It’s the end of the school year! Is your calendar filling up with fieldtrips, recitals, celebrations? Amongst the activity, are you and your child also feeling chaos, decisions, and multi emotions? It’s a bittersweet time. We honor and celebrate accomplishments that have been the year in the making, appreciate those that helped us to get …
Support Spring Routine Changes: End of School Year Survival Guide Read More »
Children are constantly faced with so many new, strange and exciting emotions. It can be difficult for them to understand what these new feelings mean, let alone how to manage them. This is why it’s so important for children to learn how to identify and label their emotions early on. In order to build our …
Teaching Emotions & Self Regulation To Children: Simple Tips For Parents and Teachers Read More »
When teaching neurodiverse students (especially autism), it’s important to remember that they take things literally. You also need to be as visual and hands-on as possible. This means using real objects, pictures, or anything else that will make your instructions clear. To help you get started, here are some ideas for teaching neurodiverse students who …
Teaching Students Who Take Instructions Literally Read More »
I’ve been thinking about what an impact environment has on us. We do our best when we have a calm space to call our own. I spent time in my sunroom this morning watching a very busy mama bird carefully cultivated her nest after winter had had its affect on it. I watched as she …
“Are you dressed?” “Where’s your backpack?” “Did you brush your teeth?” “Your breakfast is getting cold, get down here!” Sound familiar? How does YOUR child do with his morning routine? Do you wish he did it on his own? Wouldn’t it be nice to have your morning run a bit more smoothly? Visual Schedules do …
Creating and maintaining friendships are important social skills for our children to develop. With autism, maintaining friendships can be difficult due to misreading emotions and social situations. Perhaps your child desperately wants to have friends, but jeopardizes the relationship before it can even begin due to misreading emotions. Does your child approach another child with …
3 Tips for Children with Autism – Autism and Maintaining Friendships Read More »
Fear and panic are real, and may feel more intense to our sensitive children. Learn how to calm a panicked child to help decrease discomfort. Many of our children rely on predictability, structure, and routine. When those change, feelings of panic may arise. Children may want to, but don’t know details of new surroundings, experience …
How to Calm A Panicked Child: 3 Things To Remember Read More »
Want to understand big behaviors at home? Do you know what’s causing them? Just as each child is individual and unique, there are many reasons your child may be having big reactions at home. For neurodiverse children such as those with autism, ADHD, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, behaviors communicate how a child’s body and mind are …
Understand Big Behaviors at Home and What’s Causing Them Read More »
Giving Intentional Praise Build intentional connection by using praise with your child. Praise can be used to express gratitude, affirm a child’s behavior or efforts, congratulate a completed activity, and show love. For praise to be meaningful, it should be given with the receiver in mind. How does this child like to receive information? What makes …
Build Intentional Connection with 8 Simple Sentence Starters Read More »
Unexpected schedule changes can throw off your child’s routine and cause chaos. Ever had a fun event get cancelled or a routine change unexpectedly? Our children trust in feeling secure with predictable events and schedules. Knowing what to expect gives our children an internal sense of calm. “I know what’s going to happen. I don’t …
Unexpected Schedule Changes & Chaos: 5 Steps to Support Your Child Read More »
