Category: Childs Behavior

Strength-Based Thinking Reframing Children’s Challenging Behaviors Children’s challenging behaviors have long been the focus of adults’ pessimistic viewpoint of characteristics that don’t fit the mold of societal expectations. This rigid “deficit thinking” causes parents to complain about their child’s qualities and make them try to “fix” what is wrong or make excuses as to why they can’t […]

“You just don’t understand!” Oh but we do dear teen! The emotional and social roller coaster ride this stage of development brings about is not easily forgotten by any adult who remembers their journey through the middle and high school years. We have all been there! When you consider the amount of changes occurring in […]

“It’s happening!” Once upon a time, us parents all found ourselves smack dab in the middle of one of the hardest seasons of our young lives… The Teenage Years. From physical changes to mental growth and development, emotional swings to a social life roller coaster ride, we all once were hard pressed to find something […]

The Golden Years ,as we discussed last week, are a season within adolescence where slow and steady growth of the body and mind are blossoming! While the physical body is making room for continued musculoskeletal development in preparation for the final preteen and teen maturation through the early 20’s, 7-9 year old’s are also growing […]

Hey Parents!!! If you have a 7-9 year old or care to have a glimpse into your child’s future….Take 5 and enjoy this quick informative read! “Slow and steady wins the race!” Oh the years of 7-9 years old! You have made it through the infant, toddler, preschool and young adolescent phase. Time for what […]

“Check this out!” Stepping onto the mats at the start of Basic SKILLZ class one recent evening, I was met with an excited group of 5-6 year olds, ready to demonstrate their latest and greatest superhero moves with a Ninja twist! One by one, I held space for their best “Spidey” hero moves, Hulk smashes, […]

“Going, going, going… ALL. DAY. LONG!” Oh the years of 5-6! Abounding energy at a level that could power New York City, as my husband and I often joke about our youngest, is flowing through these incredible youngsters from sun up to sundown… And sometimes even beyond! If you have recently experienced some crazy nighttime […]

“Wait! I have to tell my mommy something!” If you enjoy watching our youngest Ninjas in action during Early SKILLZ class enjoyment, then you know all too well how much these littles absolutely love to tell mommy and daddy all about their special thoughts, feelings, challenges and victories in real time! You see, 3-4 year […]

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” Dr. Seuss “Mommy, look my muscles?!” I remember it like it was yesterday when my youngest son who was three years old at the time came running into the kitchen to show me his BIG arm muscles […]

“Heavy Work Protocol!” What is Heavy Work? Heavy work is intentional movement or activities that typically involve lifting, pushing or pulling of heavy objects and even stretching in order to support the sense of proprioception. What is proprioception? Proprioception is one of our bodies “secret senses.” You are likely familiar with sight, sound, taste, touch […]

Grade school can be quite the experience for any child. It is a place where a child not only learns academically but one where a child must learn to socialize and function in the world. Unfortunately, there are a lot of negative experiences that a child may have when going through school. Whatever those experiences […]

As we navigate the world, we all use our senses to receive input from our surroundings, let our brains process, and then tell us how to react. Generally, we respond with minimal disruption to our routine. However, processing sensory stimuli can be a challenge for some people, either because there is too much or not […]

Over the past year, children have faced many disturbances in their daily lives and interactions. These things have contributed to a lot of emotional imbalance and brought on or exacerbated feelings of sadness, fear, and anxiety. Since children are still developing abilities to regulate their strong and ever-changing emotions, they need assistance in strengthening these […]

How Can I Help? Shifting from Judgmental to Curious In the words of Whitney Houston, “I believe that children are our future…show them all the beauty they possess inside.” All too often, the magnificence of individuality is overshadowed by a need to meet the status quo. When a child exhibits behavior that is “problematic” or […]

As we approach the one-year mark of an ever-strong pandemic that has rocked our world, we are searching for ways to keep ourselves mentally and emotionally in check. For teens, this has been an even more difficult feat. Adolescence is already fraught with stress and moodiness but adding in the social isolation and fear have […]

    As we know, children can lose control of their emotions for various reasons, and the behaviors we witness are generally unplanned. And since anxiety can look like defiance, adults often respond in counterproductive ways. When children are stressed, the amygdala, in the downstairs brain, is triggered, and the “fight or flight” response takes […]

We have all experienced, from time to time, that uneasy feeling you get when something doesn’t seem right. Often, we can’t put our finger on it, but we know that we feel bothered. For children, that uneasy feeling may show up as grumpiness or irritability, which can interfere with learning. Serotonin is a significant chemical […]

Preparing Children to Return to School – An Emotional Approach As back to school plans continue to change almost daily, children’s emotions will remain unpredictable. One day they are thinking about returning to their friends and teachers at school, and the next, they are told they won’t be returning for another few months. Because of […]

The Importance of Bilateral Coordination on Physical and Cognitive Skills The development of a child can be one of the most fascinating things to watch unfold. From infants mirroring movements to toddlers and children mastering high level developmental skills, the growth they experience in a short time is astounding. And while all skills are important […]

As we continue to navigate the unchartered waters of the current pandemic, many are looking to the future and what it holds. And while it’s hard to predict how long our current daily life modifications will last, what we do know is that the experience of this trauma will have personal changes that could last […]

Boredom – An Essential Ingredient for Creativity Remember when you wished the weekend would last forever? As weeks of the “shelter in place” order have passed, the eagerness for some “time off” has lost its spark. Children’s boredom is growing day by day and will continue, especially as many schools will be ending the school […]

With our country at somewhat of a standstill due to the current pandemic, it’s easy to get into a routine that is more laid back. Anything from going to bed late to increased screen time, habits may start leaning on the unhealthy side. And one of the major behaviors that appear when we are in […]

Stress is a significant part of our lives today. And while we all experience it, children and teens have a more difficult time managing it. Academic pressure, social tensions, family stressors, etc. all impact a young person’s mental well-being. For this reason, it’s important for parents to help their children develop coping skills by guiding […]

Healthy brain development is one of the most important aspects of childhood development. More specifically, the first few years of life are a significant time for this because synaptic connections are at a peak level. This is the time when positive and nurturing experiences are vital so that the brain can form strong networks that […]