee member Rubiana Choong.
“Because of the challenges, most of them grow up to be adults with lack of self confidence and unable to adjust into the society.
“So to help them, we always try to have different activities that encourage them to socialise and teach them living skills so that they can be independent when they are adults,” she said.
Choong said that with the first Adam Youth Living Skills program, the aim was to expose the children to different industries that they can potentially start careers in.
“This is to tell them that there is hope and a chance for them to be independent although they are Asperger’s children,” she said, adding that she hopes to organise future Living Skills programs in different industries and with different companies.
Tan, who is also a mother to a dyslexic child and a child with Asperger’s, stressed that Asperger’s kids are not “weird and disabled”.
“They are just like any typical person but think differently. With early intervention, we hope we can help them to learn social skills and they can grow up and be independent just like anyone else,” she said.
“Parents should not be in denial when they discover or their child is diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder. Always remember this: Let’s not use the label for our child. Instead, use it as a path to seek the treatment and therapy to guide them to be successful and independent in the future,” said Tan.
SOURCE: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/12/19/aspergers-kids-get-experience-working-at-hotel/
