So, it is February again and that means groundhogs, Presidents, and valentines. We all know about the cards, candy, and extra kisses for Valentine’s day. But here are some things you can do this February 14thto show some extra love to those sweet little ones of yours that you may not have thought of. Give […]
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Did you know that an occupational therapist can often address anxiety? First, understand that a child who has “behavior problems” often reacts as they do because they are anxious. Children are not willfully bad and will do well if they can. When children feel safe and supported, behaviors are much easier to address, so responding with
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by Alicia Kollmar MS, OTR/L Did you know that research that shows that 10-20 minutes (depending on the study) of cardiovascular exercise has positive effects on a child’s ability to focus throughout the day if the child has ADHD? Yes! The studies have been with children who are diagnosed, but it likely has a positive
Alicia Kollmar MS, OTR/L Before I became an occupational therapist, I worked as a nursing aide in a psychiatric hospital where there was one ward for women who were diagnosed with a personality disorder. Most, if not all, had a history of abuse and extreme anxiety. Ultimately the professionals in charge determined that hospitalizing these
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“Good job!” We all say it to children. We probably think it has more power than it actually does. I used to work with a child who consistently took two sessions to learn to make a lower case letter. Thinking of him inspired me to write this post because his persistence has been amazing. I
How to Give a Compliment to Children: Moving Beyond “Good Job.” Read More »
For whatever goals we may have for children, one of the most successful tools we have to help them is to give positive feedback. Sometimes this is easier said than done. Because we are bombarded by bad news in the media and because our brains tend to naturally notice negatives this can be challenging for
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When people talk about “social skills” and the difficulty their children have with them I always want more information. This is such a broad area and the needs can vary greatly from child to child. So, not every social skills group is the right fit for every child. For instance, do they need to learn
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by Alicia Kollmar MS, OTR/L Are you living with anxiety because your child will meltdown when there is the slightest change in plans? When your child is resistant to change it can affect the whole family. You may be rearranging your schedule for them or avoiding things that might typically be good for you, but
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It is Monday again and I am trying to do the weekly juggle of virtual schooling three kids and getting my work done along with keeping the house going. Sound familiar? It is what life has become for a lot of parents. So how do we do it? The simple answer from my household is
How do you typically spend your holidays? Traveling? Cooking? Shopping? Lots of all of that? What traditions do you especially love? Are there some you don’t particularly like but do them anyway (I know that Elf on the Shelf might come to mind for some of you). It is so disappointing having expectations that aren’t met. It’s
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