Thanksgiving Gratitude
This Thanksgiving, teach your child to be grateful. Teaching children to say “thank you” is important, but truly instilling a sense of gratitude is another matter entirely. Gratitude goes beyond good manners, it’s a mindset. Gratitude benefits everyone on a basic level. Gratitude can increase happiness, self-esteem, hope, empathy and optimism, but gratitude must be […]
Holiday Stress
As adults, we are very acquainted with holiday stress. We experience it every year. While the holidays are enjoyable, they can be very stressful for some, if not all, of us. We forget that our children are not immune to the stress of the holidays, simply because they do not buy gifts, decorate or entertain. […]
Toys for Christmas
With stores beckoning us to begin Christmas shopping, it is time to consider toys for those special children on our list. When making your selections, safety should always be a consideration, as well as age appropriateness. The following list is certainly not all inclusive, but rather a sampling of toys that will entertain and educate. […]
After the First Grading Period
After the first grading period, you may find the grades are not what you expected from your child’s school work. It is time to become your child’s advocate, as something is probably wrong. You must first determine what is wrong. Are your goals wrong? Does your child understand the material? Is homework, or lack of […]
Halloween Fun with Your Children
Have a little Halloween fun with these science experiments! Frankenstein worms (a spooky experiment): Worms should start to float and move as the vinegar (acetic acid) reacts with the baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to form carbon dioxide gas bubbles on the worms. They appear to be alive and will wriggle until the chemical reaction stops! […]
Visual and Olfactory Sensory Integration
Sensory integration refers to the brain’s ability to process sensory input from multiple sensory modalities, the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste), vestibular sense (balance and movement) and proprioception (knowing one’s position in space). The visual sense receives input from the eyes. It processes and interprets images seen in the environment. A child […]
Child Sensory Integration: Proprioception
Sensory integration refers to the brain’s ability to process sensory input from multiple sensory modalities, the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste), vestibular sense (balance and movement) and proprioception (knowing one’s position in space). The proprioceptive sense receives input from the muscles and joints about body position, weight, pressure, stretch, movement, and changes […]
Vestibular Sense
Sensory integration refers to the brain’s ability to process sensory input from multiple sensory modalities, the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste), vestibular sense (balance and movement) and proprioception (knowing one’s position in space). The vestibular sense receives input from the inner ear about equilibrium, gravitational changes, and movement experiences. A child may […]
Oral Sensory Integration
Sensory integration refers to the brain’s ability to process sensory input from multiple sensory modalities, the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste), vestibular sense (balance and movement) and proprioception (knowing one’s position in space). Since the different senses use electrical signals unique to them, it is the brain’s function to relate all sensory […]
Audio Sensory Integration
Sensory integration refers to the brain’s ability to process sensory input from multiple sensory modalities, the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste), vestibular sense (balance and movement) and proprioception (knowing one’s position in space). Since the different senses use electrical signals unique to them, it is the brain’s function to relate all sensory […]
Bunny Foo Foo
Time for a little fun! “Little Bunny Foo Foo” is a repetitive song with an upbeat melody that children love. The origin is unknown, but it is a popular children’s folklore that tells of a bunny harassing a field of mice. The bunny is scolded three times by a fairy, and later punished for its […]
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem has been defined as a term used to reflect one’s overall evaluation of his/her own worth. It is a collection of feelings, both good and bad, that we believe ourselves to be. Good self-esteem makes a good parent, successful employee, and basically a happy life. It gets us through stressful times, cushions our falls, […]
Help Your Child Make and Keep Friends
Help your child make and keep friends: – Teach personal independence. – Encourage language expansion by language experiences. Talk to your child about a variety of subjects (this should start early). Don’t always “give” answers, sometimes help your child “find” answers instead. Teach problem solving skills. – Encourage your child to play with different toys. […]
The Guideline of Potty Training
Potty training… the mere word strikes fear in the hearts of even the bravest of us. The good news is that many have been there and survived. We each have different stories to tell because there are many ways to potty train a child. All children are different, thus, the potty method will vary according […]
Child Social Stresses
Back to school brings new class-mates and new friends. Some children have harder times making new friends than others, but everyone feels the stress. Prepare your child to handle transitions concerning new people in his/her life. – Teach Basic Social Skills: Teach your child how to greet peers. Explain that smiles and eye contact make […]
Some Advice for Starting School
Can you believe that school opening is just around the corner? With the new school, there are a few “musts” for parents. Educating children requires both home and school. When these two become partners, the child greatly benefits. Start the year off with a positive attempt to become more involved. – Make a point of […]
