Category: General

Not me… it’s not gonna happen!

“I may get older, but I will never get old.”  ~Barbara Erby

Yes, that’s right! I didn’t it… I’m quoting myself, but the above is absolutely true. I refuse to get old. I don’t mind the getting older part, but who said that another year means that you have to mope around in despair.

As I write this, we are approaching my grandmothers 93rd birthday. It wasn’t until about a year or two ago that my I began to see her slow down. Every day she gets up and fixes her coffee. If it’s warm, she goes outside to work in her garden. She cleans her own house and fixes her own food. She still does all of these things, but she’s stopped doing the heavier tasks like spackling walls (don’t ask). She doesn’t want anyone’s assistance and will promptly tell you that she’ll take care of it if you bug her about it.

I just figure that if my 90-some year old grandmother can still do everything that she wants to do, who am I to tell her otherwise? I also can’t sit around and talk about how tired I am or hold old I feel. I’m clearly and truly nowhere near 92. So, I have realized that it doesn’t really matter how old you are. There are times that I might feel old, but really… come on, 92? My grandmother made the decision and declaration that she wasn’t getting old. You know what? That’s fine by me because I’m not either!

Action Step: When you were a child, or at least when you were younger, you had something fun that you enjoyed doing. Go take some time to rediscover that. Was it dancing, flying a kite, walking in the woods, or swinging on a swing. Go out today and have some fun. You can take your kids along, if you want to make it a family activity.

Best wishes,

Barbara Erby, MS

Education & Behavioral Consultant

Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC

Barbara Erby is an Education & Behavioral Consultant with Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC. Barbara received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Bowie State University in 1999 and a Master of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Educational Psychology and an emphasis in Developmental Psychology from Capella University in 2004. Ms. Erby has worked with a variety of students in the school, home, and community environments as a Direct Care Worker, Family Trainer, and an Education & Behavioral Consultant.

A Simple Thank You is Not Enough

I’m keeping this week’s article short. Not because I don’t have much to say, far from it. Most of you know me pretty well and know that I am rarely at a loss for words. I would just rather you spend the time doing something a little different this week.

As we get ready for Memorial day, I am excited and looking forward to our yearly cookouts and the official kick off to summer. However, I feel it important to pause and to remember the lives of that holiday was meant to celebrate – the men and women of our military who have given their lives in service to our country. Regardless of the political affiliation or climate, these men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

So instead of keeping you glued to your computer/phone screen, please take some time to remember and honor our fallen.

Best wishes,

Barbara Erby, MS

Education & Behavioral Consultant

Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC

Barbara Erby is an Education & Behavioral Consultant with Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC. Barbara received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Bowie State University in 1999 and a Master of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Educational Psychology and an emphasis in Developmental Psychology from Capella University in 2004. Ms. Erby has worked with a variety of students in the school, home, and community environments as a Direct Care Worker, Family Trainer, and an Education & Behavioral Consultant.

Attention Students and Graduates:

Are you looking an energetic and creative person looking for a position in an up and coming company? Do you have a background or experience in Psychology, Social Work, Education, Special Education? Are you a person who would like to  make a difference?

Apply today for a position with Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC (BDS). We currently have openings for positions in Anne Arundel County, MD and Fairfax County, VA.

Persons without experience are encouraged to apply!

To learn more about BDS and the services that we offer, visit https://bdshelps.com

Summer Camp 2011

Is your child entering grade 6 through 8 this fall. Looking for something for your child to do this summer? We are currently in the process of determining if we will be conducting a camp for the summer.

If you are interested in your child attending, please contact us at [email protected] or call 240-355-0834.

Lessons on Learning: Positive Reinforcement

By Malcolm Towler, Guest Blogger

Reinforcement is, a “basic operant functional relation” for learning. When a type of behavior (R) is followed by reinforcement (SR) there will be an increased future frequency of that type of behavior” (Michael, 2004). Positive reinforcement, in its most basic definition, is the addition of a stimulus following a behavior that will increase that likelihood of that behavior’s future occurrence.

Example of positive reinforcement that Barbara often gives is your paycheck for the job. An additional, and more covert, example is getting ripe fruit from a particular store. When you purchase fruit at a location that is full of flavor, you tend to go back to that store to purchase more fruit. Reinforcement teaches us behaviors that we should engage in. The most important thing that maximizes the effectiveness of positive reinforcement is the schedule of reinforcement that is used, but this is a topic for a future newsletter.

Malcolm is a determined and hard-working gentleman who currently attends Bowie State University (BSU) in Bowie, MD. Mr. Towler is a published poet, plays the saxophone, and is a member of the BSU Symphony of Soul Marching Band.  He is earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a goal of becoming a Biomedical Engineer.