13 Ways to Play with Your Infant/Toddler
Playing with your child is essential in helping young children grow and develop. Due to the many demands of parenting, work, and other responsibilities this can often be a challenge. Children at a young age are often exposed to television or computer games for learning activities. However, it is through relationships and play that we […]
Take the Time to Connect
Strong and safe connections are vital to children’s overall well-being and development. Children that display “attention seeking” behaviors are frequently seeking connection from adults. Often times we assume that connections between children and parents “just happen”, but connections are something that we all have to work at. The good news is, building strong connections doesn’t […]
Hello, Mom? Dad?
Smartphones have become an integral part of lives. Just in the past two years, we have seen the vital role that Smartphones have had in our daily interactions both personally and professionally. Our Smartphones allow us to do business virtually, connect to health providers, pay bills, shop online, and access a vast amount of information […]
Building Strong and Positive Bonds
Children learn about the world around them through positive parent-child/teacher-child relationships. As they grow and change, they look to their parents/teachers to determine whether they are safe, secure, and loved. This also prompts how they will build their future relationships. A secure attachment leads to healthy social, emotional, cognitive, and motivational development. Children can gain […]
Calming Down with a Social Story
When a child gets upset, our first instinct is to quickly get the child to calm down. Sometimes when we do this, it escalates the situation. We should find other ways that will take time, to help the child calm down. One thing we should do is sympathize with the child by saying, “You look […]
Create healthy screen time habits
In the age of Cocomelon, Paw Patrol, and the ever popular Baby Shark, avoiding the use of screen time in parenting has become near impossible. Covid-19 has led to an increase in screen usage as children are spending more time at home due to school and daycare closures. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not going anywhere and […]
Person-first Language = Dignity and Respect
Person-first Language is a form of speaking and writing that puts the person before their disability or diagnosis. It provides the understanding that they are multifaceted and that their diagnosis or disability is just one aspect of them that contributes to their identity. Person-first language, also referred to as people-first language, is about dignity and […]
Future Golf Pro is Thriving
At 6-months-old Jack, who was born 8 weeks early due to preeclampsia complications, was developmentally behind. After a referral from his doctor, the family got connected to Rainbows. For the next 2 ½ years, Jack received home or tele therapy visits with Diane Porter, Occupational Therapy Assistant. Diane saw Jack onscreen with his mom, Christina […]
From Frustration to Joy
When their 4-year-old daughter struggled, Amanda and Colby got help that led to a happier environment for the whole family. Four-year-old Laurel was often frustrated. She struggled with coping in a positive manner by hitting others and throwing things. She lacked self-confidence and frequently said “I can’t do it!”. She was often sad. Laurel’s child […]
Modeling respect and empathy
We often spend time making sure that we work with children on being socially appropriate, but we do not always spend time making sure that they are culturally competent. It is important that teachers assess, re-evaluate, and implement cultural competent practices into their personal lives and in the classrooms where they teach. Without introspection and […]
