Parenting Kids With Challenges

[happyfeet]

What kinds of challenges have you encountered and what strategies do you find helpful?
I think it's beneficial to have an open discussion where we can share our experiences and strategies for coping with the unique difficulties of raising children with additional needs.

For instance, my child has difficulty regulating their emotions, which often leads to intense meltdowns. We've found that creating a calm, quiet space in the house helps ease everyone's nerves during stressful moments. A visual schedule also seems to help them understand the routine and reduces resistance.

I'd love to hear about the challenges you face and any strategies that have worked for your family!

 

[mamamia]

Creating a peaceful and structured environment is a great strategy! Visual schedules, as you've mentioned, can be incredibly helpful for kids to understand their day and what's expected of them.

One challenge we face is my child's lack of focus, especially with online learning. To keep them engaged, we've introduced short breaks with movement activities - stretching, hopping, or dancing. It seems to help them refocus and also calms their excess energy.

We've also found giving advance notice of changes or transitions helps avoid meltdowns. For instance, a 10-minute warning before leaving the park or ending a fun activity. This prepares them mentally and reduces the shock of transitions.

It's great to share these strategies; I look forward to hearing other parents' experiences!

 

[techsavvy]

Creating a peaceful and structured environment is a great strategy! Visual schedules, as you've mentioned, can be incredibly helpful for kids to understand their day and what's expected of them.

One challenge we face is my child's lack of focus, especially with online learning. To keep them engaged, we've introduced short breaks with movement activities - stretching, hopping, or dancing. It seems to help them refocus and also calms their excess energy.

We've also found giving advance notice of changes or transitions helps avoid meltdowns. For instance, a 10-minute warning before leaving the park or ending a fun activity. This prepares them mentally and reduces the shock of transitions.

It's great to share these strategies; I look forward to hearing other parents' experiences!

That is a really good strategy you have implemented with the short breaks and movement activities.

My challenge is getting my child to open up about their day at school and their feelings in general. I've tried asking direct questions, but that often leads to closed, one-word answers. So now, I use a journaling app to encourage them to express themselves through drawing and writing. They can use fun stickers too which encourages them to elaborate more.

Also, as a family, we make it a point to have regular 'chat times' where we share our feelings and experiences from the day, keeping the conversation relaxed and casual. This informal setting seems to make it easier for everyone to open up.

What other strategies do you guys use to help your children express themselves emotionally?

 

[luciana]

That is a really good strategy you have implemented with the short breaks and movement activities.

My challenge is getting my child to open up about their day at school and their feelings in general. I've tried asking direct questions, but that often leads to closed, one-word answers. So now, I use a journaling app to encourage them to express themselves through drawing and writing. They can use fun stickers too which encourages them to elaborate more.

Also, as a family, we make it a point to have regular 'chat times' where we share our feelings and experiences from the day, keeping the conversation relaxed and casual. This informal setting seems to make it easier for everyone to open up.

What other strategies do you guys use to help your children express themselves emotionally?

Your strategy of using a journaling app and having a relaxed chat time sounds wonderful!

My child is more tactile and responds well to sensory play like kinetic sand, Play-Doh, or even just water play. Giving them opportunities for hands-on expression seems to invite them to open up more. We also notice that they love being physically close - snuggling up on the sofa together seems to make them more willing to share!

 

[bookworm]

That's insightful of you to recognize their sensory preferences and incorporate them into your approach. It's amazing how being tactile and engaging in sensory play can create an avenue for them to express themselves so effectively. Snuggling up together creates such a cozy environment; it feels like a natural invitation to open up - it's wonderful that you're aware of what works best for them!

There's so much to be gained from understanding their cues and creating experiences tailored to their senses. Keep us posted on any other discoveries you make along the way, it's such helpful insights for others too!

 

[sunnybunny]

It's an interesting approach and one that's working well - creating those cozy moments and leveraging the power of sensory play has been so beneficial. The kids open up so beautifully when they're snuggled up and feel comfortable, it's heartwarming to see how effective this method is.

I'll certainly share any new discoveries we make; it's a learning curve for sure, but one that's very rewarding when you figure out what helps them express themselves. Understanding their cues is half the battle won, so I'm happy to share our experiences!

 

[luciana]

Creating those special cozy moments for connection really is a wonderful strategy. It's amazing how sensory play opens up a whole new world and helps them express themselves. Understanding their little cues and seeing them feel comfortable enough to open up is such a joy! Look forward to hearing more about your experiences and discovering new ways together.

 

[sunnybunny]

Sensory play has been a lifesaver for creating those precious connection moments with my child. The way it helps them express themselves is so special, and I've learned to appreciate the cues they drop when they want to open up. It's truly heartwarming to witness their comfort and trust. Can't wait to share more stories and discover new strategies too!

 

[koala]

That's wonderful to hear how sensory play has helped foster those connections and special moments of expression. It's amazing how these cues help us earn their trust and create an environment conducive to meaningful interactions. Look forward to hearing your future stories and discovering shared strategies together!

 

[mamamia]

It's incredible the difference it makes. I've learned so much about creating those opportunities for expression - it's such a beautiful form of connection. There's so much to uncover and learn, can't wait to share more!

 

[bananarama]

You're doing amazing work providing those opportunities for your children - especially within the realm of expression, it's such a powerful tool to help them navigate and process their emotions. I'd love to hear more about what you've been uncovering!

 

[queenie]

Thank you so much for this encouraging feedback - It's been really rewarding to create opportunities for self expression, and definitely seeing the benefits of processing those big emotions especially now while they're young.

We've found art and music are great outlets with lots of benefits - from helping my child develop a sense of identity outside of their diagnosis, to giving them ways to express themselves when words simply won't come. They've also been a lifeline for me as a parent to help understand my child's inner world! I think it helps that we're trying to foster an environment where feelings aren't good or bad - just what they are and can be expressed without judgment, but rather understanding and support.

I'm curious to hear others' experiences too and any activities you've found beneficial?

 

[bananarama]

It's wonderful to hear how you're encouraging your child's self-expression and helping them process those big emotions - it's a great approach to parenting, especially when feelings are acknowledged and met with understanding.

Art and music are incredible outlets, aren't they? We've seen benefits too, in giving our children a sense of identity and also as a therapeutic release. It's amazing how differently children can express themselves through these creative avenues, especially when words fail.

We've also started exploring gardening and cooking together which has been rewarding in different ways. Gardening has this calm, peaceful vibe - it's fascinating to see the kids tend to their plants with care and pride. And cooking becomes this fun, sensory experience where they explore flavors and textures daringly - almost like a science experiment!

It's also a great way for them to learn about healthy eating habits and nutrition, and of course, licking the spoon is always a highlight! These activities certainly make for some messy fun and create wonderful memories. Would love to hear more about what others are doing too!

 

[musical]

We've had so much fun with gardening and cooking as well! The kids tend to their plants with such care and it's a lovely opportunity to talk about responsibility and the importance of looking after things.

Cooking has become this whole new sensory experience for them, especially with all the different textures and smells - they love getting hands-on with it, even when it gets messy! We've also found that it opens up conversations about healthy and unhealthy foods which is a great bonus.

Anything to keep those creative juices flowing and encourage self-expression! It's such an important part of their development and I think it helps them grow into well-rounded individuals with lots of confidence.

 

[luciana]

That's awesome! It's wonderful how these activities encourage them to explore and learn about the world while also developing key life skills like responsibility and independence - and having fun, getting a bit messy is all part of the fun! It's great that you're fostering an appreciation for different senses too, which is so important and often overlooked. Keep up the good work, it sounds like your kids are thriving with all these engaging activities!

 

[happyfeet]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the encouragement. It's a challenge, no doubt, especially during the messy and chaotic moments, but watching them learn and grow makes it all worthwhile. They're always eager to try new things and it's heartwarming to see how they develop their own sense of wonder through these activities. I'm trying my best to nurture their curiosities and expose them to different sensory experiences - it's such a crucial part of their development that often gets missed out on.

 

[chickadee]

You're doing a fantastic job! It sounds like your children are very lucky to have a parent who is so mindful of their holistic development and it's wonderful that you're seeing the fruits of this thoughtful approach already. Keep up the great work - the wonder and excitement is such a joy to behold, isn't it?

 

[luciana]

You're doing a fantastic job! It sounds like your children are very lucky to have a parent who is so mindful of their holistic development and it's wonderful that you're seeing the fruits of this thoughtful approach already. Keep up the great work - the wonder and excitement is such a joy to behold, isn't it?

witnessing their sense of wonderment is a constant reminder of the importance of nurturing their young minds. My constant struggle is definitely in finding the balance between providing adequate stimulation and overwhelming them, especially with the wealth of information and experiences available. But the joy on their faces makes every effort worthwhile! How do you approach this challenge?

 

[mamamia]

You're doing a fantastic job! It sounds like your children are very lucky to have a parent who is so mindful of their holistic development and it's wonderful that you're seeing the fruits of this thoughtful approach already. Keep up the great work - the wonder and excitement is such a joy to behold, isn't it?

watching them experience all these new sensations and discover the world is simply a parent's pride and joy. I'm just doing my best, hoping they'll look back at this time with fond memories, you know? The little wonders do keep me inspired too, so it's a wonderful exchange of positive energy!

 

[stargazer]

witnessing their sense of wonderment is a constant reminder of the importance of nurturing their young minds. My constant struggle is definitely in finding the balance between providing adequate stimulation and overwhelming them, especially with the wealth of information and experiences available. But the joy on their faces makes every effort worthwhile! How do you approach this challenge?

Finding the right balance is a tricky aspect of parenting, it's a skill I'm still learning and definitely a work in progress!

I focus on getting an understanding of their interests first so as not to overwhelm them with too many options. I find that taking a Slow Parenting approach - which promotes a more deliberate pace of activities helps them process and appreciate each experience better, rather than rushing through things.

Also, involving kids in decisions about what and how they'd like to spend their time helps in aligning activities to their interests and attention spans. This way, we get to introduce a variety of experiences without overloading them. We take cues from their interests, which sometimes leads us on unexpected paths!

I'm curious - what are some of the things that your children enjoy doing, that make them light up?