How learning about sensory processing changed... everything. My brilliant little 4-year-old son was asked to draw a house at preschool and burst into tears. Bursting into tears was a common occurrence for him, as was picky eating, banging into things, difficulty transitioning from one task to the next, slouching posture, and what I came to realize were a whole host of sensory red flags. Sensory processing difficulties occur when the brain has trouble receiving, interpreting,...
Hello, Anger
Anger is everywhere. From a brain perspective, it makes sense. Stress has been high these past couple of years. Our brains and bodies don’t automatically recognize the difference between physical danger and feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or anxious. Maybe that’s why signs like this have been popping up, a gentle reminder not to let our stress and anger bubble over onto others! Unfortunately, being kind doesn’t solve everything. Don’t get me wrong…kindness matters! But there’s still...
Imagine with Hope
We are talking all month long about nurturing the upstairs brain. This week, we have been focusing on our thought life. It’s a funny thing to talk about nurturing the brain by using our brain differently, but since all our thoughts, feelings, and behavior comes from the brain, we need to think about our thoughts. Picture books can be surprisingly helpful in that effort… “You look a little worried, kiddo,” Zoey’s mom said, giving her...
Why Does a Bear Have Elephant Parents?
This is a common question after reading Riley the Brave to a group of children, and it opens the door to wonderful conversations about diversity and the many ways to make a family. You might talk about skin tone or hair color. You can incorporate grandparents, foster parents, and families with step parents. So many possibilities, BUT...I remember how awkward I felt trying to figure out how to talk about this stuff when I first...