Social stories present information in a literal, âconcreteâ way, which may improve a personâs understanding of a previously difficult or ambiguous situation or activity. The presentation and contentâŻcan be adapted to meet different peopleâs needs.
They can help with sequencing (what comes next in a series of activities) and âexecutive functioningâ (planning and organising).
By providing information about what might happen in a particular situation, and some guidelines for behaviour, you can increase structure in a personâs life and thereby reduce anxiety.
Social stories present information in a literal, ‘concrete’ way, which may improve a person’s understanding of a previously difficult or ambiguous situation or activity. The presentation and contentâŻcan be adapted to meet different people’s needs.Â
They can help with sequencing (what comes next in a series of activities) and ‘executive functioning’ (planning and organising). âŻâŻâŻÂ
By providing information about what might happen in a particular situation, and some guidelines for behaviour, you can increase structure in a person’s life and thereby reduce anxiety.
Sensory trays are a fantastic way to help children regulate regardless of age. A single tray can be made up or a selection of different trays (wet, dry,hard, soft etc). Plastic animals can be added for story telling, or funnels, sieves, plastic cups and spoons are also useful for exploring. These can be made in any plastic container such as a washing up bowl or shallow tray. The âreally useful boxâ brand are great as they come in different sizes with lids. You can purchase a 10-litre tray here.
How can you help a child who is having an emotional melt down? Learn brain-science basics and the two simple steps to calm a child who is experiencing intense emotions. In this video, Author and Psychiatrist Dr. Dan Siegel demonstrates a step-by-step approach to help a child manage strong emotions. At the same time, Dr. Siegel explains how this process is working at a biological level by âsquirting soothing neurotransmittersâ in the brain!
This clip is drawn from Dan Siegelâs hand model of the brain. It is a metaphor to help explain what might be happening in our brains when distressed. It depicts an âemotionalâ and âthinkingâ brain but this does not mean they are separate parts of the brain. The âemotionalâ and âthinkingâ brain are descriptive metaphors of brain functioning to explain how our brains may be in a more âreactiveâ rather than âreflectiveâ mode. The hand model clip is used in Emotion Coaching training to show how Emotion Coaching can help to guide the brain to develop a more reflective mode (thinking brain) rather than remain in a reactive mode (emotional brain).
It is tempting to label challenging behaviour as oppositional, defiant, manipulative, and attention-seeking. But, challenging behaviour is often not in childrenâs control. It is more accurate and helpful to understand this behaviour as a sign that children cannot handle their big emotions (e.g., mad, sad, sacred). When they feel overwhelmed, their emotions are getting the best of them. That is, they cannot self-regulate. You can read more, here.
Brushing teeth is an essential skill for children to learn as it fosters self-care and independence. Developing proper dental hygiene habits early on encourages children to take responsibility for their own health and well-being. Learning to brush their teeth correctly helps prevent cavities and gum disease, ensuring a healthy smile and reducing the need for dental treatments. This routine also teaches children the importance of daily self-care, building a foundation for other personal hygiene practices. As they master this skill, children gain confidence in their ability to manage their own needs, promoting a sense of independence and self-reliance that benefits them in many areas of life.
Learning to dress independently is an essential life skill that promotes confidence, independence, responsibility and fine motor development in children. Mastering this skill can be particularly challenging yet empowering. Once mastered, it can help make the stress of getting ready for school in the morning and out of the house on time that much more successful! Here are practical strategies, visuals and tips to guide you through the process of teaching your child how to dress themselves.
Click on the images below to see some of our own ‘Take the stress out of dressing resources’Â
Learning how to tie shoelaces can be challenging but it is an important self-care skill for your child to learn! It is an important skill to master for many reasons including, teaching your child important skills like following directions, sorting, sequencing, planning, hand-eye coordination and midline crossing. Developing this skill will also help your child to develop their dexterity and independence.
Here are some tips to help when teaching your child how to tie shoelaces.
Start with your child sitting at a table, practising with a shoe on the table in front of them. Once your child is able to independently complete all stages of tying a shoelace on a shoe on a table in front of them, they can then move on to practising with the shoe on their foot.
Teach your child how to untie their laces first. This is easier.
Physically help your child, placing your hands over theirs and gradually reduce the physical support as they begin to gain confidence.
Use backward chaining. Start by breaking the task down into small steps. You teach your child the last step first, working backward from the goal. The adult completes all the steps except the last one. Get your child to practise the final step. Your child will enjoy the success that comes from completing a task. Once your child can do the last step you complete all the steps except for the last two. You teach your child the second from last step and they then complete the last step themselves. Keep going until you are teaching the first step and your child is completing all the other steps.
Provide lots of praise and encouragement.
If your child is struggling, you may be attempted to take over, but please donât. Provide lots of encouragement and give them the time they need to practise!
Often, children find it useful to practise using two different coloured laces to help identify the laces clearly.
There are many step-by-step videos you can watch with your child. You can pause these at any time so your child can do the step immediately after watching it. There are also step-by-step visual guides that are really useful to use. Below is a video, plus a link to a resource that we think is really helpful.
