Jen's OT For Kids

The brain hierarchy 🧠
“When your child’s lower brain levels are weak, they can’t learn.”

Unlocking the Secrets of Learning: Understanding Brain Hierarchy
https://ilslearningcorner.com/2016-03-brain-hierarchy-when-your-childs-lower-brain-levels-are-weak-they-cant-learn/

A scavenger hunt that’s suitable for any age!😊 💜

Great idea from

Crawling is such an important milestone!💜

Crawling: The Classic Milestone or Skippable Step? https://ilslearningcorner.com/why-babies-should-never-skip-the-crawling-phase/?

Anxiety feels like an epidemic ~~ I have more students than ever who are struggling in different ways with anxiety, from preschool to young adult ages. I’m working to learn as much as I can so that I can help my students build their toolbox of strategies that can help them through. What has helped you with managing anxiety?

Would you add anything to this?

From

Self-regulation is hard, even for adults. We have to practice it regularly. But recognising emotions and managing them well is not just a job for children. It is our responsibility as adults to recognise when we are feeling like we are no longer calm and do what we need to to stay in control. It is also our responsibility to teach our children how to do this. If we are all taking responsibility for our own emotions and openly using strategies to calm, we will create a home where emotions are acknowledged and managed, creating a self-regulated family.

When dysregulated, the thinking part of our brain switches off so our fight/flight brain can take over. Helping a child calm will help them think clearly again so you can teach them how to cope.

When they are dysregulated,

👉 come close. Offer a hug or a hand on the shoulder, but only if they are receptive
👉validate and knowledge the feeling eg "it is really hard when things don’t work out the way you think they should. It is frustrating"
👉wait. Just hold space for the feeling
👉offer a way to calm together, eg let's match our breathing
👉when everyone is calm, then talk about what happened

More information in my book

Guidance from The Therapist Parent

Available on my website www.thetherapistparent.com and Amazon

https://www.thetherapistparent.com/post/creating-a-self-regulated-family

More information on my blog

100 CALM DOWN STRATEGIES FOR KIDS

See them all here --> https://www.andnextcomesl.com/2017/07/calm-down-strategies-for-kids.html

Wouldn’t this be a wonderful to start your child’s week?😊

🙌🙌🙌

From Renewed Hope Parenting

Offering the right words can make all the difference when your child has an angry outburst. Here are some gentle phrases to help them navigate their big emotions.

Hopefully, these phrases will help you connect with your kids when they experience an angry outburst!

At GoZen, we're dedicated to helping kids, teens, and parents navigate emotions and develop healthy coping skills. Explore our collection of animated programs for anxiety relief, toolkits, and other resources—all conveniently located in one place. Visit GoZen.com

Good reasons to enjoy the spring sunshine and flowers!🌸 ☀️

Our brains are wired to seek an internal “normal” chemical balance between pleasure and pain, which is processed in the same area of the brain as dopamine.

When we add extra dopamine in the form of social media, impulse purchases, video games and junk food, this can upset a delicate chemical balance that we need to feel happy AND satisfied.

The result is that we feel bad. Too much dopamine looks different for everyone, but some of the main symptoms are feeling over or under-stimulated, anxious, wired, impulsive and even aggressive.

The good news is that spring is a natural cue to swap screen time - an excess of dopamine - for green time. Stepping into nature restores the mind's equilibrium.

If you're curious about this delicate dance of brain chemistry, my blog delves into the idea that it may be 'Time For A Dopamine Fast'.

Check out the link below.

executivefunctioningsuccess.com/time-for-a-dopamine-fast

A good resource!

This is such a huge resource!
"Executive functioning skills don’t always fall into a curriculum, so they are sometimes missed. As a result, students go out into the world either learning the skills themselves or struggling through life without them. To help prevent this, I’m rounding up some engaging Ted Talks to be used in the classroom to help teach some of these much-needed skills."
https://engagingandeffective.com/ted-talks-to-teach-executive-functioning-skills/

🐰 🥚 🐣

Look familiar?
Here is more information on proprioception: https://www.theottoolbox.com/proprioception-sensory-activities/
Image from: https://www.instagram.com/theexpertally/

Some helpful Chrome extensions 😊

There are many Chrome extensions to support various needs.

https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2022/11/8-great-chrome-accessibility-extensions.html

A great breakdown of neurotransmitters and chemicals that help stabilize mood and bond us to one another.
From of child psychology

There are many reasons why a child may behave a certain way. Take the time to check in with your children about their feelings!

Co-regulation is a part of development. Before one can self-regulate, they need to co-regulate.
Co-regulation begins in infancy. Before a young child can self-soothe, they need a parent to help them. When an infant is crying a parent picks them up, holds them close, rocks, and wraps them up in a tight swaddle, and offers a pacifier. All of these strategies are tools to provide correct sensory input that calms and regulates the baby’s system. This is co-regulation; the parent is offering tools and strategies to support the infant’s needs.
For more on development as well as strategies to support this skill: https://www.theottoolbox.com/co-regulation/

My students love flexible seating options, and there are so many options!

IDEAS FOR FLEXIBLE SEATING & ALTERNATIVES FOR THE CLASSROOM

Here are some great seating alternatives for the classroom to keep your kids active and engaged. Also good for motor skills, attention and core muscle.

WOBBLE STOOL: http://amzn.to/2wRptkC (aff)

Letter reversals are a common developmental issue, but there are strategies to help!

Understanding the Intricacies of Letter and Number Reversals. https://ilslearningcorner.com/2016-07-reversals-why-my-child-cant-grasp-letter-and-number-reversals-b-d-6-9-not-always-dyslexia/

Truth‼️

🌈

From

Do you know students who are struggling with school avoidance? Here are some helpful tips for success💜

🌟 Navigating School Avoidance: Strategies for Parents and Students 🏫💪

Facing challenges with school avoidance? You're not alone. It's a journey many families navigate, and we're here to offer some practical strategies to help. 🤗

1. Understanding the Cause: School avoidance can stem from various issues like anxiety, bullying, learning difficulties, or social challenges. Identifying the root cause is the first step towards addressing it.

2. Open Communication: Create a safe space for your child to express their feelings. Understanding their fears and concerns is crucial in providing the right support.

3. Gradual Exposure: Start small. If attending a full day is overwhelming, begin with a few hours and gradually increase as your child becomes more comfortable.

4. Routine and Predictability: Establish a consistent morning routine that is calm and reassuring. Predictability can reduce anxiety associated with school.

5. Collaborate with School Staff: Work closely with teachers and school counselors. They can be valuable allies in creating a supportive environment for your child.

6. Celebrate Small Victories: Acknowledge and praise your child's efforts, no matter how small. Positive reinforcement can boost their confidence and motivation.

7. Seek Professional Help: If school avoidance persists, consider seeking help from educational psychologists or therapists who specialize in this area.
At Frankenberger Associates, we understand the complexities of school avoidance. Our tailored programs, including academic support and social skills coaching, can provide the tools and confidence your child needs to overcome these challenges.

Remember, every step forward is progress, and we're here to support you on this journey. Let's work together to turn school avoidance into school confidence! 🌈

The hand of mental health! ✋

The "Hand of Mental Health encourages us to reflect and discuss our everyday choices and their impact on our mental health. How does sleep and rest, food, relationships and emotions affect our mental wellbeing?

Or what about exercise and mindfuless or creativity and hobbies and their impact on our mental health. What kind of choices we usually make and what kind of choices we could make? What role do values play on our mental health?

It is beneficial at times to stop and think about these different aspects in our life and maybe create new habits if we feel that they are necessary."

Get this printable poster here: https://mieli.fi/en/materials/hand-of-mental-health/

An excellent visual to explain self regulation breaks💜

This is a great visual on brain breaks as a self-regulation tool.
To teach this concept and put break time strategies in place, here are some helpful resources:
Brain Breaks: https://www.theottoolbox.com/brain-breaks/
Self-Regulation: https://www.theottoolbox.com/zones-of-regulation-activities/
Visual Supports: https://www.theottoolbox.com/visual-schedules/
How to Create Scheduled Breaks: https://www.theottoolbox.com/how-to-create-sensory-diet/

Visual from here: https://northstarpaths.com/graphics-free-downloads/

🌈Rainbow ladder!🌈

This colorful exercise builds various skill areas:

🌈 crossing midline
🌈pencil control
🌈visual scanning
🌈pre-writing skills
🌈fine motor skills

Here’s what you need to know about rainbow ladders: https://www.theottoolbox.com/rainbow-visual-motor-activity/

CALMING CLIPPER: Why my Sensory Sensitive Child Hates Haircuts - Integrated Learning Strategies Using the calming clipper to help sensory sensitive children who struggle with haircuts.

A book boat could also double as a perfect and portable calming cove😊

This is so inviting!

Source: https://www.instagram.com/mrsbarnesbunch/

10 Ways to Help Your Child with Noise Sensitivity Noise sensitivity in kids and how to help your child cope with loud noises

I’m writing lots of self-regulation goals these days!

Writing IEP goals, (especially IEP goals for self-regulation needs) can be tricky. The tricky part is knowing what to measure, and how to measure it. In this post we will review IEP Goals for Self Regulation.

Check out this resource for all of the info: https://www.theottoolbox.com/iep-goals-for-self-regulation/