Left-handed people are the unseen minority in a right-handed world, with one study estimating that they make up only around 10% of the population. They are more likely to be male than female, and left-handedness occurs at a greater rate in twins than in the general population.

Lefties do some things better …

It’s challenging to be a lefty in a right-handed world, especially when it comes to the tools and gadgets we use to make life easier, not to mention some important everyday tasks.

But that’s not to say that left-handed people are always at a disadvantage. Many of the great sportspeople are left-handed, where their unique techniques give them an advantage over opponents. Tennis, cricket, boxing and other team sports boast some talented left-handed players who have made their mark on the world.

Left-handed people often have better problem-solving skills, too. Whether this is a finely-honed skill in response to living in a right-handed world or an innate advantage is up for debate, but lefties are often good at spatial awareness tasks, logic, and mathematics.

If you have a left-handed child, you will appreciate the uniqueness they bring to family life, but there are also challenges, especially when it comes to teaching your lefty some essential life skills.

Check out my tips below to help your lefty child learn to navigate a right-handed world.

Win the shoelace war

Teaching a left-handed child to tie shoelaces is a major challenge for many right-handed parents because there is just no way a left-handed child will be able to do it the same way.

The best option is to sit opposite your child and have them mirror everything you do. Therefore, if your right hand is making a loop, their left hand will be making the loop. If this is unsuccessful, you can check out this handy blog by Ian, the founder of Ian’s Knot. This type of shoelace knot is symmetrical and no matter your handedness preference, it is the same for everyone. Once mastered, it is fast and easy, and probably the best way to save your sanity! Ian has kindly placed detailed visual instructions and even a video tutorial on his page, so it’s worth learning the knot yourself so you can teach it to your child.

It may take longer for your lefty to learn the intricacies of shoelaces … so be patient!

Paper, scissors … cut!

Teaching a left-handed child to use scissors designed for a right-handed person is well-nigh impossible and will likely only result in frustration for both of you. They are simply not designed to function from a left-handed position, and the best thing you can do is to ensure that your child has left-handed scissors at school and home.

Just for fun, try holding a pair of right-handed scissors in your left hand. Feel how awkward and uncomfortable it is? Do you think you’d be very effective with them? Now, imagine trying to learn how to use them in that position. You can picture the frustration a left-handed child might feel with a tool that is only intended for use by right-handed people.

The mouse trap

Yes, using a computer mouse intended for right-handed people is frustrating and awkward for a left-handed child. Fortunately, there are some simple fixes.

The easiest way is to buy your child a designated left-hand mouse that’s for their use only and separate from what everyone else in the family uses.

But if you want a budget-friendly option, it’s easy to program your mouse to switch buttons so that it becomes user-friendly for lefties. You can find instructions for Windows here, and Mac users can go here to find out how.

Pencil particulars

Learning to write is a very different experience for a left-handed person and can be quite a challenge for parents and teachers. Check out my tips below for helping your lefty learn to write.

· A left-handed child needs to tilt the top of their page to the right, so it is parallel with their left forearm

· Elbow-bumps might be a Covid-appropriate greeting, but it’s not fun when students are bumping elbows as they work. Have your lefty sit at the end of the row or to the left of another student so they have plenty of elbow room.

· Always allow plenty of elbow room on the left of the child while they are writing

· Make sure the child is keeping their wrist straight for the correct writing position. Many left-handed people fall into the habit of using a “hook” grip because they position their hand above their writing so they can see. The result is that their wrist curves around in a “hook” shape as they hold the pencil. This type of grip will lead to pain and fatigue over time.

· The best way to avoid the hook grip is to teach the child to position their hand below their work so they can still see, and maintain a straight wrist.

· Left-handed children have difficulty using a finger for spacing between words. Instead, teach your left to imagine a round ball shape between the words for spacing.

· It’s easy for a left-handed child to smear their work when using a pen, so choose a pen that has quick-drying ink.

At the dinner table

Many left-handed people use their cutlery in the same way as right-handed people, although this can change according to circumstances. Most prefer to hold a spoon in their left hand, and many prefer to hold a fork in their dominant hand, with the knife hand being the less dominant one.

Regardless of your child’s preferences for using cutlery, it’s important to allow them to do what feels best. To this day, some places discourage the natural use of the left hand, such as this school in the UK.

But it’s important to recognize – and celebrate – the diversity in our world, and this includes those whose preference for handedness is in the minority.

To support your child learning to use cutlery at the dinner table, encourage them to use whatever feels best and then work on growing their skills. Also, allow them plenty of elbow space at the table so they aren’t cramped or bumping elbows with a right-handed person.

Appreciate their uniqueness

There’s no doubt that lefties add variety and diversity to our world with their quirky ways of solving problems and the way they think and do things. If you have a lefty in your family, celebrate their uniqueness, and enjoy helping them to become the best version of themselves that they can be.

Technology anxiety is real amongst children and young people who face returning to the classroom after time spent in home learning during the lockdowns.

During this time, most children have been learning online or through an increased amount of screen time rather than face-to-face. For children with anxiety or worries about the problems in the world, this has often been less stressful than engaging in activities in the real world.

But what about when they return to face-to-face learning? And what is technology anxiety, anyway?

Fear of being separated from technology

Technology anxiety or digital anxiety can occur in a couple of different ways. It can be caused by separation from a digital device, or it can be caused by fear of technology.

In kids with technology anxiety, it occurs when they are separated from a favourite device.

Just as a stuffed toy or blanket might provide a sense of comfort and security for young children, digital devices can help an older child or young person feel secure.

But at what cost?

The negative effects of technology on mental health

According to the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, attachment to technology can lead to low levels of self-motivation, emotional intelligence, and empathy among young people. It is also a factor in ADHD, depression, and the inability to form stable friendships.

Mental health concerns in the digital age have only increased during a pandemic when children are spending far more time in front of screens than they have in the past, and hospitals in Canada have reported a 100% increase in mental health admissions for young people as a direct result of the pandemic.

Signs of technology addiction

Technology anxiety is often related to technology addiction and parents and carers can often spot the signs when they know what to look for:

· A lack of interest in other activities, even things the child used to enjoy in the past

· A single-minded focus that claims all of their attention when they are using their devices

· Tantrums, aggression, meltdowns or bad behaviour when unable to access their devices

· Constant discussion of screen time and things they have seen or done online

· Withdrawal symptoms including distress or anxiety that are relieved once they can again access their devices

Screen time and anxiety: Returning to the classroom may be a trigger

As lockdowns in some parts of the world begin to lift, children are facing anxiety over returning to the classroom and leaving behind the perceived safety of home and favourite devices.

So what can parents do to help their kids manage their technology-related anxiety during these transition times?

How to help reduce anxiety and screen time?

It’s important to note that changes you make need to be gradual rather than all at once. Gradual changes will help kids to adjust over time rather than sudden changes which may increase anxiety. Check out these tips for managing anxiety and reducing screen time.

1. Set boundaries

If you haven’t put boundaries in place, it’s a good time to set some. They could include daily screen time limits or no-go zones (such as the bedroom or bathroom) with digital devices.

2. Create a list of priorities

Make a hierarchy of priorities when it comes to screen time. These are things that must be done before screen time happens, such as chores or music practice.

3. Segment screen time into priorities

Set a limit on individual screen time in favour of communal screen time where other members of the family are interacting. Communal screen time takes priority over individual screen time.

4. Adjust the content rather than restricting usage

Rather than placing strict time limits on screen use, you can allow educational content to take priority over games or entertainment.

5. Replace screen time with together time

Children and even teens crave connection and togetherness, even if they won’t admit it. Find some fun things to do with your kids. Get outdoors and plant a garden together. Go for a walk or a swim or a visit to a park. Volunteer at a charity or get involved in a sport you’ve always wanted to try.

Kids will remember the meaningful things you did together, not the hours they spent on their screens, so don’t be afraid to persist if they grumble at first. Whatever you do, stick at it until it becomes a regular part of your routine and in time, kids won’t even notice that it has taken the place of time they used to spend on their devices.

6. Be ready to listen & quick to offer encouragement

Kids will often use screen time as an escape from the real world and also as a way to validate their self-worth. Games with awards and trophies are popular, as are endless selfies and “likes” on social channels. The reward centre of the brain is gratified by these things, but when they don’t work out, it can be devastating.

A listening ear and encouragement from someone in the real world are so important for grounding and validation. Be ready to listen without judgment and quick to offer encouragement and praise for jobs well done.

7. Model good habits yourself

Kids see what we do and follow our example. If you want your kids to spend time getting outside or getting fit, lead the way. If you want to spend more time interacting as a family at dinner time, turn off the TV or put your phone aside and ask everyone else to do the same. They are small things, but by showing a good example, you can help your kids to see the beneficial alternatives to screen time.

Small changes make a big difference for kids with technology anxiety

It’s the small things that make the biggest difference. By making small changes over time, you’ll help your kids to become less dependent on technology and more resilient in a world that demands we pay a lot of attention to technology.

Teachers, childcare workers and other professionals have long known that some children cannot tolerate experiences that other children don’t even notice. Certain sounds, a noisy environment, some visual elements or even being touched can trigger a meltdown that is exhausting for everyone. In addition, a child that is constantly triggered by various sensory experiences is not learning as they should because they are constantly in fight-or-flight mode. This has caused many professionals a great deal of concern but it wasn’t until recently that we began to understand more about why these children need sensory-friendly classrooms to achieve the best learning outcomes.

Brain Research Reveals Clues

Children with Sensory Processing Disorder share many characteristics with those on the autism spectrum. In fact, there has long been a debate about whether SPD should be classified under the umbrella of autism, and professional opinion has remained divided until recent research revealed some distinct differences in brain structure.

Comparing Brain Structure in Kids with Autism and SPD

Elysa Marco and associates, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, conducted a study that compared the brain structures of boys with an autism diagnosis, those with a sensory processing disorder diagnosis and those that were developing normally. They found a quantifiable difference between the boys with an SPD diagnosis when compared to those with typical development, proving that the disorder is rooted in biological factors. The questions then turned to how the brains of these children compared with those that have other neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.

Sensory Similarities between Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder

The research examined the structural connectivity in areas of the brain that process sensory stimuli and found decreased connectivity in these areas in the boys with autism as well as those with SPD. However, there was a divergence when it came to the areas of the brain responsible for social-emotional processing. The boys with autism showed decreased connectivity in these areas, while those with SPD did not. Another crucial difference between the two diagnoses was the lack of repetitive behaviours in the SPD group, along with other distinctive indicators of autism.

It’s not just Theory

This finding translates into the classroom as well. Children with SPD actually want social and emotional connections but may find the sensory stimulation of connection overwhelming. Children with autism have less interest in social and emotional connections and may struggle to form friendships or interact in socially acceptable ways with peers.

How a Sensory-Friendly Classroom Fills the Gap

As many teachers and professionals know, children with SPD and autism struggle to cope with sensory overload or specific sensory triggers. When teachers and professionals get the balance right, the classroom can become a safe place where triggers are less likely to occur. When these kids feel safe, they can relax and begin to learn rather than being in a constant state of fight-or-flight, living in fear of a new experience or a reaction to one.

Tips for Creating Sensory-Friendly Classrooms

As teachers, parents and professionals know, children with sensory processing issues do best when they know what to expect and their environment is comfortable. Keep these tips in mind to create a sensory-friendly classroom that is a safe space for students that need extra help in this area.

1. Create daily routines and stick to them
2. Use visual cues to help students know what is coming next
3. Allow time for sensory breaks to prevent sensory overwhelm
4. Work with students to establish a signal when they are feeling overwhelmed
5. Have a plan in place to manage situations before they turn into meltdowns
6. Make sure that the environment is comfortable with lighting levels, temperature and air quality
7. Create “quiet zones” and allow students to retreat to these if they are feeling overwhelmed
8. Provide headphones to block out classroom noise when students are sensitive
9. Allow students to use alternative forms of seating
10. Provide advance warning using visuals or other cues when changes of routine occur or a one-off event is coming up, such as a fire drill or excursion

The Next Step

As parents and professionals, we want all our kids to thrive in the classroom, regardless of the hurdles they face. Creating sensory-friendly classrooms doesn’t need to be difficult or costly and it can make a huge difference to the kids that struggle with sensory issues. If you would like to know more about what you can do to make sensory-friendly classrooms, check out my classroom detox program. Or you can contact us here if you have questions. We would love to hear from you!

At Life Skills 4 Kids, we recognize that anxiety has no age limit and kids are not exempt from all the feelings and symptoms that adults experience. Of course, we realize that they are usually unable to articulate exactly what is causing them to feel the way they do, so an anxious child will tell us that something is wrong through behaviour, body language or related symptoms.

Why a Stomach Ache is a Common Symptom of Anxiety

When kids are feeling anxious, they will often complain of a stomach ache. The feelings are real; they really do have pain in their tummies. This is because the enteric nervous system resides in the gastrointestinal tract and is closely linked with the brain. In fact, it is often called the second brain.
So when kids complain of a tummy ache when they are feeling anxious, it is because the chemicals and hormones associated with anxiety are causing a response in their tummies.

An Anxious Child isn’t Making it Up

If you have ruled out illness or health issues that are causing your child’s  tummy aches, there’s a good chance that you are dealing with anxiety. It might be tempting to think that your child is telling stories or trying to get attention, but this is not usually the case. (And parents are pretty good at getting to the truth anyway!).
Your child is most likely experiencing anxiety that is manifesting itself in physical symptoms such as a stomach ache, or occasionally, a headache or other aches or pains.

Is it Anxiety or Physical Illness?

There are some clues that a stomach ache is anxiety-related, rather than being caused by illness or health issues. Take note of when your child complains about tummy pain – is it at a regular time, such as before school or at night before bed?
If it is happening regularly, your child is telling you that a particular event or experience is causing feelings of anxiety. There may also be other underlying concerns around the event or experience that are causing the feelings of fear or worry, such as being afraid of the dark or feeling alone at bedtime.

Other Anxiety Symptoms

There are other clues to watch for if you believe you might have an anxious child:

• Inability to focus
• Agitation or restlessness
• Wanting to avoid situations, events or experiences
• Tantrums
• Crying
• Not wanting to go to school
• Meltdowns about minor or unrelated matters
• Having high expectations of their own performance at sports or school work
• Difficulty adjusting to transitions between school and other activities
• Difficulty settling down to sleep at night

How to Help Your Anxious Child

When your child complains of a tummy ache or you observe other anxiety-related symptoms, it’s important to approach the issue in the right way. Check out these tips for ways to help your child manage anxiety.

1. Encourage Your Child to Face Fear

Avoiding an experience or event may bring short-term peace but its better to teach your anxious child to face their fears. Anxious or worried feelings become bigger and more overwhelming if they are allowed to rule choices and behaviour. By facing them, your child will experience the positive feelings of a “win” as well as knowing that they can do something that was previously scary or impossible. When fears are starved, they shrink.

2. Stay Calm Yourself

It’s important that your child sees that you are calm when they are experiencing fear or worry. A calm adult is like a rock in an ocean of fear to an anxious child. They can reason that everything is going to be ok because Mum/Dad isn’t worried or fearful.

3. Use Positive Reinforcement

When your child makes progress, be there to cheer them on. Take notice of the small victories and praise them for being brave and facing their fears. A little encouragement can go a long way. At the same time, avoid punishment for failures or reacting negatively as this can make anxiety issues worse. Try praise for taking small steps or rewards for hitting goals instead.

4. Teach Your Child Relaxation Techniques

Kids respond well to relaxation techniques such as mindfulness or breathing exercises that help to calm or ground them. You can do these together and you will both benefit! One easy exercise is to breathe in while counting to five, then breathe out while counting to five. You can find lots of great resources for mindfulness and relaxation on YouTube or other websites. One of my personal favourites is Cosmic Kids’ Yoga.

5. Pay Attention to Your Child’s Feelings

It’s important to acknowledge your child’s feelings because it helps them to recognize what’s going on. It also helps to empower them to take charge of solutions to the problem when they feel listened to and understood. Talk to your child about what’s going on and why they feel the way they do. Try to get to the bottom of feelings of worry or a stomach ache. Identifying the issues behind the scene will go a long way to helping both you and your child come up with strategies to manage them.
While an anxious child and a stomach ache go hand in hand, there are ways to manage anxiety so that it doesn’t hinder everyday life. Check out my new book for practical strategies that can help kids overcome this debilitating issue and thrive in every situation.

We hear a lot about screen time and the effects on developing brains, but children and young people with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) are particularly at risk of adverse side-effects. Families struggling to cope with life with a child or teen with ASD are also at greater risk because of the exacerbated symptoms of excess screen time.

Correlation Does Not Equal Causation

While there are definite links between screen time and its effects on an autistic brain, it’s important to note that screen time has not been proven to cause autism. One Swedish study in 2014 concluded that the cause is likely a 50/50 split between environmental and genetic factors. As a complex disorder,  many other related factors also lie in the origins of the disorder within individuals.

Why are Autistic Brains more Vulnerable to the Effects of Screen Time?

Although we are all susceptible to the effects of excess screen time to one degree or another, young brains are more vulnerable than adults, and it affects children and young people with ASD much more than anyone else. This is because the unique characteristics of a brain with ASD  lend themselves far more readily to the disruption and chaos caused within the brain by screen time. ASD brains are not wired to readily process the regular use of technology without side-effects.
Not only are children with ASD more susceptible to the harmful effects of screen time, but they are also less able to recover. The effects last longer and have a deeper impact simply because their brains are not wired to cope. They are more sensitive, less resilient and more prone to lasting effects.

What Does Excess Screen Time Do to Children with ASD?

Excess screen time has a profound effect on the behaviour and coping mechanisms of children with ASD. These include the following;

1. Exacerbated Arousal Regulation Issues

Children with ASD often struggle with arousal regulation issues such as emotional dysregulation, exaggerated responses to stress, and a tendency to be either overstimulated or understimulated [1]. Excess screen time exacerbates all of these issues and manifests itself as exaggerated emotional dysregulation and increased likelihood of acute and chronic stress. It also causes overstimulation and hyperarousal [2].

2. Augmented Sleep Disturbances

Children with ASD often suffer from low melatonin, leading to sleep disturbances, particularly when technology is used at night [3]. Melatonin regulates the body clock and is critical for normal sleeping and waking patterns. It also works with other hormones to keep the brain chemistry balanced, plays a part in regulating immunity, and lowers inflammation. Excess screen time suppresses the production of melatonin, leading to even greater problems with sleep in children with ASD.

3. Increased Social and Communication Deficits

Screen time hinders the development of social and communication skills – even in children and teens that don’t have ASD [4]. This manifests as an inability to make eye contact, impaired ability to read body language, low levels of empathy and a delay in gaining language skills.

4. Higher Anxiety Levels

Children with ASD are prone to anxiety and screen time increases the risk of social anxiety and OCD issues. In addition, children with autism have been shown to be at greater risk of abnormal serotonin synthesis and amygdala activity and changes in amydala activity and serotonin regulation have been observed as a result of screen time [5].

5. Magnified Sensory Processing Issues

Children with ASD are more likely to experience sensory and motor integration problems such as sensory processing disorders, tics, and vocal and motor delays. Screen time worsens these issues, particularly sensori-motor delays. Tics may also worse due to higher dopamine levels.

Strategies to Help Families Reduce or Eliminate Screen Time

1. Educate Families About the Risks of Screen Time on an Autistic Brain

For many families, the use of technology is tempting because it restores peace, at least for a short time. So it is important that families understand the benefits of reducing or eliminating technology or they may be unwilling to try something new.

2. Encourage Families to do a Technology Detox

When families understand how technology use affects the brain of a child with ASD, initiating change is easier. Encourage them to try it for a specified time period (4 weeks is a good length of time to aim for) and see if it makes a difference.

3. Come up with Strategies to Replace Screen Time

Weaning a child off a favourite device will be more successful if parents have a plan in place ahead of time to replace that time with something more interesting or engaging. This will be something that fits each family’s unique dynamics, but memory-making events, spending time together out in nature, and playing together are options that can work well.

4. Encourage Parents to Limit their Own Technology Use

Encourage parents to model what they are trying to achieve. When children see that parents are not using technology either, they are more likely to accept the family’s decision to limit or eliminate screen time from family life.

5. Educate Parents about Healthy Sleep Habits

Some parents are not aware of the effects of screen time on sleeping habits – even for children and teens that don’t have ASD. Encourage parents to turn off all technology at least 2 hours before bedtime and establish regular bedtime routines and rituals. Preparing a child’s brain for bed is half the battle won.

If you would like to know more about screen time and autism, get in touch and call Deb or send us an email. We’ll be happy to talk to you!

References:

[1]. Matthew S. Goodwin et al., “Cardiovascular Arousal in Individuals with Autism,” Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 21, no. 2 (2006): 100–123; BA Corbett and D Simon, “Adolescence, Stress and Cortisol in Autism Spectrum Disorders.,” OA Autism 1, no. 1 (March 1, 2013): 1–6.
[2].  Marjut Wallenius, “Salivary Cortisol in Relation to the Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in School-Aged Children,” Psychology 1, no. 2 (2010): 88–95; Amy E. Mark and Ian Janssen, “Relationship between Screen Time and Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents,” Journal of Public Health 30, no. 2 (June 1, 2008): 153–60; Gary S. Goldfield et al., “Video Game Playing Is Independently Associated with Blood Pressure and Lipids in Overweight and Obese Adolescents,” ed. Philippe Rouet, PLoS ONE 6, no. 11 (November 1, 2011): e26643.
[3]. ] Shigekazu Higuchi et al., “Effects of Vdt Tasks with a Bright Display at Night on Melatonin, Core Temperature, Heart Rate, and Sleepiness,” Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md.: 1985) 94, no. 5 (May 2003): 1773–76.
[4].  R. Adolphs, L. Sears, and J. Piven, “Abnormal Processing of Social Information from Faces in Autism,” Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 13, no. 2 (February 15, 2001): 232–40.
[5]. Jun Kohyama, “Neurochemical and Neuropharmacological Aspects of Circadian Disruptions: An Introduction to Asynchronization,” Current Neuropharmacology 9, no. 2 (2011): 330; Klaus Mathiak and René Weber, “Toward Brain Correlates of Natural Behavior: fMRI during Violent Video Games,” Human Brain Mapping 27, no. 12 (December 2006): 948–56.

That’s right! What are your plans for self care and smart action this year? Check this out!

This week we have a vlog!  Feel free to watch above or read below.

Hey, how are you? It’s the beginning of the year. It’s the first week of term here in New South Wales where we are. I know that teachers are getting ready to go back to school or at school already. I just wanted to touch base about how we are planning to look after ourselves personally, health-wise, professionally in the next few months and for the rest of the year. So, I’m not talking about having new year’s resolutions because they often don’t stick but I want us to think about how are we planning to look after ourselves and what can we action right now to make sure that we meet those goals?

Before we start to figure that out, I want to just think who were you last year when you did really well, who was showing up, how were you showing up. When you showed up and did things that went really well, how did that make you feel, and what were you really committed to? So, that can be thought about in both the positive ways and also in a constructive way. When we committed to looking after ourselves and eating healthfully, going for walks or exercise or going to the gym, I guess you might have been showing up for yourself to be healthier and to be more positive which roles over all areas of life. When we are fit and healthy, then everything else seems to go better but on the flip side of that, those weeks, those months when we might be tired, when we might be unwell or when we just are a bit lazy perhaps, how do we go …

Who was showing up and what were we being committed to when things didn’t go so well?

For example, those morning when we’re lying in bed and we feel too tired and it feels way too much just to hit the snooze and to skip that walk or to skip the gym, what are we really committed to? Sometimes this can be really confronting to think about. Are we in those moments when we make those perhaps not so positive decisions. Are we really being committed to the best for ourselves or do we really need to stand up to ourselves and decide no, I’m really committed to being there for my health and just getting up and doing it.

So, we’ve talked a bit about fitness. What about our professional development and our personal development?

Personal development could be professional but it could also be learning a new hobby or doing some research with your child about a new activity or going with them to try something new. We need to commit to our financial goals as well. If we are teachers, what are committing to? Are we committing to our students, which I know you guys all do but seeing as sometimes we go through energy lags where it’s harder to do that, it’s harder to show up, sometimes it’s harder to do that preparation time. Life happens. Life throws us events that we’re not expecting and it’s really hard just to get through the basics but we really need to think about what are we committed to, how can we keep going with the most important things and how can we protect ourselves from the future.

With all the clinicians out there, same thing.  Are we showing up with planning efficiently and effectively? Do we timetable enough preparation time? Do we timetable enough buffer time between clients for preparation or for doing those extra phone calls? Because it can be really tempting, especially when you’re working for yourself or in private practice, to have those key performer indicators that we need to have because we are a business and we need to be able to meet our financial targets but we also need to look after ourselves and not try and put too many clients in, which means that we might have to work at night and lose some sleep and not look after ourselves quite as much. Whether you are a teacher or a clinician, it’s really important to have a plan and to get that locked in as soon as you can so that you can make sure that you’re supported, especially professionally because when we support it professionally, then our personal lives can go a lot easier because we’re not taking that baggage, that thinking through from … taking it home from work and just mulling over it or worrying about things.

So, yes. Whether you’re a teacher and you have those structures inside your school, that you have supervisors or mentors that you can catch up with regularly or a trusted teacher to offload to and work through things that might come up or different difficult students that might be tricky, make sure you got that structure in place and book it in your diary straight away. And if you’re an OT or a speech or other health professional, same thing. Make sure you got someone on your team, especially if you are in your own business on your own and/or if you are in a rural area where you have less support.

If you would like to connect with me, I also offer supervisor mentoring mainly for occupational therapists but also for some teachers who would really like to get their skills up in setting up their classrooms from a sensory safe perspective. But yes, so I mainly do that supervisor and mentoring for occupational therapists and I do that remotely right around Australia, so it doesn’t matter where you are. I have clinicians who are in the cities and I have clinicians who are in rural areas.  When we’re working on our own, no matter where we are, there’s very common issues and I’m very happy to talk over clinical issues, self-care issues and also a bit about business management and some tips of where to go to for help or how to make things easier.
Anyway,  I have three or four spots left for this year. If you’d like to book in for a free 15 minute chat, you’re most welcome to but no matter what type of professional you are, make sure you have a plan for both personal, healthy fitness and fun time, but also for that professional mentoring and backup. And on a regular basis, I have some clinicians who are catching up weekly, some who are monthly and some who are once a term.

If you would like to connect with me for a free 15 minute chat, just click here on the link below and we will be in contact with you to arrange a time. Okay, have a great day. Bye!

Link to : Free 15-minute chat with Deb Hopper
Written by Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist

Written By Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist

Planning for Back to School Success

Summer holidays are ending here in Australia in the next few days. As parents’ ideas for how to fill in time start to dwindle, and we finish off the back to school shopping, it’s really important to talk to and plan with our kids a successful transition back to school.
The first couple of weeks of school are often highly stressful at home as we all transition back to waking up earlier, getting back into the morning routine of things and getting started faster in the morning.

Back to school can also be anxiety producing for many children (of all ages).
What are the triggers for potential school anxiety which can affect you and your kids?

Causes of Back To School Anxiety in Children & Parents

• feeling rushed
• disorganised
• morning routine is hard to get back into
• difficulties in getting out of bed/out of the house on time
• parents are anxious about the kids being ok
• kids can be anxious about:
  • What will my new teacher be like?
  • Will my new classmates like me?
  • Will I be able to sit with my friends?
  • Who will I sit with at lunch?
  • What if I miss the school bus?
  • Are my clothes ok?
  • Will people laugh at me?
  • What if I don’t understand the lessons?
  • Will I look stupid?

How, as parents can we reduce anxiety in our children to a minimum and facilitate a smooth transition back to school?
If your young person has autism, check out this article too.

Strategies For Planning for Success and Reducing Back To School Anxiety In Children

All of us, parents and children alike, thrive on routine and this holds especially true when, as a family, we are faced with the prospect of going back to school.
It is important to look at ways of reducing anxiety around that date and finding a way to make the return to school an exciting, planned and positive experience.

#1. Timeline/Calendar

• Make a timeline together or go shopping and choose a big calendar that you both like.
• Calendars are often available for the academic year and these can be perfect to prepare all of the family for getting back into the swing of school life.
• A timeline can be a great tool in helping all of the household reduce any school anxiety that they might have.
• All kids like to be involved in decisions that effect them and their families.
• Make a timeline that covers the last 2 weeks before school begins and the following 2 weeks when school has started.
• For the last 2 weeks of the holidays, plan in treats and rewards for all of the family AND also plan in challenges which you all must achieve to get the treat or reward.  For example, all of the family must get up 10 minutes earlier each day for the first week of your timeline to be able to enjoy the daily treats that are planned.
• Plan these joint challenges so that they help your kids (and you!) to cope and get used to the morning routine again or getting out of the house on time each day.
• For the first 2 weeks of school, plan in after school activities, activities at the weekend and decide in advance who will pick your kids up from school each day.
• This visual structure, which you can display somewhere for you all to see, will provide a more gentle re-introduction of the back to school routine than if you suddenly panic on the night before school and try to sort yourself and your kids out!
• If you leave everything to the last minute you are creating anxiety in children and yourselves – which is a recipe for disaster on the first day back and will take days or even weeks to pull back.

#2. Make A Morning Schedule

• A visual timetable can be priceless for reducing anxiety and enabling your kids to smoothly transition from holiday to school time.
• Visual timetables are often used in school, so before the end of the school year, find out from them what sort of symbols, words, pictures they use on a daily basis.
• Using familiar visual cues at home can increase confidence in your kids and this will also spill over into reducing any school anxiety they may have.
• If it’s possible, this is a great activity to include your kids in well before the stressors of imminent school, you can design and create a morning schedule together.  You can make this activity fun by using timers to find out how long it takes to get on a school uniform or make a packed lunch or pack a swimming bag.
• When you have worked out the timings of activities that you need to include in your morning schedule, then you can add those timings into it and find out what time you will all have to get up to be ready to leave the house at a set time.
• Allowing kids to take ownership of their morning schedule by working it out with you is a great way to increase their feeling of responsibility, whilst reducing anxiety at the same time.

#3. Parent/ Child Check-in Time

• We ALL like to feel special and have quality, one-to-one time with the people we love.  Add into your calendar a daily Golden Check-In Time at home with your child.  (You could have two of these if it works, one in the morning and one in the evening).
• Plan a 10-30 minute time with your young person and add it to the calendar.
• Make this time special and choose together what you want to do during this time, examples could be:
  • make and share hot chocolate with marshmallows and chill out on the sofa together (NO mobile phones, NO interruptions!)
  • share a game of footie, take your dog for a walk, go outside and build a den/go to beach
  • have a pamper session – a manicure, pedicure, facial – whatever you both fancy!
  • build a model together, paint together
• The possibilities are endless!
• The most IMPORTANT thing to remember is that while you are enjoying each others’ company, you also chat about how your child is feeling, making sure they are ok, that school is ok and they are emotionally in a good place.

#4. Meet your child’s teacher

• Your child’s teacher will be only too happy to meet up with you to discuss and help with reducing anxiety for your kids.
• Every teacher strives for a happy, productive classroom environment where school anxiety is at a minimum.

#5. Remind your child that it’s normal to feel a little uneasy and teach them strategies for keeping calm

Transitions and change all bring a little uncertainty.
Talk with your child about how everyone feels uneasy as they adjust back into normal work routines. If you work, talk about how it’s always hard to go back to work after a holiday.
Talk about what strategies you use to feel more in control, such as planning out the day/ week and how you feel better when you go for a walk, to the gym etc. If you can, invite your child to come for a walk or to the gym with you.
Overall, with some planning and forward thinking, the trauma of returning to school can be dealt with effectively and in a positive way.  Taking a bit of time to put some strategies in place can reap dividends for not only your kids but for the whole family too.

Written by Nicky Ellis – www.horsesandfoals.com 
Horses have shared a bond with man for many thousand years. Horses have been used extensively to transport goods as well as people. Horses have also lent help in the fields of construction and agriculture. They are also used in sports such as horse racing, polo etc. and also for recreational riding purposes. Over the last few decades, horses have also contributed to helping individuals with physical disabilities, mental health, and behavioral issues.
Let’s take a look at how these gentle animals help promote developmental benefits.

1. Positive influence on fitness and health
2. A boost in scholastic performance
3. Effective tackling of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
4. Boost in confidence
5. Helps ingrain positive traits

1. Positive influence on fitness and health
It has become extremely easy as well as affordable to gain access to the latest technological gadgets, in this digital age.Children are often found engrossed with games on their smartphones or tablets or watching mindless television. These habits lead to a sedentary lifestyle and can oftentimes lead to physical health problems including childhood obesity. It also hampers their creativity, reasoning power and the capability of thinking logically.
Bringing kids in the outdoors has many benefits. Besides breathing in the crisp and fresh air, your child learns to be in sync with their natural surroundings. Taking in fresh air helps boost memory, and also keeps your child’s mind active. It also helps your child improve their creativity. Introducing your child to a sports activity such as horseback riding will be a good motivation for them to spend time outdoors.
Horseback riding is an excellent form of exercise to the body as well as the mind. This activity helps utilize the core muscles optimally. In order to avoid falling off the horse and maintain a steady balance, when engaged in horseback riding, the rider is required to use the muscles of the inner thighs and the pelvic muscles. Usage of these particular muscle groups help children in developing a correct posture at an early age. It also improves flexibility and helps build muscle tone. Besides promoting good health, activities such as horseback riding are great for burning off calories.
When your child is mounted on a horse, you are highly likely to think that the horse is carrying the weight of your child and walking/running as well. Therefore all the hard work is done by the horse and not your child. This, however, is not the case. The rider is required to put in an equal amount of effort when engaged in horseback riding. The rider must adjust their body position and balance to match the horse’s movements. This helps your child sharpen their focus on the task at hand – staying mounted on the horse and navigating the horse to stay on track.
2. A boost in scholastic performance
Extensive research has proven that the cognitive ability of the children, who engaged in horseback riding, showed great improvement. Research has also proven that the vibrations given out by a horse when it is being ridden, has the ability to activate the sympathetic nervous system in the brain of humans.In layman’s terms, what this means is – horseback riding can help children get better at problem-solving, improve and increase their learning ability, strengthen their memory power and sharpen their focus. All of these skills and qualities acquired when engaging in horseback riding, spill over into children’s academics as well. Such children are better disposed to take on academic tasks and do well in school.
3. Effective tackling of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
Even if a child doesn’t have a diagnosis like ADHD or Autism, it is imperative to understand that the child could still be struggling with attention and concentration in their class. Some kids might ‘appear’ to be struggling with an SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) or may have unidentified sensory issues.
Sensory processing issues can involve extreme or overwhelming responsiveness to a host of stimuli. These stimuli can involve balance, body awareness, sounds, sights, touch, taste, smell etc. The vestibular sense organs in our body help us with experiencing body balance and spatial orientation. These sense organs are situated inside the inner ear. These are stimulated by the incline, speed and direction change.Horseback riding gives the required stimulation to energize the sensory preceptors.
When engaged in horseback riding, children who have an underdeveloped sense of balance are able to figure out how they must adjust their body position to match the horse’s movements to avoid falling off. As mentioned earlier, horseback riding helps build the muscle tone. They learn how to get a good grasp of reins as well. All this helps children learn about motor control and body balance.
4. Boost in confidence
When children are faced with the challenge of riding an animal that is more than twice their size, they are highly likely to feel daunted by the task. However, with proper guidance and training, when they are able to mount the horse and ride it, you will notice a remarkable surge in their confidence. This confidence that children earn in their formative years plays a key role in ensuring that they develop a well-rounded and wholesome personality as they grow up. This confidence also helps children develop a larger peer group, which has a positive impact on their well-being.
5. Helps ingrain positive traits
When children learn horseback riding, they also learn how to care for the horse , how to feed the horse and groom it. This helps develop a strong bond between the horse and child. This way children learn to put the needs of the horse before themselves. Traits like these spill over into their day to day lives and children become more caring and compassionate towards their family and friends.
When learning horseback riding, children meet other kids who share a similar liking for horses. This helps them develop a friend circle outside their school. It also helps them learn and develop social skills.
Children are also likely to engage in friendly races with their friends at the horseback riding facility. This teaches them to accept winning and losing with equal grace. They learn the importance of sportsmanship through healthy competition.
Other Articles from LifeSkills4Kids with more tips on Sensory Processing Disorders :

• An Overview of Sensory Processing Behaviours and Protective Factors: The See-Saw Model of Sensory Processing
• How to Know If Your Kid Has Sensory Issues and How Can You Help
• SPD and Anxiety – How Do Symptoms Look Similar (and Different) in Classrooms
• Idenfitying Sensory Issues that Impact Learning in the Classroom
• Sensory Processing Disorer (SPD) and Anxiety – How are they similar and different?

Written by Nicky Ellis – www.horsesandfoals.com 

How to use a calendar to help transition back to school?

Here’s how!
Summer holidays can be the carefree, fun-packed time of experience and shared experiences which neither kids nor mums and dads want to end. It can be very appealing (and rightly so!) to make the most of every day of the school vacation, especially the days which directly precede the back to school date on your calendar.
Keep in mind however, to also do some preparation so that the shift back to school can be a smooth, confident one for both you and your kids.
What are the triggers that can potentially cause challenges for your kids when they are faced with returning to school?

How can the transition back to school be difficult for you and your kids?

• Feeling rushed – you’ve had a great summer and then suddenly the holidays are over and it’s time to return to school
• Disorganised – those last few days go SO quickly!
• Morning routine is difficult to return into
• Difficulty in getting out of bed/out of your home on time
• Mums and dads are nervous about the kids being okay
• Kids can be distressed about:
  • What will my new teacher be like?
  • Will my new schoolmates like me?
  • Will I be able to sit with my friends?
  • Who will I sit with at lunch?
  • What if I miss the school bus?
  • Will people make fun of me?
  • What if I don’t understand the lessons?
  • Will I look foolish?

How, as mums and dads, can we minimize these triggers for our kids and facilitate a smooth shift back to school?

Using a Calendar to Help Transition Back to School

Everybody, parents and children alike, prosper on routine and this holds specifically true when, as a household, we are confronted with the prospect of going back to school.
It is very important to take a look at methods of decreasing stress and anxiety around that date and finding a way to make going back to school an exciting, organised and positive experience.

Using a Timeline/Calendar

• Make a timeline together or go shopping and choose a big calendar that you both like.
• Calendars are often offered for the scholastic year and these can be perfect to prepare all of the household for getting back into the swing of school life.
• A timeline can be a great tool in helping all of the household lower any school stress and anxiety that they may have.
• All kids like to be involved in choices that effect them and their households.
• Make a timeline that covers the last 2 weeks prior to school starts and the following 2 weeks when school has started.
• For the last 2 weeks of the holidays, factor in treats and rewards as well as challenges which the household will need to attain to receive the treat or reward. For example, all of the household should get up 10 minutes earlier every day for the first week of your timeline to be able to enjoy the daily rewards that have been planned.
• Plan these joint challenges so that they assist your kids (and you!) to cope and get used to the early morning regimen once again or leaving your house on time each day.
• For the first 2 weeks of school, factor in after school activities, activities at the weekend and decide in advance who will choose your kids up from school each day.
• This visual structure, which you can display somewhere for you all to see, will provide a more mild re-introduction of the back to school regimen than if you all of a sudden panic on the night before school and try to arrange yourself and your kids out!
• If you leave tasks to the eleventh hour you are producing stress and anxiety in children and yourselves – which is a dish for disaster on the first day back and will take days or perhaps weeks to pull back.

Agree on a Morning Routine to Help Transition Back to School

• A visual timetable can be invaluable for lowering anxiety and enabling your kids to efficiently shift from vacation to school time.
• Visual timetables are typically utilized in school, so prior to completion of the academic year, find out from them what sort of symbols, words, images they use daily.
• Utilizing familiar visual hints in your home can increase self-confidence in your kids and this will likewise spill over into minimizing any school anxiety they might have.
• If it’s possible, this is an excellent activity to include your kids in well prior to the stressors of imminent school, you can develop and create an early morning schedule together.
• You can make this activity enjoyable by utilizing timers to find out how long it requires to get on a school uniform or make a jam-packed lunch or pack a swimming bag.
• When you have actually exercised the timings of activities that you require to consist of in your early morning schedule, then you can add those timings into it and find out what time you will all need to get up to be ready to leave your house at a set time.
• Enabling kids to take ownership of their early morning schedule by working it out with you is an excellent method to increase their feeling of responsibility, whilst lowering anxiety at the exact same time.

Have family ‘Golden Time’ to Help Transition Back to School

Your kids may well be familiar with ‘Golden Time’, which often happens in schools on a Friday afternoon. The offer at school is if the kids have actually got their stickers/rewards for the week, then during Golden Time they get to choose their preferred activity.
All of us like to feel special and have quality, one-to-one time with the people we like. Add into your calendar a daily Golden Check-In Time at home with your kid. (You could have two of these if it works, one in the early morning and one in the evening).
Plan a 10-30 minute time with your young person and include it in the calendar.
Make this time unique and pick together what you want to do throughout this time, examples could be:

• Make and share hot chocolate with marshmallows and relax on the couch together (NO smart phones, NO disturbances!).
• Share a video game, take your pet dog for a walk, go outdoors and construct a cubby house / go to beach.
• Have a pamper session – a manicure, pedicure, facial – whatever you both enjoy!
• Construct a design together, paint together.
• The possibilities are unlimited!
• The most IMPORTANT thing to remember is that while you are taking pleasure in each others’ company, you also chat about how your child is feeling, ensuring they are okay, that school is okay and they are mentally in an ok place.

In general, with some thoughts and early preparation, the trauma of going back to school can be handled efficiently and in a positive way. Taking a little bit of time to put some strategies into practice can positively affect your child and your whole family too.

Happy New Year!  This is a great time of the year to take a bit of time and reflect on what has happened over the last 12 months.  Now that the hectic festive season is (hopefully!) calming down, I invite you to look back and congratulate yourself on ALL the wonderful things you’ve done to make your family a cohesive, happy and relaxed unit.  Equally, be curious about things that are not quite working yet, it is the nature of living within a family that you are bound to have some issues which are still a ‘work in progress’.

Let’s do some reflections on 2018 and analyse what worked for your family.

Tips before you start:

• The paper and pens you use do not have to be lined
• If it works for you, you could use different colours and potentially use blank paper
• Sometimes the freedom of blank paper will allow you to express yourself how you want to, without any constraints
• If you prefer to use a tablet or a computer, feel free to do so – if you choose this though, make sure you print it – so that you can see what you have written
• If you can, find yourself a quiet space, where you know that you will not be disturbed and if you need to, you can always set a certain amount of time to give you parameters to work within.  (All humans like to have boundaries, it helps us feel safe!)

So, take a bit of time out of your busy day, make yourself a cuppa, find yourself a pen and paper and answer the following questions:

What were the wins for your child/ family?

• Be kind to yourself, sometimes it can seem like you have no wins to celebrate
• BUT take a step back, look at the big picture and write down some of those WOW moments that you’ve experienced over the last 12 months (and even further back than that if you want to – you could look back at 1 year ago, 3 years ago and then 5 years ago)
• Remember, it doesn’t matter how small these wins are – little steps are just as valuable as big steps
• What matters is the continuity of you not giving up, and when you have needed to, being willing to break everything down into small enough chunks so that your family CAN cope with it
• Remember also, all of those times when you have wanted to give up, but you haven’t!  You have been willing to persevere, to keep taking a deep breath and to keep following the routine that you have decided on
• This reflective process isn’t just about the young person in your family that may have SPD or have autistic tendencies, anxiety or any other challenges; it is all about how you and your significant family who have had minor or major wins throughout the time span that you are looking at
• Be generous and compassionate with yourself and your family, be willing to write down what seems insignificant things – which actually are wins!

What areas are still hard and you want to make easier at home?

• Ok, here’s your chance to write down all the areas that are still hard, the things that continue to frustrate you and all of the members of your family
• Give yourself permission to just write – leave the analysis and thinking for later, this is your moment to be able to scribble down things for as long as you want to, until your pen stops!
• I’d encourage you to do this in a totally non-judgemental way – leave out the ‘shoulds’ and the ‘can’ts’ – when you notice yourself about to write those sort of words with a potentially negative connotation …. take a deep breath and make what you write more neutral and less personal

What are your ways forwards as you welcome in the 2019?

• It is totally up to you, you may want to continue and answer this question straight away OR you may want to walk away and leave what you have done
• Your mind is a very powerful machine and you will find that once you have committed something to paper, it will often help to allow for some time for your brain to collate, order and think about what you have written.  It is often in moments when you are not specifically working on these questions that you will find clarity and ideas for how to move forwards
• If your child is able to, it is also a great idea at this point to invite them to work through ways that you can all move forwards together.  If you get agreement with your kids for future plans, they can be much easier to implement successfully
• Take some time to look through relevant articles on LifeSkills4Kids – this will provide you with countless ideas of how to tackle areas that you are still finding hard.  On our site you can find articles, podcasts, webinars and practical tips and suggestions to help you
• If you are a regular visitor to our site, you will know that I am an Occupational Therapist with 20 years experience of helping and empowering parents

Remember that 2019 is a new year for you to experiment with and explore different strategies to help yourself, your kids and your family.  Remember also, that you are not alone – we are here to help you and help your kids to find ways to deal with their anxiety, sensory issues and to provide as many skills for all of you as possible.
You might find the following links in our website useful:

• Online Workshops
• Resources for Parents
• Free Newsletter & eBook
• Sensory Processing Tip Sheets
• Our Products

Written by Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist