Matt Baublitz: A Better Future for Every Child

Wendy & Rich 0:01
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios, Hartford County Living Presents, Conversations with Rich Bennett. 

Rich Bennett 0:27
What if a child's experience in elementary school could be changed before they ever walk into kindergarten? For children with disabilities, neurodivergence, sensory sensitivities or different learning needs, identifying the right support early, constraint in communication, confidence, emotional regulation and the ability to learn. But it begins by recognizing that the child isn't the problem. The environment may simply need to understand and support them differently. Met Rob, let's who's been on the show before. It's probably been four years? 

Matt Baublitz 1:04
Probably about that. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:05
It's been a while. understands this both as a father and through his work with children in the community. Those experience inspired his vision for made for you academy and inclusive center here in Hartford County, offering small classes, individualized attention, kindergarten preparation, and early intervention support. So today we're going to hear Matt's story, explore why the years before kindergarten matters so much and learn how meeting children where they are could completely change where they're able to go. Well, man, I did take a breath a couple times. How's it going? 

Matt Baublitz 1:46
Goo, good. How you've been Rich? 

Rich Bennett 1:47
Good. All right. First of all, thank 

Matt Baublitz 1:50
Thank 

Rich Bennett 1:50
you. 

Matt Baublitz 1:50
you. 

Rich Bennett 1:50
Thank you for 

Matt Baublitz 1:51
going online when you 

Rich Bennett 1:53
sign it or when you register to come on and you fill it out the bio. It makes it so much easier. I can't tell you how many people don't fill out the bio. And it's I mean, I don't I forget when I started it. But to me, it's when it started off, I'm sitting here from that Bobblet's what do you want to talk about? I felt like Cody Rhodes, for us, you know, what do you want to talk about? 

Matt Baublitz 2:15
Right. 

Rich Bennett 2:15
But anyways, so good to see you back. Well, how long what was it? Has it been four years? 

Matt Baublitz 2:22
It probably has been. Um, maybe three. 

Rich Bennett 2:26
because you had rhythmic kids. 

Matt Baublitz 2:28
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 2:29
yeah. And you weren't talking about 

Matt Baublitz 2:30
it. 

Rich Bennett 2:31
Back then, it wasn't a nonprofit yet, right? 

Matt Baublitz 2:33
Correct. 

Rich Bennett 2:33
Yeah. And you were talking about 

Matt Baublitz 2:35
making, I was talking about making a nonprofit. Yep. We never did do that. So, 

Rich Bennett 2:38
and you changed 

Matt Baublitz 2:39
Just 

Rich Bennett 2:39
it. 

Matt Baublitz 2:39
kind of evolved. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 2:40
Okay. So before we get into the make the made for you Academy, which again, you when it comes to word play, letter play, whatever you want to call it. I love it. So those of you listening, if you don't know what I mean, so made for you, it's made the number four, you capitalized Academy, the K or the C in Academy is a K. So, yeah, you'll understand why I met did that because he always has 

Matt Baublitz 3:10
words. 

Rich Bennett 3:10
a plate of Um, 

Matt Baublitz 3:12
I can't use normal names 

Rich Bennett 3:13
We 

Matt Baublitz 3:13
for anything. 

Rich Bennett 3:14
did it with rhythmic 

Matt Baublitz 3:18
kids. Uh, what was it after rhythmic kids? Jazz kids was F. D. I. S. kids was after rhythmic kids. But that one was fairly 

Rich Bennett 3:24
It was, 

Matt Baublitz 3:24
normal. 

Rich Bennett 3:24
yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 3:25
Um, so that wasn't too bad. 

Rich Bennett 3:27
And what was it for that made for you Academy? 

Matt Baublitz 3:29
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 3:29
Yeah. Okay. I knew that. Now I was just touching it. Alright. So, um, for those that may not have heard the other pie or the other episode, what experiences led you to become an advocate for children and learn and experience the world differently? 

Matt Baublitz 3:44
Yeah. Um, you know, I had had a lot of experience with, My own children, obviously, with 

Rich Bennett 3:51
right. 

Matt Baublitz 3:51
how, you know, their preschool years really impacted their life. You know, I didn't realize how narrow preschool expectations really are until my children were in a very, you know, popular private preschool 

Rich Bennett 4:08
area. 

Matt Baublitz 4:08
in the 

Rich Bennett 4:09
Oh, private? 

Matt Baublitz 4:10
. 

Rich Bennett 4:10
Oh, 

Matt Baublitz 4:10
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 4:10
wow. Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 4:11
and so, you know, we're paying tuition for them to go to this nice preschool that's, you know, highly sold after and, you know, we got waitlisted. Got the kids in there. All excited about it. Just to find out. 

Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 4:49
Yeah. Understandable. 

Matt Baublitz 4:51
so we got a couple of phone calls home about him, but found out after he graduated preschool and after of course they took all of our money. Just so you know, he spent a lot of his time in the hallway because he was interrupting class. 

So we're not able to sit in to a hallway and be put into a hallway and not be prepared for elementary school. 

Rich Bennett 5:15
Like 

Matt Baublitz 5:16
I said, we had a couple of phone calls home that they needed to remove him from the room just in order to get the other kids back on track because he wasn't following along with what they were doing. 

Rich Bennett 5:28
So maybe they put him in another class, standing in the office or whatever, but in the freaking hallway. 

Matt Baublitz 5:34
Yes, yes. Without even really an adult going out with him from what we understand the classroom had two adults that needed to stay in the classroom, so he was most of the time just sitting out there. 

They were having a no preparation, you know, they had kind of hinted at us, we might want to look into a note, so we just start occupational therapy with him. 

Rich Bennett 5:57
Right. But 

Matt Baublitz 5:58
we really did not know how much he was missing out on an preschool. So we were drowning to figure it out in elementary school. 

Rich Bennett 6:06
Okay, 

Matt Baublitz 6:06
we were lucky enough that he went to these currently a fifth grader in a fantastic elementary school, we were able to figure it out. We were able to get him the supports that he needed, but it was end of first grade beginning of second grade by the time we had to solve figure it out. So that was really the time for me when I was thinking there has to be a better way. 

Rich Bennett 6:26
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 6:27
And you know, we had a similar situation with our daughter has some physical limitations, which we prepared the preschool for, but then again they said, well, we can't really have her here because we can't lift her and handle her, but we talked to them in advance about it. So she had gone to three four or five different preschools to find somebody that could properly work with her. So kids with physical limitations or different educational or behavioral needs just are being pushed around to different preschools or just missing out on the environment altogether. And that's not good once we get to school, we don't have our, you know, accommodations in place, nobody talked to us enough, nobody took the time enough to say, when he goes into elementary school, he's going to need this, this, 

Rich Bennett 7:07
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 7:07
this. So that is what really sparked my interest in there has to be a better way. So I looked up online. There has to be a better way. This can't be the way everybody's 

Rich Bennett 7:16
right. 

Matt Baublitz 7:17
There's I was able to find in Maryland, one program at Kennedy Krieger, where I believe you need to have a diagnosis in order to get into their like therapeutic special 

Rich Bennett 7:27
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 7:27
education. Program. That's it. That's it for Maryland. That's the only program. If 

Rich Bennett 7:32
that's any 

Matt Baublitz 7:33
child with special needs that specifically needs preschool. 

Rich Bennett 7:35
Is that the case still 

Matt Baublitz 7:37
As of a couple weeks ago, when I checked, I still haven't seen anything similar. I know a lot of 

Rich Bennett 7:41
that's 

Matt Baublitz 7:42
preschools. A lot of preschools are coming around to being more inclusive 

Rich Bennett 7:46
yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 7:47
of children in general, but as far as specific programs just for kids that need additional needs that are, you know, lower child to adult 

Rich Bennett 7:54
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 7:54
ratios, they get that one-on-one attention. Kennedy Krieger is the only thing I was able to find. 

Rich Bennett 8:01
So when it comes to daycares, are there any daycares that are like that's their 

Matt Baublitz 8:08
needs. 

Rich Bennett 8:13
Yeah. Different abilities. 

Matt Baublitz 8:20
Different abilities. 

Rich Bennett 8:21
Yeah, because that's both 

Matt Baublitz 8:22
Different. he. 

Rich Bennett 8:22
on the medtoff 

Matt Baublitz 8:23
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 8:24
Part. 

Matt Baublitz 8:24
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 8:24
So do you know if there are any daycares like that? 

Matt Baublitz 8:28
Not that I've been able to find if they are, they're hiding. Again, somebody out there has experience with being inclusive, but 

Rich Bennett 8:35
yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 8:36
specifically for that niche. 

Wow. 

Rich Bennett 8:40
Somebody needs to start that. 

Matt Baublitz 8:41
Yeah. Now, a lot of these parents, yeah, and a lot of these parents do stay home with their kids that have these additional 

Rich Bennett 8:48
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 8:48
needs. So a lot of times the daycare is not necessarily what they need. 

Rich Bennett 8:53
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 8:55
So we actually started to, with Made For You Academy, try to steer a little bit away from. We didn't necessarily want to just be that daycare preschool. 

Rich Bennett 9:03
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 9:04
So where we steered into is not being a typical parent drop off daycare style preschool, it is four hour blocks during the day and a two hour block in the evening where parents do stay on site. 

Rich Bennett 9:15
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 9:31
Having them to communicate what happened in school, that's scary for them. Your child comes home from school and you say how was your day and they don't have a response for you or what happened. Some of these kids things happen to them in school, they're picked on even in preschool or treated differently, and they can't communicate that. So a lot of these parents are scared about even dropping them off somewhere. 

Rich Bennett 9:49
That's understandable, too. 

Matt Baublitz 9:50
Yeah. I completely understand. 

Rich Bennett 9:52
Especially, well, and I don't know if they could do this, but if you have a nonverbal child. Which, and I hope they do have, because I think that's important as well. Even if they're nonverbal, they still need the education. They need, uh, the socially. be with other kids, 

Matt Baublitz 10:09
To 

Rich Bennett 10:10
and I know just from some people I know that work in daycare. I gotta be careful here. I don't wanna mention any names. Um, but I know, you know, some of them get frustrated, not with the kids, with the other teachers that can't handle the kids that need that special 

Matt Baublitz 10:33
attention. Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 10:35
All right, so with you, because you started Rhythmic Kids 

Matt Baublitz 10:40
first. Correct. 

Rich Bennett 10:41
All right. And Rhythmic Kids, which I love the idea of, so explain to everybody what Rhythmic Kids was and how that formed. 

Matt Baublitz 10:48
So Rhythmic Kids was a percussion and music-based program for kids that incorporated. lot of additional needs as far as fine motor skill development, 

Rich Bennett 10:59
A 

Matt Baublitz 11:00
you know, developing team buildings, so that's how we ended up really working with a lot of children with disabilities really thrived in our program. We then moved into having sensory sensitive programs to incorporate with children who couldn't handle the loud noises. You know that again was kind of a personal thing for me because our son has always been into drumming and 

Rich Bennett 11:20
more 

Matt Baublitz 11:20
he used to not be great with noises now. He's fine with all the noise in the world as long as he's making it, you know. used to not be the case. So we kind of delayed getting him into drumming because of the noise. 

Rich Bennett 11:30
But 

Matt Baublitz 11:31
So the program was great for kids developing fine motor skills, for kids developing a lot of this confidence that they may have not previously had. And it really gave a lot of these kids somewhere that they had an outlet where again the parents could come in and enjoy it with them. They weren't feeling like they had to drop them off somewhere. And you know, we got went into preschools and today cares into play areas in the area. And that journey to really, Again, opened my eyes to the disability aspect of things. 

Rich Bennett 12:02
yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 12:02
I was surprised when I would go into a children-based business in Hartford County. And the owner would tell me how they didn't feel like altism was real like that was 

Rich Bennett 12:13
What? 

Matt Baublitz 12:13
bad. Bad parenting and if you know the kid was parented correctly, they wouldn't be a brat. 

Rich Bennett 12:19
I 

Matt Baublitz 12:19
So 

Rich Bennett 12:20
get the 

Matt Baublitz 12:20
out. 

Rich Bennett 12:20
hell 

Matt Baublitz 12:20
I'm teaching classes in some of these places where you know, the person who's making money off of me being there is basically telling me that half of your students really don't even have a real condition. Their parents are just lazy. 

Rich Bennett 12:32
Please tell me those businesses are new longer in business. 

Matt Baublitz 12:36
I'd love to tell you that. I'm not going to name names but one of them is still very, very popular and also has a preschool. 

Rich Bennett 12:41
Wow. 

That, that's my stop. Yeah, I 

Matt Baublitz 12:46
didn't realize we were still at that point in 

Rich Bennett 12:48
I don't know how you held it together. 

Matt Baublitz 12:50
society. 

Rich Bennett 12:50
I would have gone off. 

Matt Baublitz 12:51
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 12:52
For 

Matt Baublitz 12:54
the sake of me being able to do good for those kids, 

Rich Bennett 12:56
yeah, you couldn't. 

Matt Baublitz 12:58
And you know, I was so badly want to go to their parents after them be like, you do know you are coming to a place where they don't believe your child has a real problem, right. But you know, I had to be a little more professional about it. And 

Rich Bennett 13:08
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 13:08
if I could be that light to those kids and understand what they're going through, then I felt like that was my way of just kind of. Putting aside whatever was 

Rich Bennett 13:19
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 13:19
just just told to me in that conversation of being like, okay, you can think what you want to think, but I'm going to go in here and you know, treat these kids the way they deserve to be treated. 

Rich Bennett 13:28
Man. That, that just, it hurts me. 

Matt Baublitz 13:34
I had no idea, we were still at that point where people, especially that worked with kids on a day-to-day basis could really legitimately say to your face that that's just bad, autism is bad parenting. 

Rich Bennett 13:45
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, yeah. 

Oh God. Thank God we're not recording there because I'd be going off on whoever the owner is with that. Alright, so one of the other things and so those of you listening we're recording this, what is today's the 16th? No, the 18th and it just so happens the episode 

Matt Baublitz 14:12
drop today. 

Rich Bennett 14:14
I had answered questions that listeners had sent to me, Matt has done that and also suggested some topics, which is of course one of the reasons we're talking about this, but I have to ask her this because he asked the question. Now if I could find it. Okay, the word narrative urgent is used much more often day, but people may not fully understand it. So what does neurodivergence mean to you? 

Matt Baublitz 14:47
This is a question that I've done a lot of introspectional and I've done a lot of discussion with therapists. term neurodivergent, I think I think we might need to explore the term a little more 

Rich Bennett 14:59
The 

Matt Baublitz 14:59
because the the concept of neuro typical is basically just defined as whatever the most common societal mindset at that particular point in time is. So by that definition, Neuro typical can change, which means neurodivergent, the goal post could also move. So hypothetically, by that definition, we reach a point where there's more neurodivergent people, the neurotypical people that becomes a new neurotypical. So I don't necessarily know how I feel about the typical and divergence portion of it, but I think essentially it comes down to if you were to, if somebody were to sit down. And I guess right out of a list of how somebody who's, you know, a fully quote unquote functional member of society would act in certain 

Rich Bennett 15:49
situation. Right. These 

Matt Baublitz 15:52
individuals with neurodivergence have stimuli that impact them differently. They see things differently, not necessarily. Positively or negatively. 

Rich Bennett 16:03
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 16:03
I do think there's a lot of ways where kids and people with neurodivergence got a leg up on neuro typical people. They are highly intelligent, they're highly emotional, they're highly perceptive. So all of those things though basically overload their system with more stimuli than people who do not have neurodivergence. 

Rich Bennett 16:28
For okay with young children, especially what are the different ways that you know neurodivergence may appear in them? 

Matt Baublitz 16:39
Neurodivergence can appear in young children in, in ways as simple. It's really tough in young children. 

Rich Bennett 16:45
Yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 16:46
Because I've spoken with so many therapists, a lot of therapists are even against beginning to diagnose altism or neurodivergence at the elementary school age. Because you could essentially go through an elementary school and find every kid has something that could pin them as neurodivergent at that age. 

Rich Bennett 17:02
right. 

Matt Baublitz 17:02
Because it comes down to sensitivity to sounds. Need for certain stimuli like scent or touch. It could be social where they have a hard time making eye contact. They don't socialize with other kids in the same way that other kids socialize. Although I can honestly say I've seen some neuro typical kids socializing. I don't love the way they socialize. So I don't know who's got it right, but it's, it's, it can, it can manifest in a lot of ways in kids. But you know one thing we really wanted to do was made for you Academy as well as not require a diagnosis. Because I'm, I'm a big proponent of not rushing diagnosis. 

Rich Bennett 17:40
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 17:41
Follow your gut as a parent if your kid shows some criteria of a diagnosis. It does not mean he has that 

Rich Bennett 17:50
exactly right. 

Matt Baublitz 17:50
She has that diagnosis. Again, you could go through an elementary school and find every kid has a symptom of ADHD, a symptom of altism, a symptom. 

Rich Bennett 17:59
Nope. 

Matt Baublitz 18:00
At that age, you know, they're not paying attention to the teacher. They're everybody socializes differently. So it's really tough to pendant a young age, but 

Rich Bennett 18:09
yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 18:09
So I think parents can more easily identify, My kid needs additional help. Here's, here's what they are doing. What routes do I need to go to make that 

Rich Bennett 18:19
right? 

Matt Baublitz 18:19
this happen for my child? Occupational therapy, physical therapy, you know, special pre-schooling. What can I do as a parent to make sure they have the supports they need rather than focusing on diagnoses? Well, there's a lot of children that it can be very obvious. You know, if you check every box, and you can go to the pediatrician to be really, "Oh yeah, your kid has altism." Then that's totally different. But I think with the spectrum now, being so wide... 

Rich Bennett 18:44
Yes! 

Matt Baublitz 18:45
It's- it's very easy to fall onto that spectrum. And if you ask me from my interactions with people, I think everybody's a little bit neurodivergent. I like to- 

Rich Bennett 18:52
Be that. 

Matt Baublitz 18:53
I like to call it neurospicy. You know, everybody's got a little spice. So I think it's what keeps the world going around. 

Rich Bennett 19:12
Because, yeah, it's- it sounds more positive. kind of kicked to it. 

Matt Baublitz 19:17
It's 

Rich Bennett 19:17
No pun- well, yeah, there was a- 

Matt Baublitz 19:19
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 19:20
was. Kick 

Matt Baublitz 19:20
there 

Rich Bennett 19:20
to the spice. No, I really liked that. I liked that term. I'm gonna have to tell my daughter that one. So do you think society, and I think I knew your answer for this, but do you think society sometimes focuses so heavily on the child's challenges that we overlook their strengths? 

Matt Baublitz 19:40
I do. I do. And I think it's not always faulted to the member of society is taking schools, for instance. 

Rich Bennett 19:48
Yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 19:48
yeah, they a lot of times have to focus on the downfalls because that is where they need to add staffing or add a five or four at an IEP. So I think there's definitely folks out there who's job unfortunately is to pick your kid apart, which is where, you know, us as parents have to step in and be like, okay, yes I agree with that portion, but here's the big picture of my child and what we've been going through. Because there's people who's full-time job, you know, school psychologist, school occupation therapist. Their full-time job is to pick these kids apart and find, you know, things to put in their IEPs or 504s. So for 

Rich Bennett 20:28
those listed, explain what IEP and 504 

Matt Baublitz 20:31
is. Sure. So IEP and 504 are two different ways that a child can get additional support within the public school system. A 504 is a little more informal where they get kind of, they can get some accommodations, some supports without needing to have a full IEP in place, where an IEP can give them more additional accommodations, including having a paraprofessional with them, or an inclusion helper in the classroom with them. Hartford County also has a great classroom support program, 

Rich Bennett 21:00
which they do now, 

Matt Baublitz 21:01
yeah, which is fantastic where the kids have a separate classroom they can go to outside of their general education classroom and still be taught the same academics in a more 101 environment. 

Rich Bennett 21:15
Yeah, they're not putting the hallway. 

Matt Baublitz 21:17
Correct. 

Rich Bennett 21:18
Which 

Matt Baublitz 21:18
is it is 

Rich Bennett 21:20
so what abilities or qualities, do you commonly see that's being overlooked? 

Matt Baublitz 21:29
That's a tough one. I think, 

I think one of the biggest mistakes made when looking at children is not taking into account the different ways kids socialize. 

Rich Bennett 21:40
Yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 21:41
I think it's really simple to say that a child isn't socializing like his peers, or some kids just need their space. Some kids, one thing I've always respected about my son is he's got no problem saying, I'm done with this. I'm going to go in the other room and just chill. If you all don't mind leave me alone. I'm overstimulated right now. I think you know we could all benefit from a little bit of that as a 

Rich Bennett 22:03
yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 22:03
to where that's 

Rich Bennett 22:04
absolutely, 

Matt Baublitz 22:05
you know very mature to be able to identify. I'm overstimulated I need to get away from people right now and that's a 

Rich Bennett 22:11
he's in fifth grade 

Matt Baublitz 22:12
fifth grade. 

Rich Bennett 22:13
Yeah. Wow. 

Matt Baublitz 22:13
and this is these are all the things to that these programs. These in the classroom support program as well in elementary school. And these programs build these kids up to have this level of awareness and 

Rich Bennett 22:24
Yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 22:25
emotional awareness, emotional maturity. And I've turned into my what my wife's a special educator in, 

Rich Bennett 22:30
okay, 

Matt Baublitz 22:30
For county, she's an inclusion helper. She's a certified, their professional And I've turned her and I said, Why is this not all kids learning this why are we not making all of our children emotionally mature and 

Rich Bennett 22:43
right. 

Matt Baublitz 22:44
aware. Why is it just we take the kids that the school pins as the problem children. And we now we make them more emotionally mature and aware than the kids who are not in this program. When if we made the other kids in the school as emotionally aware they might just be better people 

Rich Bennett 23:04
yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 23:04
and the kids who are different, wouldn't suffer as much, you know, cause part of their problem is these children are not understanding So if we gave the same support to all the kids, which I know we don't have the staffing. Yeah, this is a big 

Rich Bennett 23:16
them 

Matt Baublitz 23:16
dream to try 

Rich Bennett 23:17
right. 

Matt Baublitz 23:17
to give every child. 

Rich Bennett 23:18
Dreams can come 

Matt Baublitz 23:19
they can 

Rich Bennett 23:20
true remember that. 

Matt Baublitz 23:20
they can to try to give every child some little bit of emotional awareness and maturity, where they're not mean to kids that are different because we're all different, it's, you know, you're not going to get out in the society in every person is going to be just like you this is not an elementary school problem, it's not a middle school problem, it's not a high school problem, adults are all different, 

Rich Bennett 23:37
Yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 23:37
you need to learn to deal with it, and I think giving all kids that level of emotional maturity would definitely. They had to say that their parents really helped, so I think that's one thing that's overlooked is kids interactions in general. I think we look at kids with issues or neurodivergence and say they don't interact with their peers correctly, but their peers aren't interacting with them correctly. 

Rich Bennett 24:15
Um, 

oh, love on the spectrum. 

Matt Baublitz 24:19
I think it is. 

Rich Bennett 24:20
Oh, my God, you can learn so much just from watching them. Um, eh, I think a lot with, especially kids with Down syndrome. I learned a lot growing up and to this day still do just watching these kids are now young adults that had that. 

This, I love this next question, but I think you sort of answered it. How can change in our language, change the way children see themselves? You did it with NeuroSpicy, I liked that. 

Matt Baublitz 24:52
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 24:55
I like that. You know, you're going to have to get a search shirt made up now. 

Matt Baublitz 24:58
I actually do have a shirt. I have a little separate side gig that I've been running throughout all this called UBU and we have been, uh, we do have shirts for sale with NeuroSpicy, we have neurodivergence shirts, we have Down syndrome shirts, all kinds of. Oh, 

Rich Bennett 25:13
first of all, where can 

Matt Baublitz 25:14
people. 

They can find a, we do have a Facebook page called UBU and that's the word you why are you and then BBE and then the letter you. 

Rich Bennett 25:24
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 25:24
So UBU was kind of the start of the made for you. We started with the T shirts and then went from there for made for you academy. But yes, if you visit our, we have Facebook page that has the links on there, 

Rich Bennett 25:35
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 25:35
also the updated products are on our Facebook page, so that's UBU on Facebook. They, like I said, all kinds of different designs. One of my favorites is, we have a Sasquatch, Neurodivergence shirts. So 

Rich Bennett 25:50
kind 

Matt Baublitz 25:50
of it, it's, it's neurotypical as a myth and that is, you know, 

Rich Bennett 25:56
through, oh, 

Matt Baublitz 25:57
through my experience of I've never met a single human being that I felt like you're where the line was drawn for neurotypical. I 

Rich Bennett 26:04
thought you were going to tell me that you thought you almost met Sasquatch. 

Matt Baublitz 26:08
I've 

Rich Bennett 26:08
seen a Sasquatch for a minute there. 

Matt Baublitz 26:12
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 26:13
I have. 

Matt Baublitz 26:15
So, yeah, so that's, you know, kind of my take on trying to achieve neurotypical is unrealistic. 

Rich Bennett 26:22
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 26:22
I don't think that's not where anybody should set the bar. So that's, again, why I really don't love the language of that. 

Yeah, so back to the question of how changing air language can impact these children. I think, you know, not with just with the softening of the words, but also just with a positive self talk. 

Rich Bennett 26:39
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 26:39
Yeah, a lot of these kids can fall into saying things like I'm crazy, or I lost it, or I lost my mind, or because to them these are the words that are used to describe what they're 

Rich Bennett 26:51
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 26:51
experiencing. So to them, they feel like they're accurately labeling it. So I think explaining to them of you just got overwhelmed. It says nothing to do with you lost your mind, you know, or you're not crazy. This was a situation where you felt the right emotion. It was correct to be angry and upset. Your reaction was more than it should have been. 

Rich Bennett 27:12
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 27:12
Right. But really trying to validate emotions is big, you know, they're separating the difference between emotions and reactions. Because all these emotions they're feeling are legitimate. 

Rich Bennett 27:23
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 27:24
Th not making up emotions. 

Rich Bennett 27:25
No, 

Matt Baublitz 27:26
it's just their reactions are different to these emotions than somebody who may not have as big of an overwhelming experience with that emotion. 

Rich Bennett 27:34
All right. So with the maid for you academy, what's the big difference 

Matt Baublitz 27:40
between that 

Rich Bennett 27:41
rhythm? is 

Matt Baublitz 27:41
nd 

Rich Bennett 27:41
kids. 

So 

Matt Baublitz 27:48
this kid was start after rhythm kids just to kind of be in general. Really our dive into working with getting information out there. 

Rich Bennett 27:57
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 27:58
For kids with different needs. We actually started that along with running at this kid's Roblox where we were making a we actually had I just realized the other day it was taken down because I haven't had time to focus on. So I need to go back to it. But it was up for a long time. It was an all inclusive Roblox game. Basically geared around trying to make a Roblox game that would be not non-fraustrating for children. 

Rich Bennett 28:20
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 28:20
Watching children get frustrated on Roblox, you know, really angered. So I wanted to make a game that was non-fraustrating that kids with different needs, you know, have to have somebody who's hard of hearing. 

Rich Bennett 28:32
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 28:33
And we have enough text and subtitles on there that these kids could play the game successfully without needing to hear. And kids that have different motor skill needs, the game, everything, those simple, the mechanics were simple. So trying to make an all-inclusive game that works for all kids, and just any kid could find us fun. 

Rich Bennett 28:50
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 28:51
So we did have that up and running for a while. Again, it kind of fell by the wayside with getting the academy up. But that's something we do want to get back We are actually in talks with a developer who might be able to take over some of that for 

Rich Bennett 29:02
Oh, 

Matt Baublitz 29:02
us. 

Rich Bennett 29:03
nice. 

Matt Baublitz 29:03
So... That's something we do want to get back to, making that a bigger thing. Because I do think a lot of these kids should be able to spend more time in the same platform as other kids. 

Rich Bennett 29:13
Yes. 

Matt Baublitz 29:13
Without being overwhelmed. Also preventing 

Rich Bennett 29:16
Or 

Matt Baublitz 29:16
bull... 

Rich Bennett 29:17
criticizing. 

Matt Baublitz 29:17
Or criticizing, preventing bullying. That was the other thing, no free chat. It was all pre-selected texts that these kids could select with proper words. Can I play with you, please? Yes, you may. 

Rich Bennett 29:28
I... 

Matt Baublitz 29:28
Thank you. So encouraging this correct communication instead of, you know, kids just being mean to each other in there. Because just like adults, these kids hide behind their avatar, and they go into Roblox, and they just turn into a total tool sometimes, you know. [Laughing] 

Rich Bennett 29:45
Yeah, we... Yeah. Do you see with adults all the 

Matt Baublitz 29:48
time? And 

Rich Bennett 29:50
now that football season started, we're going to see it even more. 

Matt Baublitz 29:54
Right. So 

Rich Bennett 29:55
they get this kids, and then what is made for you Academy? Besides a cool ass play on words. 

Matt Baublitz 30:05
So made for you Academy is a program... The best way to describe it is thinking of it more as a preparation and tutoring program, educational program versus daycare/pre-school. So we're trying to stay away from the preschool verbage because that's not really what it is. It's not a daycare preschool set up. So we are specifically working with special educators 

Rich Bennett 30:27
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 30:27
who have experience with the IEPs, have experience with the 504s. We can take these children and evaluate them. We're going to have three teachers to four children. So you're almost looking at a one-to-one ratio. And these three teachers working with four children are able to individually evaluate them for needs that they may have in elementary school are able to work with children with individual needs and still get the same lesson... 

Rich Bennett 30:50
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 30:50
...and curriculum as everybody else. So we're not expecting 20 children to sit down in a room, listen to one teacher, and learn the same thing. So that was what we really wanted was more of a one-on-one ratio, be able to focus on that. And we're also at the same time running evening after school classes for children who are already in elementary school having trouble integrating. So their parents would like to get them additional help, but they're considering maybe like a tutoring facility where we're equipped to actually evaluate them. They do need a five-to-five before IEP... 

Rich Bennett 31:21
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 31:22
...help them get integrated into elementary school sooner rather than later. You know, because it can be a while. 

Rich Bennett 31:27
So you guys actually have your own brick and mortar now for that? 

Matt Baublitz 31:30
We haven't announced it yet, but unfortunately I can't announce the exact location because it is part of a partnership that is not ready to be announced yet. 

Rich Bennett 31:39
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 31:40
But we are going to be located in Abbingdon in the Box Hill area. 

Rich Bennett 31:44
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 31:45
So we do have a partnership that I'm really excited about there of 

Rich Bennett 31:49
going. 

Matt Baublitz 31:49
where we're 

Rich Bennett 31:49
When you're going to make the 

Matt Baublitz 31:50
announcement? 

not ready to be announced 

Rich Bennett 31:56
Okay. It's 

Matt Baublitz 31:56
yet. And you've got to keep the people 

Rich Bennett 31:58
it. 

Matt Baublitz 31:58
who 

Rich Bennett 31:58
I 

Matt Baublitz 31:58
want 

Rich Bennett 31:58
was going 

Matt Baublitz 31:58
You've 

Rich Bennett 31:58
to say- 

Matt Baublitz 31:58
got to keep the people who 

Rich Bennett 31:59
Oh, 

Matt Baublitz 31:59
want more. 

Rich Bennett 31:59
yeah! But when if this comes out after 

Matt Baublitz 32:01
announcement? 

Rich Bennett 32:01
the 

Matt Baublitz 32:02
It 

Rich Bennett 32:02
made me look like a fool! Man! No, that is awesome though, because I think that's important. Not holding back on the announcement. But 

Matt Baublitz 32:11
having 

Rich Bennett 32:12
a physical location. 

Matt Baublitz 32:13
Yes. So we have a physical location, we're going to have one large fully equipped classroom. We're going to have a sensory room. And we have a, as I previously mentioned, a separate remote work area that's going to have a CCTV feed into the classroom so the parents can keep an eye on their children while they're remote working. 

Rich Bennett 32:31
How big would you like to see this get? 

Matt Baublitz 32:35
I 

Rich Bennett 32:36
think you're sitting on a goldmine. 

Matt Baublitz 32:37
I suspect it's going to grow quickly from our therapeutic partnerships. You know, folks are telling us. But when you open them doors, we're going to fill that up because it's only four kids per class. 

Rich Bennett 32:47
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 32:48
So during the day you're looking at, we're only holding eight kids max it for the whole day because it's two day time classes. So, I do think other locations will be needed. And 

Rich Bennett 32:58
Right. Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 32:59
I would like to see to be able to put it in other locations. One thing we are really trying to do is make it as readily available to everybody as we can. So we are offering financial assistance to everybody strictly based on where you land in reference to the Harvard County median income. So if you fall at 80% of Harvard County median income you pay 80% to wish. We want to make this 

Rich Bennett 33:24
Wow. 

Matt Baublitz 33:24
something that is affordable and, you know, I have a habit of not really carrying whether I make money on things. 

Rich Bennett 33:30
I know. 

Matt Baublitz 33:31
So, I'm doing it for the community more than myself. 

Rich Bennett 33:34
But you know, and there's nothing wrong with that. And just, well, since the first time I met you, you've always been like that. 

Matt Baublitz 33:40
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 33:40
You know, um, and that's good. We need more people like that. It's, uh, that's story. I'll go into 

Matt Baublitz 33:48
it's, 

Rich Bennett 33:49
that later. But no, I, I have to commend you for that. That is, that is awesome. 

Matt Baublitz 33:53
And we're also looking to be able to get some corporate sponsorships for full scholarships. 

Rich Bennett 33:59
Uh-huh. 

Matt Baublitz 34:00
So we're looking for full scholarship sponsorships, where depending on the amount that a company's willing to sponsor, they can either pay for an evening class, a two day class, a three day class, or a five day class for a child. And then that will cover their tuition fully, regardless of their financial assistance. 

Rich Bennett 34:18
Oh, nice. That's a great idea. We didn't, didn't you do that with rhythmic kids or was it this kids? 

Matt Baublitz 34:24
We were looking into sponsorships. It didn't really happen. So that's definitely one area that's new for me. We haven't successfully in the past, really been able to acquire sponsorships. But I feel like this is something that businesses that really want to make an impact in this area can, can get on board with. Even folks that may have a loved one that had a disability that they want to have a, you know, scholarship and memory 

Rich Bennett 34:45
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 34:45
of them. You can do something like that. Because the plans go all the way down to five hundred dollars a month for just tuition assistance for a child. 

Rich Bennett 34:52
I sew with this because I know with rhythmic kids, I think you were talking about making that a 501c3 at one point. it. You're listening to conversations with rich Bennett. We'll be right back. 

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Let's get back to the conversation. 

With me for you a academy, are you looking to make it at 501(c)(3) or strictly like a business? 

Matt Baublitz 36:48
Right now, it is strictly a business 

Rich Bennett 36:50
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 36:50
just for the sake of simplicity getting off the ground. 

Rich Bennett 36:55
there's 

Matt Baublitz 36:55
And 

Rich Bennett 36:55
nothing wrong with that because... 

Matt Baublitz 36:56
It may evolve. 

Rich Bennett 36:57
know you hate the term daycare, but it's what daycares are. I think there are some nonprofit daycares but not many. But right now, you got the gears in my head going or should say the little hamster on the wheel running in my head because of sponsorships. So made for your academy is actually a business. Right? 

Matt Baublitz 37:18
I 

Rich Bennett 37:19
Have you joined any of the chambers? 

Matt Baublitz 37:22
We have not. 

Rich Bennett 37:23
Go look into that. 

Matt Baublitz 37:24
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 37:24
That's where you're going to find your sponsors. Especially to join them and become involved. Because I know there are a lot of businesses out there that care about stuff like this and want to give back. Right. It's just, it's hard to get out there and meet them all but it's nice to meet several at one time. If that makes 

Matt Baublitz 37:54
sense. Yeah. Definitely. 

Rich Bennett 37:55
This is great. I... Man. I can see this. Rhythmic kids... Rhythmic kids... Rhythmic kids was great. This kid was great. But this... I think you finally found the one that's going to go all the way. 

Matt Baublitz 38:12
I think so. And I get to stick to my roots. I am going to be integrating music classes and arts classes. We do already have an art teacher we're 

Rich Bennett 38:20
with. 

Matt Baublitz 38:20
working 

Rich Bennett 38:20
Good. 

Matt Baublitz 38:21
so we're gonna put a big focus on music and arts as well, so that these kids, you know, a couple of times throughout the week at least can have. Again, great for PT,great  for motor skill development. 

Rich Bennett 38:38
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 38:51
We can get everything they need in a fun way through our partnerships as well. We're also gonna be offering in-school therapies. A lot of these kids go to school all day, then they go to therapy at night, and they don't have a home life. So we wanted to integrate their therapies into school so that we can work with their curriculum. We have therapists who are going to be working with the "can come on site", and do the child's therapy in-class, or pull them aside if needed into the sensory room. But we're gonna try to integrate as much as we can into the in-class setting, where now they leave after they're four-hour block, they've gotten their education, they've gotten their physical therapy or occupational therapy. 

Rich Bennett 39:28
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 39:29
And they can go home now and be a kid. You know, a lot of these children have so many appointments, and, you know, every hour of every day they're just going somewhere because of their therapies and trying to get into a preschool somewhere. So we really wanted to make this a resource for families to feel like their child can get everything they need here, 

Rich Bennett 39:49
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 39:49
and they can still go home and be a child, instead of having to have doctors appointments and therapy 

Rich Bennett 39:54
That's 

Matt Baublitz 39:54
appointments. 

Rich Bennett 39:54
great. I can see a lot of people contacting you to work there. 

Matt Baublitz 39:59
Yeah. That's what I'm hoping. We're definitely gearing our salaries as well, so we want to get high quality candidates. 

Rich Bennett 40:06
Yes, 

Matt Baublitz 40:07
We want people- They 

Rich Bennett 40:08
care. 

Matt Baublitz 40:08
care. Right. People that care, people that know what they're doing, people that have been in special education, not just some- again, I want people like me that aren't just looking 

Rich Bennett 40:16
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 40:16
for a paycheck, because again, not trying to make a ton of money off this thing or nothing. And I know everybody wants paycheck, it's fantastic. I do know everybody expects a paycheck, so that's why we're willing to make sure we're paying the correct salary. We don't want- who just wants to be a daycare provider, we want somebody who wants to teach these kids and make sure they have the foundation 

Rich Bennett 40:35
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 40:35
they need, knows what they're doing, has looked at- If you've looked at an IEP before bonus points, you know, if not, we can definitely teach those kinds of things, but I agree. I think a lot of people are going to want to be involved, and we're trying to get the word out, you know, with the fact that we're looking at teachers. You know, it's definitely- I'm excited about where it has to go. I've been excited. It has up and down, 

Rich Bennett 40:57
Somebody 

Matt Baublitz 40:57
where, you know, thought we were getting some- Right. Thought we were getting somewhere, you know, backslid. I had this recent conversation with this upcoming partnership, and that really- I was like, okay, this is the spot. This is what we need to be doing, and it really kind of got me excited about it. And, you know, I feel like this is the opportunity where we can run now with this and get off the ground. 

Rich Bennett 41:15
I have a funny feeling within three years, you're gonna have two 

spots, maybe even possibly three spots, because it's needed. 

Matt Baublitz 41:26
Yeah, absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 41:27
I mean, is there anything else like that out there? 

Matt Baublitz 41:29
Not that I've been able to find. 

Rich Bennett 41:30
No, 

Matt Baublitz 41:30
Like I said, I know there are certain preschools that have teachers that have some experience with neurodivergence and things like 

Rich Bennett 41:37
yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 41:37
that, so they're open to But nothing specifically where the curriculum is geared towards 

Rich Bennett 41:41
it. Wow, 

Matt Baublitz 41:43
And it's all about elementary prep, too, you know. We 

Rich Bennett 41:45
yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 41:46
really want these kids to be as prepared as they possibly can be for when, We're no longer there to support them 

Rich Bennett 41:52
yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 41:53
and to know what supports they need going in so that they don't have a year and a half or two years of drowning before they start to get the supports they need. Which when these kids come out of mainstream preschools into an elementary school, the elementary school's job is now to figure out 

Rich Bennett 42:07
right. 

Matt Baublitz 42:08
what this kid needs. Nobody walked in with a piece of paper and said, okay, you know, here is our friend, Johnny. This is the accommodations that he needs. He's been in our school for the last three years. And here's what he needs, you know, well, nobody does that for them. So that's what we want to make that transition in elementary school easy, simple. Be their advocates and make sure they get the accommodations. 

Rich Bennett 42:27
All right. So I know with me for you, Academy, it's, it's focuses on the children. 

But with your background, your experience and even your wife's, have you guys thought about somehow or another adding an element to where 

to help parents, not just parents, not just parents of the children, but even educators. And general public, adults that don't have a clue what to look for or how to even, cause and we mentioned language, you have to speak to them 

Matt Baublitz 43:07
differently 

Rich Bennett 43:07
well. So have you guys thought about an element 

Matt Baublitz 43:10
as 

Rich Bennett 43:10
like that yet? 

Matt Baublitz 43:11
It has been something that's crossed my mind from the aspect of trying to get in with support groups, like 

Rich Bennett 43:17
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 43:18
autism parents support groups, places like that, and make it, you know, not a sales pitch about us, just educational. That's what I want that to be where we can get in with these support groups of parents who are already supporting each other and talk to them about preparing for IEPs, talk to them about five or four, talk to them about accommodations, and make sure that they are prepared for these, you know, upcoming situations. That's something we plan on doing for our parents already, you know, where we are going to have times with our parents where we're going to be, okay, is it okay if everybody, you know, take this day off of work, if you're a remote worker, and we're going to have a, you know, sit down and go over, you know, everybody's accommodations, make sure we're integrating things from home to school because that's another huge deal. Making 

Rich Bennett 43:53
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 43:53
sure your school and your home are doing the same things. You're not competing against each other. And where that communication breakdown happens in elementary schools is where that big problem comes from. They're not communicating what is working in school. So parents aren't integrating it at home. 

Rich Bennett 44:10
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 44:10
So we've seen leaps and bounds since we've started the conversations with our educators of what can we do at home? And they tell us, well, yeah, great. We've been doing this, this, I think a lot of parents either don't care, don't know that they can ask that question. I don't know. But so we want to make sure whatever they're doing this working, we're doing this working. So that our kids sees consistency across the board and they're not different expectations at home than they are in school. So we definitely think that a lot,there's  a lot of conversations there to be had with with these adults of loved ones that have autism or neurodivergence. So yeah, we've definitely considered getting into, especially like the support group area and just having, you know, 

Rich Bennett 44:52
yeah, because the other thing too, and I'm sure you've seen this a lot, and I love the fact that you'd focus on that when they're young before kindergarten at all, because I'm sure there's a lot of parents out there that, feel like, no, that's not my child. That will ever happen in my child. 

Matt Baublitz 45:14
you know, 

Rich Bennett 45:14
Where in their child may have 100% of the signs, but they just refuse to believe it. 

Matt Baublitz 45:23
Right. 

Rich Bennett 45:24
And that could be a challenge there. 

Matt Baublitz 45:25
It is. And I also think to that point, you know, what I previously discussed about us not requiring a diagnosis, that's a huge scare factor 

Rich Bennett 45:34
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 45:35
for parents where they feel like they need a diagnosis to get help. And I'm here to tell you, you don't, I know a lot of elementary schools, they'll tell you they're not allowed to diagnose your child. And they're not, they're not allowed to diagnose your child, but they have to do what's called code your child in order for your to get an IEP. 

Rich Bennett 45:54
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 45:55
What a lot of parents don't realize. There are some general coatings, like behavioral delay, behavioral disability. There's a lot of general of general coatings that they can use in elementary school, because the elementary school will be like, you need to get your kid all test tested, you 

Rich Bennett 46:11
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 46:11
need to get your kid ADHD tested. You need to do all these tests. And that's what a lot of parents throw in the towel of like, I'm not doing that with my kinder gardener, and I don't blame them. There's a, again, unless it's glaringly obvious in your kinder gardener, I wouldn't rush to diagnose them. But there's ways to get the accommodations you need without diagnosing your child 

Rich Bennett 46:31
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 46:31
without having to have that, you know, medical diagnosis. And I don't even think a lot of parents realize that. And I think if we approached it more as every child's unique, then, hey, Tommy's got autism, that that would make it more palatable for parents where they didn't feel like they were being pigeonholed into, you know, 

Rich Bennett 46:50
have you thought about and if not, you should actually going out to like different organizations and talking to the people, you know, whe it be rotary clubs, even lines clubs, PTAs. Oh my god, PTA could be, I mean, 

Matt Baublitz 47:08
to 

Rich Bennett 47:10
get the word out there, especially about me for you academy, because a lot of people may feel that there's nothing out there to help their child, 

Matt Baublitz 47:19
right? 

Rich Bennett 47:21
here it is. You are. 

Matt Baublitz 47:23
Yeah, it's and 

Rich Bennett 47:23
But yeah, I mean, 

Matt Baublitz 47:25
it would definitely be something we'd like to do. I mean, I want to get the word out. I want this thing to be more than I can handle. I want it to blow up. I want to, like you said, have to open more locations, not for the money because I want the community to have it. 

Rich Bennett 47:35
yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 47:35
Yeah, I want to have to grow it. I want to have more kids than I can at any given moment so that I can open more locations and provide this. for these children, because you know, we, we are running tight margins, but as long as we can get, you know, a decent capacity, I'm ready to open another location. If we get this one full and I can get, you know, a few kids that say they're ready for one in fours tale, 

Rich Bennett 47:56
Yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 47:56
I'll open one in fours tale, you know, I'm all for that. I'm not, you know, I want to grow. I want to offer it where it's needed and I want to come to these kids where it's needed. And that was one reason, too, why I loved the idea of being in like the Aberdeen. I mean, I'm not adding them. Box Hill area for 

Rich Bennett 48:11
yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 48:11
our first location, because it's close to 95. 

Rich Bennett 48:14
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 48:14
Convenience. 

Rich Bennett 48:14
most almost middle of Harvard County, 

Matt Baublitz 48:16
Yeah. So I think it's a good place to start, but I do think a lot of parents, you know, would benefit for something being closer to home. So 

Rich Bennett 48:23
but yeah, right. 

Matt Baublitz 48:23
as we see where our needs are, we can open new locations. If we need one in half a degree, we can open one in half a degree. So if we need one in four, so we can open one in four still. But I want to have that problem. I do want everybody to have access to it. 

Rich Bennett 48:36
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 48:37
You know, a big thing for us. 

Rich Bennett 48:38
Well, the good thing is too like with the location you're talking about being on the 95-40 corridor, there's a lot of schools closer to that area than say if you go north, or in Hartford County or anything like that, you have a lot more schools in this area, which I think you'd be able to hope a lot more people out with all the people that you know have helped out. Do you? Well, let me rephrase this. So, do you know of a lot of parents? Whose kids you have already helped or that have kids that are neurodivergent that you know you can help? 

Matt Baublitz 49:22
Kids that I've specifically worked with at this point, most of them are in elementary school. 

Rich Bennett 49:26
Okay. 

Matt Baublitz 49:26
Again, some of them may be able to benefit from the after integration, side of things that after school evening programs, as far as the pre-elementary age. None of the kids that I've worked with are related to the fall into that criteria, just because of the gap between rhythmic kids and made for you academy, the gap. Now there are pretty much all in elementary school. Now, it doesn't, doesn't mean there's not siblings, you know, that may fall into that 

Rich Bennett 49:51
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 49:51
category. So, I've certainly been kind of, and that's why I left the Diz kids page running as well as the replacement of rhythmic kids. And again, with society, the minute I changed rhythmic kids to about a company for kids with disabilities, my followers dropped and it 

Rich Bennett 50:09
really 

Matt Baublitz 50:09
made me sad, but you know, weed out those people early on. That's fine by me. But the minute I started talking about kids with autism and disabilities and neurodivergents, I had some people run and that was a little sad to see. But, you know, if that's not for you, then I don't want you on the page anyways. 

Rich Bennett 50:26
Well, the reason I ask that question is because I think number one reason awareness about this is important. But my thing is, if you know other parents that are going through this, I would say, 

bring three of them on and let's do a roundtable discussion about this. 

Matt Baublitz 50:50
okay, 

Rich Bennett 50:50
And get the word out even more. 

Matt Baublitz 50:53
Yeah, absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 50:54
And I got a lot of things to say to 

Matt Baublitz 50:56
you. 

Rich Bennett 50:58
Yeah, I could see this taken off. 

Matt Baublitz 51:00
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:01
I 

Matt Baublitz 51:02
think I could certainly make that happen, especially through some of my therapy partnerships. You know, I've talked to therapists in the area, and they're pretty, they're pretty much telling me, hey, just with our kids alone, some of them have been kicked out of three or four preschools, they're on their fourth or fifth preschool right now, or, you know, they're just being shuffled all around. So even with these therapy connections, I think we're probably going to fill up maybe one or two schools just with therapy connections. 

Rich Bennett 51:25
Oh, maybe do two different things. Do a roundtable, but also get some of these therapists on and we could do a live panel recording. Not broadcast live, but, you know, I'm meeting with somebody next week to hopefully schedule some of these and bringing an audience.playing  out several months ahead of time, of course, to 

Matt Baublitz 51:50
Right. 

Rich Bennett 51:50
get the right people. And 

Matt Baublitz 51:52
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 51:53
that will also help raise awareness and help with made for you a kind of me as well. 

Matt Baublitz 51:59
Yeah, absolutely. I would love that. I'd love to get that, get the word out as many ways as possible. So, 

Rich Bennett 52:07
know, I better put my questions on, my 

Matt Baublitz 52:10
you 

Rich Bennett 52:10
glasses on so I can read good Lord. 

Matt Baublitz 52:15
The questions are more feminine, I'm happy glasses. 

Rich Bennett 52:17
Yeah, if and what. Yeah, I need to put them on. 

Oh, my God. 

Man, this, this, this, this question I like, but I tissues over there in case we 

Matt Baublitz 52:37
Cutting 

Rich Bennett 52:37
need it. 

Matt Baublitz 52:37
deep on this one. 

Rich Bennett 52:38
Yeah, if one of the children you serve comes back to see you 10 years from now, what do you hope they remember about their time with you? 

Matt Baublitz 52:54
Th I help them feel like they belong. That's always been my huge goal. I feel like the biggest downfall in what we call inclusion in the world is creating separate or different environments for these kids. And that's not our Our goal is for these kids to be able to just be a kid with other kids, not for them to feel like they had to have their own private classroom, they had their own private teacher. Well, for them to have the same experience, so just for them to acknowledge and say, you know, you were really one of the first people that made me feel like I was just a kid, not a diagnosis, or not a, you know, that's really my goal, and I think that if that hits home with these kids, that they really remember feeling like part of something. 

Rich Bennett 53:43
Yeah. 

I've been very experienced as a father and advocate, because you're advocating for it, uh, and founder, what does true inclusion mean to you now? 

Matt Baublitz 54:07
I guess, I think true inclusion is, 

I think for true inclusion, we need to involve others who are not in this world of children with special 

Rich Bennett 54:23
Yes. 

Matt Baublitz 54:23
needs. For true inclusion, and I think that's where true inclusion falls short. I think providing accommodations is great. I think we need to do all these things for these kids to learn, and for adults to have what they need in the professional world, absolutely accommodations are important. But I think ignorance is the biggest, Backslide of inclusion, and that's one thing that I think we're going to constantly be fighting against with inclusion is you're going to have your quote unquote neuro-typical people 

Rich Bennett 54:52
yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 54:52
that maybe just never went to the therapist to find out they're not so neurotypical. And they're going to feel like these people are still not like them, 

Rich Bennett 55:01
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 55:02
you know, we still have people to feel like kids with disabilities can't hold jobs. Kids with disabilities can't do things. I read a story recently we just had the first young lady with Down syndrome just graduated med school. 

Rich Bennett 55:14
I saw that 

Matt Baublitz 55:15
and I was so 

Rich Bennett 55:16
this. It was 

Matt Baublitz 55:16
stoked 

Rich Bennett 55:16
on 

Matt Baublitz 55:16
to see 

Rich Bennett 55:17
SunniDays.com. 

Matt Baublitz 55:18
Yeah, I was so stoked to see that. 

Rich Bennett 55:20
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 55:20
And that they learn differently, but they're not different. Like, 

Rich Bennett 55:25
no, they're not. 

Matt Baublitz 55:26
They're, they're capable. 

Rich Bennett 55:28
Oh, yeah, and it hard 

Matt Baublitz 55:30
workers hard workers. And I think that's one of the biggest. hits against inclusion is treating them differently.Yes , they need accommodations, but they just want to be a kid. They just want to be an adult. They want to be wherever they're at in life. They don't want to be treated differently. 

Rich Bennett 55:45
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 55:45
Yeah, I've seen videos from folks with Down syndrome, they're adults. They say people tell me I shouldn't drink alcohol. Why shouldn't I drink alcohol? Why can't I go out my friends and have a beer? People just look at them as they need their fragile, they need protected. They're different. And you know, unless you have a other underlying health condition where you shouldn't be drinking alcohol, 

Rich Bennett 56:03
Oh, yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 56:04
there's nothing about autism or Down syndrome that says you can't go out with a friend and have a beer. 

Rich Bennett 56:08
right. 

Matt Baublitz 56:09
So even through adulthood, just making them feel like they're just a person, 

Rich Bennett 56:15
It 

Matt Baublitz 56:15
you know? Right, that's inclusion, not singling them out, not making them feel like that you need to do something extra special because they're, you know, let the adults and the special educators and all that handle the accommodations, you know? They just want to be a kid. 

Rich Bennett 56:30
Sit down and have a conversation with them, and you'll be amazed what you learn from them. You 

Matt Baublitz 56:38
can learn more from 10 minutes with somebody, with special needs or disability, then you can with a five hour conversation with somebody 

Rich Bennett 56:47
>>Yep. 

Matt Baublitz 56:47
without-- >>I mean, it's these kids and these adults just will teach you so much. 

Rich Bennett 56:52
>, yeah. Yeah. You see it all the time, and it's amazing. Tell everybody the website. 

Matt Baublitz 57:00
> website is made for you again that's made M A D E, the number four in the letter U dot x, y, z. 

Rich Bennett 57:09
> x, y, z? 

Matt Baublitz 57:10
> why not? 

> appropriate for 

Rich Bennett 57:14
> 

Matt Baublitz 57:14
your school. 

Rich Bennett 57:15
like 

Matt Baublitz 57:15
that. 

Rich Bennett 57:17
>>Wow. 

Matt Baublitz 57:17
> made for U dot x, y, z. 

Rich Bennett 57:19
> telling you, they have so many, I don't even know what 

Matt Baublitz 57:22
that's 

Rich Bennett 57:23
called now at the end of a website. So many different ones now. I was looking for, excuse me, for my other podcast because I was testing it first and I should have for the domain first and I didn't. But the first season went so well, I was like, "Oh, let me get the domain," which wasn't available. So you know that you recommend it as instead of the dot com dot Yokohama. 

Matt Baublitz 57:48
[inaudible] 

Rich Bennett 57:49
>, 

Matt Baublitz 57:49
>>I 

Rich Bennett 57:49
that's did the same thing. I was like, "What?" >>Yeah, it's weird. 

Matt Baublitz 57:55
>>Interf-- 

Rich Bennett 57:55
weird. > right, so Matt, 

Matt Baublitz 57:57
>>Very 

Rich Bennett 57:57
is there anything you would like to add before you picked the last question? > wanted to let you pick one question or two 

Matt Baublitz 58:06
questions. >, while you think about that, I'll add that we are now registering for summer of 2027. We're going to launch with summer classes. 

Rich Bennett 58:17
>>Oh wow. 

Matt Baublitz 58:17
our plan is to be open by February of next year, we're going to have grand opening, open houses, and we're going to be offering classes, hopef, by summer of 2027. So as long as everything goes according to plan with our location, uh, that is the plan right now, we are taking registrations for summer. 

Rich Bennett 58:35
That's why you need to become a member of the chamber so that you can have the ribbon cutting and have all- we'll talk about 

Matt Baublitz 58:43
that. '52, 

my favorite number. 

Rich Bennett 58:50
Why is that your favorite number? 

Matt Baublitz 58:51
I always has been, I have no idea. I just think it's a- it's a very, uh, universal number. I always say, like, 152, 5000, I pick a good one. 

Rich Bennett 59:01
So, 

Matt Baublitz 59:01
I'm sure 

Rich Bennett 59:03
you've heard this, I got 100 different questions here. The guest always picks a number, and somehow another, the question goes with what we've been talking about in a way. So, number 52, 

Matt Baublitz 59:18
yeah, 

Rich Bennett 59:18
We'll do, we'll do another one after this too. 

Matt Baublitz 59:20
okay. 

Rich Bennett 59:21
What is something your, no, wrong one. What is, I don't have my 

Matt Baublitz 59:26
glasses on people. 

Rich Bennett 59:27
What is something you've come to appreciate more as you've gotten older? This guys are floating the talking about, I believe. 

Matt Baublitz 59:34
It does. 

Something I've come to appreciate more as I've gotten older is just slowing down. And taking time to be more appreciative of everything, you know, just kind of take your time to get away from the rat race. 

Rich Bennett 59:54
Yeah, 

Matt Baublitz 59:55
you know, and I know, as we previously discussed, I Just can't stop with this, trying to help kids and make this grow, but so my brain is constantly going on that, but I do, as I've gotten older, step back and appreciate. When I was doing classes with rhythmic kids, sometimes I would just sit there and look out of the kids' faces and just be like, this is my life. I think 

Rich Bennett 1:00:18
feel good. 

Matt Baublitz 1:00:18
it does, and that's why I've always, even if it's something that I couldn't do full time back then, I wasn't able to do that full time. It was something that was my escape, was my opportunity to sit back and enjoy just life as it was, because everybody is in a rush to grow up. I hear these kids all the time in a rush to grow up and I say to parents, if they only knew they're living their best life right now and they're in a hurry for it to be over. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:42
Yeah, because as you get older, it goes 

Matt Baublitz 1:00:45
Yeah. You 

Rich Bennett 1:00:45
fast. 

Matt Baublitz 1:00:45
can't convince any kid of that, but they're always in a hurry when I'm an adult, but just being able to slow down. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:50
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 1:00:50
It's a rat race. The minute you turn 18, everything is expectations, responsibilities, it's a rat race. Just being able to step back, look out into a child's eyes, and just be like, I'm doing something here. They appreciate what I'm doing, or even my own children's eyes. Sometimes I just stare at my own children. My son was looking at me. What are you looking at me for? I'm like, 

Rich Bennett 1:01:11
You 

Matt Baublitz 1:01:12
know, just 

Rich Bennett 1:01:13
just 

Matt Baublitz 1:01:14
taking it in. Just taking it in because tomorrow you're going to look different. So just slow down, take it in every day. The day you're living today, you're never going to have the opportunity to live again. This is your only chance. So stop and take it in. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:27
If they say that to you again, like, why are you looking at me? 

Matt Baublitz 1:01:31
All 

Rich Bennett 1:01:31
you got to do is say, well, to be honest with you, I'm just looking at what, how good I am at creating something so wonderful, which means I'm Mr. Wonderful. There won't know what to say after that. All right, I already said two. So you got to pick another number now because that was a good answer, but then we're going to have to end on this. 

Matt Baublitz 1:01:58
right. So working with kids, you got to go with six seven. Let's do sixty seven. Oh, 

Rich Bennett 1:02:05
All 

those are really have to do with anything we've talked about, but this is a good 

Matt Baublitz 1:02:13
But 

Rich Bennett 1:02:13
question. if you could travel with any point in the future or past, when would you go and why? 

Matt Baublitz 1:02:23
Future 

Rich Bennett 1:02:27
or 

Matt Baublitz 1:02:31
tough. Specific point is tough to be able to pick a specific point in time. I think 

I wish, you know, for my children, for other children, I could go into the future and just reassure them that everything is going to be all right. Everything is going to work out that what you know, all the things that seem so life altering at a young age or trivial by the time, you know, you grow up and you've done all these things a million times and now you have a house to keep run in and you know, just to let them know it's going to be okay. But again, I don't know how much you can really convince she'll even if you went to the future child, I don't know if you can convince them that their life is going to work out. Children just need to learn things for their own. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:20
So, 

Matt Baublitz 1:03:21
you know, and I don't take that away from them because everybody needs to learn things the hard way. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:24
you can be a role model for them, but they're still going to learn on their own. They're going to have to make 

Matt Baublitz 1:03:30
mistakes. Right. I mean, I think if I could... 

Rich Bennett 1:03:33
We still do. 

Matt Baublitz 1:03:33
Yeah. Yeah. And same thing, if I went back to younger me and told me everything's going to work out, I don't know if I'd listen to myself anyway. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:39
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 1:03:40
But, so, you know, maybe we'll pick a point in history where I would love to be able to go back in history and, you know, make things move along a little better for inclusion. Uh, earlier on, because, you know, we had the knowledge, we had the science, we just didn't know what to do with it at the 

Rich Bennett 1:03:59
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 1:03:59
time. And everybody along the way thought they were doing what's right. I mean, here's the thing with disabilities, with education, with parenting. There's no right way to do it. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:10
No. 

Matt Baublitz 1:04:10
In hindsight, you can say that was wrong, you know, that... And I do think there's something... you know, with parenting and education, you could say is wrong upfront, you know. It's just a boy doing all together. But, there's no right way to do it. If anybody tells you they got parenting figured out or education figured out or working with kids with disabilities figured out they're lying to you and you should run, because there's no right way to do it. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:30
Everybody's different. 

Matt Baublitz 1:04:30
I think as we were figuring out all these things with, including folks with neurodivergence, and, you know, back to the... I don't remember the exact year, I just actually read an article in this... the first autism diagnosis, you know. Back to that point where, and say, okay, you guys don't know yet, but here's what we need to do. This is, you know, we can skip a whole bunch of heartache if we get to this point now. That would be fantastic to be able to say, okay, now when I jump back to 2026, maybe things would be a lot better for these 

Rich Bennett 1:04:58
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 1:04:58
folks. Maybe I won't be the only one, you know, leading this charge. Maybe we'll understand it more. Again, not the only one leading a charge, but just, you know, with the lack of resources. That would be great. I would love... again, I think we talked about those rhythmic kids. As much from a standpoint of selfishness, I love being one of the only people in this area. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:20
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 1:05:21
I wish I had a lot of competition because there's plenty of kids 

Rich Bennett 1:05:24
this. 

Matt Baublitz 1:05:24
that need 

Rich Bennett 1:05:25
Oh, that is true. 

Matt Baublitz 1:05:26
And I would welcome the competition if those people are doing it right. I mean, I've had folks say to me, well, why don't you just, you know, write out all of your curriculum, you know, because we have all our curriculum plans and everything. We've been carefully kind of... And they're are puttically looking at all this. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:39
Yeah. 

Matt Baublitz 1:05:40
Why don't you just sell the educational concept of made for you? And I said, because I don't trust anybody else to run 

Rich Bennett 1:05:48
No. 

Matt Baublitz 1:05:48
this. I don't want to hand it off to, you know, I will hand it off to somebody big like Sylvan or no. If I give it to Sylvan, they're going to make it a money maker. If I give it to... They're going to make it about money and you cannot do what I'm trying to do and focus on the bottom line. And that will mean, that means no big corporate, you know, daycare or preschool will ever want to do what I'm doing because... You can't look at the bottom line. You can put the words out there that we accept, you know, children with autism and neurodivergence and sure you can put the words out there. You can hire a special educator, but that program will never be centered around the child because... 

Rich Bennett 1:06:22
Right. 

Matt Baublitz 1:06:22
That's not profitable enough. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:24
The thing is, too, and I mentioned this before because I can see this growing, to become like a franchise. And when you think of a franchise, you look at something like McDonald's. You know, if you own a... Or even a Chick-fil-A, if you own one of them, you can't change the recipe. 

Matt Baublitz 1:06:41
Right. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:41
So you have the recipe. And if you gave it to somebody else, they would change it. 

Matt Baublitz 1:06:47
Absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:47
But if you build it up on your own and when it gets that big, it's already there. 

Matt Baublitz 1:06:54
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:55
Wow. You did make that question go with what we were talking about. That was 

Matt Baublitz 1:06:58
awesome. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:00
Matt, always great seeing you. Thank you for coming back and thank you for listening, too. Yeah, let's do a roundtable and... 

Matt Baublitz 1:07:10
I love it. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:10
I'll let you know about the life. Wow. The live panel discussion. I must have rented lips or something to the... 

Matt Baublitz 1:07:20
What 

Rich Bennett 1:07:20
is going on? 

Matt Baublitz 1:07:22
Can't blame that on your glasses. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:25
I got my glasses on my mouth. I got my glasses on my mouth. God. What really stood out to me in this conversation is that inclusion is not simply place in every child in the same room and call it progress. True inclusion means taking the time to understand how each child learns, communicates, processes, emotions, and responds to the world around them. As Matt reminded us, these children are not problems to be solved. They are individuals who may need a different environment, additional support, or simply someone willing to recognize their strengths. Matt's experiences with his own children help them see what can happen when those needs are missed. A child can spend months or even years struggling before the right accommodations are put in place. That is why early intervention and kindergarten preparation matters so much. Made for you Academy is being built to help families identify their needs sooner, prepare children for the transition into elementary school, and work alongside parents, educators, and therapists so everyone is moving in the same direction. I also loved what Matt said about wanting children to remember that he helped them feel like they belonged, not like a diagnosis, not like a disruption. Just a kid. That may be one of the most important things any adult can give a child, the confidence to know that they belong, they are capable, and they deserve to be understood. To learn more about Matt made for you Academy, it's programs or ways to support its mission. Visit madeforu. xyz, that's M-A-D-E. The number four, the letter U dot xyz. A special thank you to Freedom Federal Credit Union for sponsoring this episode and helping us bring these meaningful conversations to you. Until next time, I'm Rich Bennett. Thanks for listening, and remember, every great conversation starts with someone willing to listen and someone willing to share. Now it's your turn. Join the conversation by sharing this episode, leaving a comment, or reaching out to me directly. Take care, be kind to one another, and I'll talk with you again soon.