ARTICLES
Tips to Manage Resistance To Therapy for Kids
"Managing Resistance to Therapy for Kids" is about understanding and addressing the challenges parents and caregivers face when children are hesitant or unwilling to participate in therapy. Kids may resist therapy for various reasons, including fear of the unknown, discomfort with discussing their feelings, or simply not seeing the value in it. This topic explores strategies to help children overcome these barriers, emphasizing the importance of communication, creating a supportive environment, and working closely with therapists to make therapy a more welcoming and effective experience
What are SMART Goals and How to Create Them
SMART goals are a powerful method for guiding children's learning in a structured, achievable manner. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This approach ensures goals are clear and reachable within a certain timeframe, which can significantly enhance a child's ability to learn and succeed in various areas.
Understanding Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Pediatric occupational therapy (OT) provides essential support for children to master daily tasks and activities, focusing on their development and independence. This field addresses various challenges children may face, including sensory processing disorders, developmental delays, and physical disabilities. Pediatric occupational therapists specialize in evaluating and treating children with diverse needs.
A Guide to Kid Chores
When you’re an adult, chores are just part of the day, and we hardly give common tasks much thought; we do them automatically as needed because they won’t get done if we don't. Yet our kids have to build up those mental muscles to do chores, and simply, if they don’t do them, well, the parents will. It’s our job to introduce chores to them at a reasonable and responsible pace. Our long-term goal is to guide our children toward becoming independent and responsible adults, move out of the house, and give us grandchildren “when we’re ready for them.” The burning question often is, "What's the ideal number of chores, and how do we start?"
A List of Grade Schools in Huntersville, NC
Here’s a list of public and private schools in Huntersville, North Carolina. I’ve included contact information and website address.
Summer Camps for Kids around Huntersville, North Carolina
As the days grow longer and the school year winds down, Huntersville parents begin searching for the perfect summer camp experience for their children. Whether you're looking for camps that focus on sports, the arts, science, or outdoor adventure, Huntersville and its surrounding areas offer a variety of options that cater to every interest. Here's a list of local places to help you find the ideal summer camp for your child in and around Huntersville.
Financial Assistance for Child Services Around the City of Huntersville, NC
Raising children can be daunting financially, especially when it comes to ensuring they receive the best possible care, education, and opportunities for growth. In the City of Huntersville, North Carolina, families can access various resources to ease these burdens. Whether you're seeking childcare, educational programs, healthcare, or recreational activities, several financial assistance options are available to support you and your little ones. Here’s a list of the programs I could find in our area.
Are Schools Putting Too Much Pressure on Our Children?
Yes, from a professional standpoint, I think public schools put far too much pressure on our children to perform beyond what is age-appropriate. Nowadays, school seems to be about more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic. The pressure dial has been cranked up to eleven. Let's unpack this a bit, shall we?
What Is Self Regulation
Self-regulation is a fundamental skill that influences a child's ability to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in response to their environment. Understanding and supporting your child's self-regulating ability can be challenging and rewarding. This article delves into self-regulation, how to identify challenges in your child, and actionable steps to support their development in this area.
What Are Sensory Seekers
Sensory seeking is often used in pediatric therapy to describe children who strongly desire sensory experiences. These children seek out activities or stimuli that provide them with increased sensory input, such as touch, taste, movement, pressure, and sound. Understanding sensory-seeking behaviors is helpful for parents, educators, and therapists, as it can play a significant role in a child's development and learning processes.
How To Motivate Your Child
Motivating children is a nuanced task beyond mere encouragement or the promise of rewards. It involves understanding their individual personalities, interests, and challenges. Parents are directly involved in shaping their children's intrinsic motivation, the inner drive that encourages them to pursue their interests and goals for their own satisfaction. This article delves into practical strategies parents can employ to get their children “into it,” whatever “it is.
What Is Bilateral Coordination
Bilateral coordination, often referred to as bilateral integration, is a fundamental skill in child development that involves the ability to use both sides of the body together in a coordinated way. This skill is needed for a wide range of everyday activities, from walking and clapping to more complex tasks like writing and tying shoes. Bilateral coordination is not only essential for physical activities but also plays a significant role in cognitive development and academic success.
What Is Visual Tracking
Visual tracking refers to the ability to control one's eye movements to accurately follow a moving object or to shift the eyes smoothly from one object to another. This skill is needed for various aspects of development, including reading, writing, and participating in sports. Visual tracking is part of a broader category of visual perceptual skills that enable us to interpret and interact with the world around us.
Helping Your Child Dress
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I know that ADLs are a big deal. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing children achieve independence in their daily activities. Today, I want to share some strategies for helping your child learn to dress themselves, a fundamental skill with a host of technical and long-term benefits.
How To Direct Your Child
In the intricate production of child development, educators, therapists, and parents play roles akin to that of a movie director, guiding young actors (children) through their performances with a technique known as prompting. Like a director who subtly cues an actor to deliver a line with just the right emotion, prompting involves offering cues or aids to elicit specific behaviors or responses. This article explores the method of prompting through the cinematic lens of directing, detailing its purpose, the rationale behind its use in educational and therapeutic settings, and its undeniable benefits.
What Is Front Loading - Education
Educators, therapists, and parents continuously seek effective strategies to facilitate learning, emotional regulation, and behavioral management in child development. One such approach, Front Loading, has gained attention for its effectiveness in various settings. This article takes a glimpse at Front Loading's future, exploring its definition, application, benefits, and specific uses in teaching.
Picking A Hand - Preference
As children grow, they begin to show preferences in their activities, including which hand they use for writing and play. This development of hand dominance is a significant milestone, but it can also raise questions and concerns for parents. Understanding how to identify hand preference, the benefits of establishing a dominant hand, and what to do if you can't tell which hand your child prefers is essential to supporting your child's development. Here's the lowdown for parents on hand dominance in children.
Sensory Play Sand
Sensory play sand is a specially designed material that combines the properties of regular sand with a few additional characteristics, making it clean, mess-free, and moldable. Unlike traditional sand found in playgrounds or beaches, sensory play sand sticks to itself but not to hands, allowing easy cleanup and maintenance. Its unique texture and consistency provide a satisfying sensory experience for children, making it an excellent tool for play, learning, and therapy.
Depression in Children
Depression in children can manifest differently than in adults, making it sometimes hard to recognize. Symptoms might include persistent sadness, irritability, withdrawal from previously enjoyed activities, changes in appetite or sleep, vocal outbursts, or even physical complaints such as stomachaches and headaches. Parents must acknowledge these signs early and understand that depression is not just a phase or a matter of willpower; it's a real, clinical condition that requires empathy, understanding, and professional support when severe.
Should You Help With Homework?
It’s rather apparent that you shouldn’t do your child's homework for them, right? The question of how much parental involvement is beneficial is nuanced. It touches on developing independence, problem-solving skills, and cultivating a healthy parent-child relationship. Drawing from clinical experience and academic research, this article aims to guide parents through the complexities of assisting with homework, outlining the pros and cons, and ultimately finding a balance.