From birth to adolescence, children develop physically, socially and emotionally. When a child is in infancy or early childhood, it is developmentally appropriate to see a meltdown over a dropped ice cream or a broken toy. However, when children reach school age, parents and caregivers may feel overwhelmed when their child has frequent outbursts. It […]
READ MORECo-Regulation
You may have heard of the term ‘co-regulation’ before, but what exactly does it involve? Co-regulation is an essential tool to foster the development of self-regulation skills in children and young adults. Children experience emotions like anger, frustration, and stress, and co-regulation provides a safe and supportive environment for them to handle these intense feelings, […]
READ MOREEffective Home Strategies to Manage Arousal Levels in Children
Children are often faced with big feelings or tough emotions which they may need support to navigate. As Occupational Therapists, we consider the Window of Tolerance and we can use this concept to understand a child’s state of arousal and how to support their self-regulation. The Window of Tolerance was originally introduced by Dr Dan […]
READ MORESocial Interaction in Play Milestones: What You Need to Know
Play is crucial component of a child’s development. It helps them develop social, emotional, cognitive, and physical skills. As an occupational therapy clinic, we understand the importance of play in a child’s life. In this blog, we’ll discuss social interaction in play milestones and what you need to know. From birth to age seven, children […]
READ MOREHow to develop your child’s self-regulation skills with the Alert Program®
If your child struggles with self-regulation awareness, the Alert Program® could be a wonderful tool to use to help them recognise their emotions and take the steps to regulate. Everyday children experience a range of emotions as they go to school, see their friends, and complete their daily tasks. Certain events may heighten a child’s […]
READ MORE8 Ways To Build Your Child’s Confidence
Why is confidence important? Confidence allows us to feel ready for life’s experiences, whether they are new, challenging or routine. Feeling confident allows us to give things a go, use our skills to overcome challenges, and feel secure. For children, having confidence allows them to go out into the world and engage in opportunities that […]
READ MOREHow to write a social story
Social Stories™ (Gray, 1990) are individualised, short and effective stories that teach kids new skills, prepare them for a change or transition, and/or support them to change their behaviour. Social stories can be used for many reasons and across a variety of ages and abilities. For example, they can be used for; building independence in […]
READ MOREComponents of Self-Regulation
Have you ever heard of the term self-regulation? Or maybe emotional regulation? Or even co-regulation? There are so many words that are used to describe a child’s ability to recognize and manage their emotions that it can easily become incredibly confusing and complex to understand. In this post, we explore the components of self-regulation and […]
READ MOREParenting Tips for Children with Anxious Emotions
It is increasingly common for children to experience feelings of anxiousness or worry as they grow up but as a parent, it can be hard to know what to do or how to help them. It is a natural parental instinct to want to protect your child from any negative emotions or experiences however, there […]
READ MOREThe Polyvagal Theory and Breathing
‘Just breathe’ – why are we told to do it so often? What are the benefits? We are often told to focus on and slow our breathing to facilitate relaxation, a sense of calm and focus on the present. Often promoted as a strategy for self-regulation during moments of heightened emotion such as anger or […]
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