Left-handed people are the unseen minority in a right-handed world, with one study estimating that they make up only around 10% of the population. They are more likely to be male than female, and left-handedness occurs at a greater rate in twins than in the general population.

Lefties do some things better …

It’s challenging to be a lefty in a right-handed world, especially when it comes to the tools and gadgets we use to make life easier, not to mention some important everyday tasks.

But that’s not to say that left-handed people are always at a disadvantage. Many of the great sportspeople are left-handed, where their unique techniques give them an advantage over opponents. Tennis, cricket, boxing and other team sports boast some talented left-handed players who have made their mark on the world.

Left-handed people often have better problem-solving skills, too. Whether this is a finely-honed skill in response to living in a right-handed world or an innate advantage is up for debate, but lefties are often good at spatial awareness tasks, logic, and mathematics.

If you have a left-handed child, you will appreciate the uniqueness they bring to family life, but there are also challenges, especially when it comes to teaching your lefty some essential life skills.

Check out my tips below to help your lefty child learn to navigate a right-handed world.

Win the shoelace war

Teaching a left-handed child to tie shoelaces is a major challenge for many right-handed parents because there is just no way a left-handed child will be able to do it the same way.

The best option is to sit opposite your child and have them mirror everything you do. Therefore, if your right hand is making a loop, their left hand will be making the loop. If this is unsuccessful, you can check out this handy blog by Ian, the founder of Ian’s Knot. This type of shoelace knot is symmetrical and no matter your handedness preference, it is the same for everyone. Once mastered, it is fast and easy, and probably the best way to save your sanity! Ian has kindly placed detailed visual instructions and even a video tutorial on his page, so it’s worth learning the knot yourself so you can teach it to your child.

It may take longer for your lefty to learn the intricacies of shoelaces … so be patient!

Paper, scissors … cut!

Teaching a left-handed child to use scissors designed for a right-handed person is well-nigh impossible and will likely only result in frustration for both of you. They are simply not designed to function from a left-handed position, and the best thing you can do is to ensure that your child has left-handed scissors at school and home.

Just for fun, try holding a pair of right-handed scissors in your left hand. Feel how awkward and uncomfortable it is? Do you think you’d be very effective with them? Now, imagine trying to learn how to use them in that position. You can picture the frustration a left-handed child might feel with a tool that is only intended for use by right-handed people.

The mouse trap

Yes, using a computer mouse intended for right-handed people is frustrating and awkward for a left-handed child. Fortunately, there are some simple fixes.

The easiest way is to buy your child a designated left-hand mouse that’s for their use only and separate from what everyone else in the family uses.

But if you want a budget-friendly option, it’s easy to program your mouse to switch buttons so that it becomes user-friendly for lefties. You can find instructions for Windows here, and Mac users can go here to find out how.

Pencil particulars

Learning to write is a very different experience for a left-handed person and can be quite a challenge for parents and teachers. Check out my tips below for helping your lefty learn to write.

· A left-handed child needs to tilt the top of their page to the right, so it is parallel with their left forearm

· Elbow-bumps might be a Covid-appropriate greeting, but it’s not fun when students are bumping elbows as they work. Have your lefty sit at the end of the row or to the left of another student so they have plenty of elbow room.

· Always allow plenty of elbow room on the left of the child while they are writing

· Make sure the child is keeping their wrist straight for the correct writing position. Many left-handed people fall into the habit of using a “hook” grip because they position their hand above their writing so they can see. The result is that their wrist curves around in a “hook” shape as they hold the pencil. This type of grip will lead to pain and fatigue over time.

· The best way to avoid the hook grip is to teach the child to position their hand below their work so they can still see, and maintain a straight wrist.

· Left-handed children have difficulty using a finger for spacing between words. Instead, teach your left to imagine a round ball shape between the words for spacing.

· It’s easy for a left-handed child to smear their work when using a pen, so choose a pen that has quick-drying ink.

At the dinner table

Many left-handed people use their cutlery in the same way as right-handed people, although this can change according to circumstances. Most prefer to hold a spoon in their left hand, and many prefer to hold a fork in their dominant hand, with the knife hand being the less dominant one.

Regardless of your child’s preferences for using cutlery, it’s important to allow them to do what feels best. To this day, some places discourage the natural use of the left hand, such as this school in the UK.

But it’s important to recognize – and celebrate – the diversity in our world, and this includes those whose preference for handedness is in the minority.

To support your child learning to use cutlery at the dinner table, encourage them to use whatever feels best and then work on growing their skills. Also, allow them plenty of elbow space at the table so they aren’t cramped or bumping elbows with a right-handed person.

Appreciate their uniqueness

There’s no doubt that lefties add variety and diversity to our world with their quirky ways of solving problems and the way they think and do things. If you have a lefty in your family, celebrate their uniqueness, and enjoy helping them to become the best version of themselves that they can be.

Written by Nicky Ellis – www.horsesandfoals.com 
Horses have shared a bond with man for many thousand years. Horses have been used extensively to transport goods as well as people. Horses have also lent help in the fields of construction and agriculture. They are also used in sports such as horse racing, polo etc. and also for recreational riding purposes. Over the last few decades, horses have also contributed to helping individuals with physical disabilities, mental health, and behavioral issues.
Let’s take a look at how these gentle animals help promote developmental benefits.

1. Positive influence on fitness and health
2. A boost in scholastic performance
3. Effective tackling of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
4. Boost in confidence
5. Helps ingrain positive traits

1. Positive influence on fitness and health
It has become extremely easy as well as affordable to gain access to the latest technological gadgets, in this digital age.Children are often found engrossed with games on their smartphones or tablets or watching mindless television. These habits lead to a sedentary lifestyle and can oftentimes lead to physical health problems including childhood obesity. It also hampers their creativity, reasoning power and the capability of thinking logically.
Bringing kids in the outdoors has many benefits. Besides breathing in the crisp and fresh air, your child learns to be in sync with their natural surroundings. Taking in fresh air helps boost memory, and also keeps your child’s mind active. It also helps your child improve their creativity. Introducing your child to a sports activity such as horseback riding will be a good motivation for them to spend time outdoors.
Horseback riding is an excellent form of exercise to the body as well as the mind. This activity helps utilize the core muscles optimally. In order to avoid falling off the horse and maintain a steady balance, when engaged in horseback riding, the rider is required to use the muscles of the inner thighs and the pelvic muscles. Usage of these particular muscle groups help children in developing a correct posture at an early age. It also improves flexibility and helps build muscle tone. Besides promoting good health, activities such as horseback riding are great for burning off calories.
When your child is mounted on a horse, you are highly likely to think that the horse is carrying the weight of your child and walking/running as well. Therefore all the hard work is done by the horse and not your child. This, however, is not the case. The rider is required to put in an equal amount of effort when engaged in horseback riding. The rider must adjust their body position and balance to match the horse’s movements. This helps your child sharpen their focus on the task at hand – staying mounted on the horse and navigating the horse to stay on track.
2. A boost in scholastic performance
Extensive research has proven that the cognitive ability of the children, who engaged in horseback riding, showed great improvement. Research has also proven that the vibrations given out by a horse when it is being ridden, has the ability to activate the sympathetic nervous system in the brain of humans.In layman’s terms, what this means is – horseback riding can help children get better at problem-solving, improve and increase their learning ability, strengthen their memory power and sharpen their focus. All of these skills and qualities acquired when engaging in horseback riding, spill over into children’s academics as well. Such children are better disposed to take on academic tasks and do well in school.
3. Effective tackling of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
Even if a child doesn’t have a diagnosis like ADHD or Autism, it is imperative to understand that the child could still be struggling with attention and concentration in their class. Some kids might ‘appear’ to be struggling with an SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) or may have unidentified sensory issues.
Sensory processing issues can involve extreme or overwhelming responsiveness to a host of stimuli. These stimuli can involve balance, body awareness, sounds, sights, touch, taste, smell etc. The vestibular sense organs in our body help us with experiencing body balance and spatial orientation. These sense organs are situated inside the inner ear. These are stimulated by the incline, speed and direction change.Horseback riding gives the required stimulation to energize the sensory preceptors.
When engaged in horseback riding, children who have an underdeveloped sense of balance are able to figure out how they must adjust their body position to match the horse’s movements to avoid falling off. As mentioned earlier, horseback riding helps build the muscle tone. They learn how to get a good grasp of reins as well. All this helps children learn about motor control and body balance.
4. Boost in confidence
When children are faced with the challenge of riding an animal that is more than twice their size, they are highly likely to feel daunted by the task. However, with proper guidance and training, when they are able to mount the horse and ride it, you will notice a remarkable surge in their confidence. This confidence that children earn in their formative years plays a key role in ensuring that they develop a well-rounded and wholesome personality as they grow up. This confidence also helps children develop a larger peer group, which has a positive impact on their well-being.
5. Helps ingrain positive traits
When children learn horseback riding, they also learn how to care for the horse , how to feed the horse and groom it. This helps develop a strong bond between the horse and child. This way children learn to put the needs of the horse before themselves. Traits like these spill over into their day to day lives and children become more caring and compassionate towards their family and friends.
When learning horseback riding, children meet other kids who share a similar liking for horses. This helps them develop a friend circle outside their school. It also helps them learn and develop social skills.
Children are also likely to engage in friendly races with their friends at the horseback riding facility. This teaches them to accept winning and losing with equal grace. They learn the importance of sportsmanship through healthy competition.
Other Articles from LifeSkills4Kids with more tips on Sensory Processing Disorders :

• An Overview of Sensory Processing Behaviours and Protective Factors: The See-Saw Model of Sensory Processing
• How to Know If Your Kid Has Sensory Issues and How Can You Help
• SPD and Anxiety – How Do Symptoms Look Similar (and Different) in Classrooms
• Idenfitying Sensory Issues that Impact Learning in the Classroom
• Sensory Processing Disorer (SPD) and Anxiety – How are they similar and different?

Written by Nicky Ellis – www.horsesandfoals.com 

Great Ideas for Creating the Best Home Environment for Your Autistic Child

Written by : Jenny Wise, Special Home Educator
Autism affects the way a child interacts with the world around them. As parents, it’s important that we do whatever we can to keep our children comfortable and safe. While you can’t adapt the entire world to fit your child’s special needs, you can ensure that their home environment functions as a safe, comfortable haven. Here are some key areas to consider when adjusting your home to fit your autistic child’s needs.
Color
As you’re probably aware, a child with autism perceives light, color, and sound differently. With a heightened visual perception, different colors can elicit different moods and reactions from your child. Red, vibrant colors can feed into energy, while cooler neutral colors can soothe and relax. When decorating your home, choose a color scheme that gives off the appropriate mood for the room. For example, when decorating your child’s bedroom, use a blue or purple scheme to promote sleep and relaxation.
Neutral color schemes are best for children with autism and provide the most comfort. When deciding what patterns and combinations to use, it’s always ideal to keep the aesthetic as simple as possible to prevent sensory overload. Also, opt for solid colors and minimalist patterns to keep your child at ease.
Lighting
Just like with color, the lighting you use in your home stands out to your autistic child. Lighting that is too abrasive or inconsistent can have a negative impact, as opposed to softer, more natural lighting. It’s for this reason that most autism experts warn against using any kind of fluorescent lighting, which can easily agitate your child due to its tendency to flicker. To make a more comfortable environment, stick to shaded or gradient lighting that gives you more control over the lighting from room to room.
Flooring
Children on the autism spectrum are not only hypersensitive to visual stimuli, but also to what they can touch and feel. To most children, a floor is for more than just for walking; it’s a giant canvas for playing games or it can double as a place to lie down and take a nap. Your child will spend a lot of time on the floor, so it’s important that your floors are safe and comfortable. Laminate flooring can be hard and cold to the touch, while tiling can be uneven or have over-stimulating visual patterns. You want your floors to be soft, and warm. Vinyl flooring is cheap, easy to clean, and typically softer and warmer on bare hands and feet.
Furniture
Finally, you’ll want to have furniture that’s suitable for providing the comfort your child needs. Remember that for children with autism, tactile sensation is important, and having material that is soft and squishy will provide a pleasant and comfortable sensory experience for your child. In your living room, most furniture types will be suitable for your child, but remember to avoid loud patterns, and sharp corners for their safety.
For their bedroom, you might even consider getting them a big squishy chair. Hug Chairs are giant beanbags that are fun to collapse on, and extremely comfortable. A Hug Chair might be the perfect addition to make your child’s room feel even more like their own.
These are just a few ideas to make your house suitable for your child on the autism spectrum. Home is a place where we are supposed to feel safe, comfortable, and loved. Give your child that extra sense of safety and comfort so that when the world gets to be a little too much, they have something familiar to come home to.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

Let’s see how sensory issues impact self regulation at homework time.
Okay, so you know your child has sensory issues which make it hard for them to self regulate at the best of times …. but, oh my goodness, how can you help them cope with their sensory issues when it’s time to do their homework?!
At LifeSkills4Kids, we know how hard that time of the day can be – don’t worry, we are here to provide you with lots of tips and suggestions which will help you and your child navigate homework time.

Top Tips to help your child with sensory issues at homework time

What about the furniture?

• We all work best when the chair/desk we use are a good fit and we can have our feet flat on the floor and be able to rest our elbows on the desk/table.
• In addition, if you child finds it hard to sit still, you could add an inflated seat cushion or a pillow – so that moving around in the seat is not a problem
• You may find that your child works best if they are seated on a large exercise ball, so that they can fidget but stay seated
• There are various seating modifications which you can buy to help your child, check out the suggestions in our article here
• Also make sure that the homework area is a place free of distracting noise

What about the lighting?

• If it’s possible, eliminate any buzzing and flickering fluorescent lighting
• Give your child input on what sort of lighting works best for them

How you can help

• Provide sensory breaks such as walking in circles, jumping on a mini-trampoline or sucking on sour candy. These will provide your child with the sensory input they need to be able to concentrate on homework tasks
• Work with your child and find out what fidget toys and type of sensory kit they need to be just right to be able to get their homework done.  Don’t be afraid of accommodating some surprising requests – some kids need dark glasses, ear defenders and a stress ball; others need silly putty and headphones with music on
• Explore together what works best and help your kid focus – remember you are working on creating a ‘just right’ environment to allow them to succeed
• For further information about the Just Right Kids Technique which Deb has developed, find out more here 
• Ask your kid’s school what sort of visual timetable they use and modify this for homework time.
• Remember that you and your child are the ‘experts’ in knowing what is needed to provide the right space to thrive and learn in.

Experiment Together

• You know your young person really well and it is vitally important to include them in working out the best way to succeed during their homework time
• If you can make this into a game, you will contribute to your child’s sense of fun and ownership of their learning
• Let them know it’s fine to experiment and that you want to take an active part in making a ‘Just Right’ homework space – spend some time together, planning, resourcing and creating this homework space
• Sensory processing issues can occur with any of the senses:
  • Touch
  • Taste
  • Vision
  • Hearing
  • Olfactory (smell)

  Other senses that may not be thought of commonly also include:

  • Muscle/Body Awareness (proprioception)
  • Spatial Orientation (Vestibular)
• For more information have a look at our article on finding out if your kid has sensory issues

Be flexible and listen to your kid

• There are also other factors to consider when you are helping your kid to learn to self regulate and get their homework done
• Take some time together to think about your child’s favourite type of ‘relaxing’ clothes – think easy to wear, soft, seamless and with minimum amounts of buttons or zippers.  Your kid might want to always wear the same clothes – their ‘homework’ clothes as this provides a level of safety for them
• Know the signs of your kid getting anxious/worried and notice the triggers that may effect them.  You may find that your child prefers to work in a space that is close to you eg in the corner of the lounge where you are or, alternatively you may find they prefer to take them themselves to a quiet space where they can be alone
• Routines: Kids with sensory issues do best when they know what to expect. Establishing consistent routines around after-school routine and homework time, will help them feel more comfortable and less overwhelmed.  This is also where using visuals can be really helpful, your kid can be encouraged to follow the routine of the visuals that you use – eg, you can have a visual for what they are doing now and then for what they will be doing next.  This is a very simple way to provide a timeframe to help your kid cope with homework time.
• Rewards: We all thrive on rewards and your kid is just the same in this respect!  You could agree how much homework they have to complete to get a specified reward – make the rewards fun, attractive to your kid and make a big fuss of them when they achieve their agreed homework goal.

Get extra help if you need it

• At LifeSkills4Kids, we are passionate about helping kids with sensory issues
• Our expertise as Occupational Therapists can help you to find ways to make their learning a positive and enjoyable experience
• Check out our Sensory blog for some great tips and help with helping your child with sensory issues:
  • Helping your child who has anxiety for sensory reasons
  • Supporting emotional wellbeing at home with the help of visuals
  • Supporting your child to communicate when they are anxious
  • You can also download our PDF about helping kids with homework here

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Changing Classroom Environment for Easier Classroom Management

As a practising educator, it is good practice to reflect on your classroom environment on a regular basis to increase learning and to make classroom management easier.  It can be so easy to set your classroom environment out at the beginning of a school year and then work with the space, just as it is for the rest of the year (or longer!)
There are many situations where you can improve your classroom management by changing your classroom environment – either through a total overhaul or by tweaking certain areas of your room to facilitate improved  learning.

Easy classroom environment changes

Look at Seating

• As your students grow, keep in mind that their seating needs may change.  We all learn better when we are comfortable and in alignment with the chair that we are on.  At a minimum, make sure that a student has a chair which is big enough and fits well with the table that they are at.
• You may find that with students who have sensory issues, the challenge of sitting on a regular chair can be an overwhelming one.  This potential overwhelm will prevent the best learning possible.
• Have a look at our article on Alternative Seating to help you with ideas of how to improve your classroom environment
• Alternative seating that you can consider could include:
  • • Therapy/Exercise balls
    • Bean bag chairs / floor cushions
    • Work “floor” space
    • Standing desks
    • Lap desks
    • Wobble stools/Rocker chairs
    • T-stools
• Your students will work best and learn best if they can problem solve for themselves and work out which area of the classroom environment is the best place for the particular learning that they are doing during any given lesson

Look at Visuals

• At LifeSkills4Kids, we are passionate about providing alternative means of communication so that the whole class can be included in the daily timetable and daily routine
• Many of the students in your class can benefit from using visuals to inform them of what is happening next, how their school day looks, providing them with choices and allowing them to make sense and understand their routine
• For further information, have a look at our article about the use of visuals in the classroom
• Visuals can be used effectively in a classroom setting for many curriculum areas, they can be especially useful for:
  • The daily routine:  all kids like structure and the most effective way to enable learning is to have a visual, supported by words and sounds.  A daily routine can be as simple as a class timetable on the wall or as complex as individualised timetables for each child.
  • Phonics:  it is important to teach phonics in a structured way and flash cards, written notes, charts and diagrams work best for many students to learn something new.
  • Learning Tools:  there are a wide variety of learning tools out there which can promote communication and understanding for your students.
  • eg, Colourful Semantics is aimed at teaching kids to develop their grammar.  It works by cutting sentences into their thematic roles then colour codes them.
  • eg, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) can be a very useful visual tool to help children learn functional communication. It was developed in 1985 and it is used worldwide with kids who have various cognitive, physical and communication challenges
  • Promoting “good” behaviour:  Using visuals in the classroom to help with behaviour management is an ideal way to engage all of your class.  Visuals can also teach students to self-regulate – the Just Right Kids Technique has been developed to encourage kids to learn about and self-manage their feelings so that they are “just right” for being able to access an activity.

Look at a multi-sensory approach to learning

• With a class of 30 children, there will be some kids who have sensory needs and it is important to help them learn too.  Our Sensory Checklist can help you to best accommodate their needs.  Another useful article to have a look at would be our Sensory Issues that Impact Learning.
• You can make small changes to your classroom environment which will have a big impact on students who have sensory needs:
  • Some students need help in managing their sensory needs so that they can access learning opportunities effectively.
  • In our school environment sensory check list, we highlight areas for you to consider such as:
    • Glare
    • Fluorescent lighting
    • Visual clutter
    • Noise, both internal and external
    • Seating arrangements
    • The importance of movement
    • Proper playground equipment
  • It is also important to consider natural lighting and where your students are seated in relation to the light that is in your classroom.  Some students will benefit from being closer to a window, whilst others will need a seat closer to the front of the room or at the side of the room.
  • You are the experts when it comes to your class of students.  It is worth taking the time to consider individual kids and whereabouts in the room their optimum learning environment will be.

What sensory environment is perfect for work and concentration for you … and your students?

Take a moment to consider what your perfect working environment is.  We are all individuals and will all have different preferences – this goes for you as a teacher too.  A classroom environment is likely to reflect the teacher’s learning style and to some extent their personality too.
It is absolutely 100% ok to make your classroom environment a unique one that enables you to operate at your optimal potential.  It’s also equally important to consider the needs and learning styles of your students – what does their perfect work environment look like?
Knowing exactly how to assess and make changes in your classroom can be very daunting to start with, and you still can be unsure of what to do.
So, we put together a program where you can find all the information you need to improve your own classroom sensory environment in one place.
The 20-Day Classroom Detox is an accredited program for teachers (in NSW) which steps teachers through what to look for when taking a fresh look at their classroom sensory environment. It is also useful for other professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists and other members of the multi-disciplinary team
As a practising educator, it is good practice to reflect on your classroom environment on a regular basis to increase learning and to make classroom management easier.  It can be so easy to set your classroom environment out at the beginning of a school year and then work with the space, just as it is for the rest of the year (or longer!)
There are many situations where you can improve your classroom management by changing your classroom environment.  This can be either through a total overhaul or by tweaking certain areas of your room to facilitate improved  learning.

Easy classroom environment changes

Look at Seating

• As your students grow, keep in mind that their seating needs may change.  We all learn better when we are comfortable and in alignment with the chair that we are on.  At a minimum, make sure that a student has a chair which is big enough and fits well with the table that they are at.
• You may find that with students who have sensory issues, the challenge of sitting on a regular chair can be an overwhelming one.  This potential overwhelm will prevent the best learning possible.
• Have a look at our article on Alternative Seating to help you with ideas of how to improve your classroom environment
• Alternative seating that you can consider could include:
  • Therapy/Exercise balls
  • Bean bag chairs / floor cushions
  • Work “floor” space
  • Standing desks
  • Lap desks
  • Wobble stools/Rocker chairs
  • T-stools
• Your students will work best and learn best if they can problem solve for themselves and work out which area of the classroom environment is the best place for the particular learning that they are doing during any given lesson

Look at Visuals

• At LifeSkills4Kids we are passionate about providing alternative means of communication so that the whole class can be included in the daily timetable and daily routine
• Many of the students in your class can benefit from using visuals to inform them of what is happening next, how their school day looks, providing them with choices and allowing them to make sense and understand their routine
• For further information, have a look at our article about the use of visuals in the classroom
• Visuals can be used effectively in a classroom setting for many curriculum areas, they can be especially useful for:
  • The daily routine:  all kids like structure and the most effective way to enable learning is to have a visual, supported by words and sounds.  A daily routine can be as simple as a class timetable on the wall or as complex as individualised timetables for each child.
  • Phonics:  it is important to teach phonics in a structured way and flash cards, written notes, charts and diagrams work best for many students to learn something new.
  • Learning Tools:  there are a wide variety of learning tools out there which can promote communication and understanding for your students.
  • eg, Colourful Semantics is aimed at teaching kids to develop their grammar.  It works by cutting sentences into their thematic roles then colour codes them.
  • eg, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) can be a very useful visual tool to help children learn functional communication. It was developed in 1985 and it is used worldwide with kids who have various cognitive, physical and communication challenges
  • Promoting “good” behaviour:  Using visuals in the classroom to help with behaviour management is an ideal way to engage all of your class.  Visuals can also teach students to self-regulate – the Just Right Kids Technique has been developed to encourage kids to learn about and self-manage their feelings so that they are “just right” for being able to access an activity.

Look at a multi-sensory approach to learning

• With a class of 30 children, there will be some kids who have sensory needs and it is important to help them learn too.  Our Sensory Checklist can help you to best accommodate their needs.  Another useful article to have a look at would be our Sensory Issues that Impact Learning.
• You can make small changes to your classroom environment which will have a big impact on students who have sensory needs:
  • Some students need help in managing their sensory needs so that they can access learning opportunities effectively.
  • In our school environment sensory check list we highlight areas for you to consider such as:
    • Glare
    • Fluorescent lighting
    • Visual clutter
    • Noise, both internal and external
    • Seating arrangements
    • The importance of movement
    • Proper playground equipment
  • It is also important to consider natural lighting and where your students are seated in relation to the light that is in your classroom.  Some students will benefit from being closer to a window, whilst others will need a seat closer to the front of the room or at the side of the room.
  • You are the experts when it comes to your class of students and it is worth taking the time to consider individual kids and whereabouts in the room their optimum learning environment will be.

What sensory environment is perfect for work and concentration for you … and your students?

Take a moment to consider what your perfect working environment is?  We are all individuals and will all have different preferences – this goes for you as a teacher too.  A classroom environment is likely to reflect the teacher’s learning style and to some extent their personality too.
It is absolutely 100% ok to make your classroom environment a unique one that enables you to operate at your optimal potential.  It’s also equally important to consider the needs and learning styles of your students – what does their perfect work environment look like?
Knowing exactly how to assess and make changes in your classroom can be very daunting to start with, and you still can be unsure of what to do.
So, we put together a program where you can find all the information you need to improve your own classroom sensory environment in one place.
The 20-Day Classroom Detox is an accredited program for teachers (in NSW) which steps teachers through what to look for when taking a fresh look at their classroom sensory environment. It is also useful for other professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists and other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
Written By Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist

 Sensory issues that impact self regulation at the dinner table.

Most of us love dinner time and look forward to enjoying the different textures, tastes and smells of eating.
For a kid with sensory issues though, being at the dinner table can be an incredibly hard time of their day.
How can you make it more manageable for your young person?
What strategies can you use to help your child?

Impact of sensory issues on self regulation

When your child has sensory issues, it makes it much harder for them to self regulate and also to explain to you what is going on and causing them a problem.
We are passionate at LifeSkills4Kids in helping young people to find strategies which they can use to make their lives manageable and rewarding.
As parents, the ways in which we interact with our children has the broadest influence on a child’s behaviour because it creates the emotional climate within which a child makes decisions about his or her actions.
Our parenting style influences the development of self-regulation, the ability of a child to govern him/herself, in very specific ways. There are some key factors which can influence this:

• Show positive versus negative emotion.
• Are accepting (not dismissing) of their children’s emotional expression.
• Are not overly controlling of their children’s behaviour.

Providing consistent messaging and following through with promises also helps children establish self-discipline and a willingness to delay gratification.
This all sound great in theory.  But if your child has sensory issues too, your parenting style may need to be changed to accommodate these extra needs.
The following are some strategies and ideas to help you to promote self regulation at the dinner table with your young person who has sensory issues.

Strategies for making dinner time a success

Play with food

• Your child will be able to become accustomed to different textures and consistencies through play and exploration of their food
• This is a vital step in enabling sensory kids to make some sense of the sensory issues that they may encounter with food before they ever think about having to try to put the food into their mouth
• You don’t have to do this at the dinner table – it could be that you build in some ‘fun’ sessions with food and allow your child to explore the food first in a safe, ‘play’ environment
• I have found that this can work really well if you give your child plenty of warning and do some play sessions with the same food over a few days and then introduce it into a ‘dinner’ scenario
• My favourite food to begin with is mashed potato.  And we have had endless hours of fun making things with mashed potato (I personally love making a mashed potato mountain and then adding a ski run all the way from top to bottom!)
• You can also experiment with temperature as kids with sensory issues can be very sensitive to their food being just the right temperature

Break eating down into steps

• Once you have explored certain types of food together, then it is time to introduce them at the dinner table
• Your child might benefit from adding a ‘new’ food to an existing plateful of food which they are already used to
• It is important to make sure that if you do this, the ‘new’ food is NOT touching any of the familiar food. It very definitely has a ‘space’ on your child’s plate all of its own.
• The first time you introduce this new food, you can make it clear that you don’t expect your child to try it
• The second time this new food makes an appearance, suggest that your child takes a small bite out of it and holds it in their mouth
• Each time you do this, be clear that each step forward is a very small one.  Accept that it may take your child several attempts to allow the food into their mouth, to chew it and eventually to swallow it

Use distractions at the dinner table

• Make your dinner table time a fun and relaxed environment for both you and your child
• You can play favourite games, allow your child to bring favourite toys to dinner, use fidget toys or provide your child with a dinner table sensory kit.
• The key here is to ensure that your child sees dinner time and being at the dinner table as a fun, safe and non-threatening place to be

Using Visuals to help you and your child

• Ask school if they use visuals to help your child and, if possible, use the same ones at the dinner table
• Kids with sensory issues often struggle to communicate if they are having problems – if you can provide them with visuals, this often helps them to open up to you
• We have some great articles about how to use visuals to help your young person self regulate:
  o check out our Just Right Kids Technique
  o Look here to get free Sensory Processing Tip Sheets
  o And here for help with fussy eaters

Strengthen Muscle Tone

As an occupational therapist, I come across many kids with sensory issues who struggle to eat because of their muscle tone. Eating can seem as daunting as climbing a mountain if your child’s muscles aren’t strong enough to eat their food without tiring quickly.
Strengthening your child’s muscle tone can all be part of the game of ‘dinner time’.   There are some great activities which will increase facial muscle tone and make eating easier for your child.  For example, blowing bubbles, whistles and balloons will all help, as well as giving the lungs a good work out.
You could also suggest that your child learns to play a wind instrument or you could practice mindfulness together and do breathing exercises as part of that.

Change of scenery

• Kids love to have adventures and making the ‘dinner table’ experience into one is great for the whole family!
• You can take your dinner table outside and provide an alternative sensory experience to help your child to cope with eating – it’s all about taking the pressure of having to eat away.
• Similarly you could go on a picnic together, visit a friend’s or family member’s house or go to a restaurant
• Wherever you decide to go, make sure that the emphasis is on fun, no pressure and a positive experience for both you, your child and all the family
• The change of scenery is NOT about eating, it’s about helping your child to feel relaxed, have fun and …. Eventually to enjoy their eating experience. Be patient and allow your child to dictate the pace

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Written By Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist
As a parent, recognising anxiety in children at home is the first important step in being able to help them.

How can I recognise anxiety in my child?

Do any of these sound like your child?

• Clinging, crying and/or tantrums when you separate
• Excessive shyness, avoiding social situations
• Tired and irritable
• Constant worry
• Avoiding situations or places because of fears
• Feeling frightened, nervous or panicky all the time
• Difficulty sleeping
• Low appetite
• Lack of concentration
• Palpitations – when your heart feels like its racing
• Dry mouth
• Trembling
• Feeling faint
• Stomach cramps and/or diarrhoea

If the answer is yes to any of these, then your child might be experiencing anxiety.  As you can see, the list is a long one and there are many factors which could indicate a person is anxious.
There are also things your young person might say, have a look at our article:
10 Things Kids Say that indicate anxiety

Finding out more about anxiety

• Find time to talk to your child about the anxiety they are experiencing
  • take time to understand anxiety together
  • identify what type of anxiety your child may be experiencing, have a look at our article about Understanding the extent of anxiety to help you check out the different categories of anxiety
  • If you need extra support with this, use our free webinars to provide you with the information you need.
• You are not alone – anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues for both kids and adults alike.  It can be tricky to identify in kids, as they will often be quiet, well behaved and stay under the radar of teachers and professionals.
• Anxiety is part of life
  • Talk through how anxiety serves to protect us as human beings
  • If you have a young child, you could make up a story that involves us running away from dinosaurs, sabre-toothed tigers and woolly mammoths!  Think Ice Age!
• Anxiety is normal
  • Remind yourself and your young person that anxiety is normal and we all feel anxious about some aspects of life
  • Sometimes anxiety can just be a fear of trying something new or a change in routine – encourage your kids to work out steps of how they can cope with change and new things – these are both great skills to learn as kids and then we can use those skills as adults.
• Anxiety is important
  • We can keep ourselves safe by listening to our anxiety
  • Remember that anxiety is an important and healthy component of life

How can I help with my child’s anxiety?

Ok, so you’ve noticed that your child is experiencing anxiety and you’ve spent time talking with them about what is happening and what triggers their anxiety.  Together you have discussed the positives of experiencing anxiety and now you need help in dealing with these experiences.

Strategies to help your child cope

#1.  Use stories and your child’s imagination

• All kids thrive on using their creativity to help themselves
• Depending on your child’s age, you can use stories to provide them with protection and the bravery to deal with a situation they find stressful
• Think Harry Potter – could your child use a spell/ an invisibility cloak / a magical beast to help them through a particular situation
• Or how about a Superhero? Your child may identify with a particular Superhero – Superman or Wonder Woman? Or they might want to make up their own Superpowers for themselves!
• Fairy Tales & Disney films usually have a situation where the ‘hero’ has to overcome something to be able to become who they are destined to be – have fun finding ones that will help your young person deal with the challenges they face.

#2 Use a Checklist or Visual Images

• Just like a pilot who is about to fly a plane, your child may find it useful to make a checklist of what they need to do to be able to cope in a specific situation
• Work together to create a checklist with small steps in it to help your child understand a trigger for their anxiety and how they can use a step-by-step method to stay calm
• If your child is young or they prefer using visuals instead of writing, you can make up step-by-step visual prompts to help your child cope.  For further information about the use of visuals have a look here.

#3 Learn about mindfulness and practice it together

• Mindfulness is becoming more popular and it’s about gaining an awareness of ourselves and our surroundings
• You can learn together how to do simple deep breathing exercises, a guided visualisation or very basic yoga poses
• One of our favourites is Cosmic Yoga which has some great yoga ‘adventures’ on their Youtube channel.  The adventures are usually around 10-15 minutes long and they are a great way to combine mindfulness with imagination and stories!

#4 Use ‘Laddering’

• It is really tempting to allow your child to just avoid situations that may trigger anxiety – as parents we all want to protect our kids forever!
• But, by doing this we won’t allow them to experience challenges and overcome them, which is a vital life skill
• You can use a process called ‘laddering’ to help your child face a situation that causes anxiety and work towards overcoming it
• Firstly discuss a situation which triggers their anxiety and then break that down into small steps.  Then do a small step over and over again until your child can deal with it and then move onto the next step or rung of the ladder only when they are ready; continue this process until they have climbed the ladder, one rung at a time and succeeded in facing their trigger situation and dealing with it.

#5 Practice being kind to yourselves

• Teach your child that sometimes it takes time and effort to work through a situation
• Work together on making mistakes and finding other ways to do things – it is vitally important to reassure your young person that we ALL make mistakes and we can learn from them (Find examples that your child can relate to about people who have made mistakes and carried on regardless eg Thomas Edison inventing the light bulb, Colonel Sanders opening his first KFC, Michael Jordan taking free throws … the list is endless!!)
• Practice self-compassion and kindness for yourself and teach your child to be kind to themselves too!

 

What are fidget toys? How do the different shapes of fidget toys help kids learn and manage anxiety? Are fidget toys effective tools or classroom distractions?
There are a lot of claims that fidgets toys have been very useful tools in improving concentration and focus in students with ADHD.
Fidget toys…. fidget spinners… Kids love them, adults tolerate them. They were the fad of 2017 and now you can buy them for at least half price everywhere.
Many schools banned them, but are they actually useful for some children? We can find out.
Many children with anxiety do benefit from having a fidget toy of some sort to fiddle with in their hands and fidget spinners are just one option available. Fidget spinners and fidget cubes are just a more modern version of the old stress balls that we collect at conferences. And yes, they can be useful tools to help concentration and attention, in the right place at the right time.
The fidget spinners and cubes are probably not the best choice for fidget toys in classrooms as they can be distracting to other children due to the noise, but let’s not throw out the whole concept.
This great infographic below and the link to it’s sister article outlines a few other options for fidget toys in class and for helping concentration for homework.
See the full article here for more info.
Click to Enlarge Image

This post has been republished with permission from kidspot.com.au
Kidspot and PediaSure know that your kids are awesome in what they do, what they say, and how they grow.

When young kids grow and begin learning about the world, their brains light-up with new skills, new words and new expectations. Mostly, they’re excited about their new discoveries, but sometimes they can get overwhelmed, so it’s important to make sure they’re well-equipped to cope.
Science says the best way to set your kids up for success is with a predictable morning ritual. In fact, according to a long-term US-based study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrics in 2014, young children who have strong routines with their families tend to be emotionally healthier and better adjusted socially than kids who don’t.

Start with a good sleep and a good breakfast

Melbourne-based psychologist Stephanie Lau tells Kidspot the best way to start is with a solid night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast. When it comes to things like getting dressed, brushing teeth and asking kids to help pack their bags, consistency helps kids know what to expect.
“Ensuring they sleep at a consistent time and get a good number of hours to be able to function and actually engage in the morning routine is really important … You can also use the night before to your advantage. If there’s a new activity on the next day, you can talk about it before they go to sleep so they wake up knowing what’s going to happen and what’s expected of them,” she says.
“Making sure kids eat as part of their morning routine is also important in terms of helping them concentrate and maintaining their energy levels throughout the day.”

Predictability and consistency are key

Stephanie says predictability reinforces a young child’s sense of security because they understand what’s happening around them and they can anticipate tasks which helps develop independence.
“We can reinforce routines by setting them out visually so they can learn to follow a schedule and monitor their progress. When they’re able to grow independent in doing that, they can also learn to be independent in other areas as well,” she says.
“Kids thrive on positive attention and when they know what the expectations are, you can reinforce that behaviour with good feedback and rewards.”

Build movement into your morning ritual

Occupational therapist Deb Hopper, who runs Life Skills 4 Kids at Forster in New South Wales, says it’s important to be aware of children’s energy levels and build movement into your morning ritual.
“Some kids wake up and their level is really high or really low … they might be bouncing off the walls or crawling around like a turtle. You can use movement to get kids to wake up or to calm them down. For the child you can’t get out of bed, stimulate their senses. You could try putting music on or getting them to lie in bed and stretch their fingers, stretch their arms, stretch their legs,” she says.
“For those kids who are really hyperactive, they might need 10 minutes on a trampoline, or if that’s not available, a movement they can focus on. Often kids are like that because they’re seeking a muscle input; their nervous systems can’t control it and they get too busy.”

Communicate visually where possible

Setting tasks out visually can help kids navigate the morning routine. Deb says from her own personal experience, it’s also a great way to save mum and dad some sanity.
“We all get sick of telling kids what to do and reminding them over and over, so one strategy I recommend – that I used on my own kids – is having a picture list,” she laughs.
“Rather than sounding like a broken record, you say to them: ‘You tell me what’s next, go and check your board and then do it’. You encourage them to problem-solve a lot more, and they feel better about themselves. Often kids love ticking things off as they go.”

Avoid screen-time if you can

Although slightly daunting, one thing parents should consider excluding or limiting in their morning rituals is screen-time, because of the profound effect it has on children’s brains.
Tracey Maynard, from St Hilda’s Girls School on the Gold Coast, says it’s all about moderation.
“If you’re trying to get one dressed and you’ve got a couple of little ones running around the house, you can use it effectively. You could have a digital tool that reminds little ones of their routine or part of it might be a reward system. We don’t want kids to come to school having been in a trance, but a sensible and moderate approach works,” she tells Kidspot.

Try not to stress out too much

The other important thing to remember is that your stress is not a good thing.
“Do what you have to do to ensure your anxiety isn’t affecting them in the morning. Be organised and have a plan, and include your children where possible,” recommends Tracey.
She tells Kidspot the stress level at home is noticeable in junior school classrooms.
“If mum and dad are calm in the morning, you see that in children. If kids come rushing in and they haven’t had breakfast, if they haven’t brushed their hair, if they’re missing things, it does affect them throughout the day,” she says.
“It’s important to prioritise. What kinds of things can you do the evening before? What’s a realistic expectation? Parents try to be superwomen and supermen, but it’s important not to put undue pressure on yourself in the morning.”
Brought to you by PediaSure. If your kid is fussy, add a delicious PediaSure shake with breakfast. The new PediaSure is available in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry – available now at your local pharmacy. Learn more.

This may be claimed via NDIS.

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This is the second part in the self regulation in classroom management program that I was discussing in June, see part one here.
As I mentioned in part one, I’ve been asked to implement a whole class and whole school approach to teaching self regulation.  The school I am working with is a small local school, with a total of 3 classes.
Let’s look in more depth at the process we are currently following to put in place self regulation strategies in classroom management

What’s happened so far?

Rapport Building

I have been consulting with the staff at the school and ensuring that I find out about teaching styles of the teachers I am working with, I have also spent this time building a good rapport with all the staff within the school.
This rapport building process has taken some time, as it is really important to know that I have a good relationship with the staff.  The teachers and teaching assistants have been very positive about my techniques and I have been modelling some of my strategies, so that the teachers can see me ‘in action’ with the pupils.

Identifying Training Needs

As I have been working with the classes, I have also spent some time identifying any specific training needs within each of the 3 classes.  I have discussed these needs with the Principal and, from this, we have outlined a series of training workshops to enable the school staff to understand and implement the self regulation program I have identified for the school.
Remember, I am using a combination of three programs to provide a unique self regulation program which is tailor made for the needs of this school.  The three programs I am drawing from are: The Alert Program, The Zones of Regulation Program and The Just Right Kids Model (which I developed after extensive research and field trials).

My Bespoke Training

Who am I Training?

Initially, the Principal and myself, have agreed upon a series of 6 twilight training sessions for all staff. We have decided that within this, ‘all staff’ will include midday supervisors, school admin staff and regular visiting professionals.
In essence, we are determined that we are inclusive and that our self regulation program will indeed be adopted by the ‘whole school’.

My Training Outline

1. Introduction to Theory of a self regulation program in classroom management

• It is important for staff to understand the ‘Why’ of the self regulation program
• In this session, I will also be showing video examples of the self regulation program in action and explaining the theory behind it
• I will invite discussion from all practitioners as to experiences of how we have worked together so far
• What has been especially successful within each class?

2. An Interactive Discussion of self regulation visuals

• It is important to decide upon what visuals we will use as a whole school
• This session will be interactive and about working in groups to see what visuals we can use
• My intended outcome from this will be that, as a whole school, we agree a set of visuals that everyone feels will work both in their classroom and also in the wider school environment

3. What Resources do we need?

• I know from working with teachers, that they are very busy and time to plan, implement and execute whole school programs is hard to find
• My intention for this session will be to make any resources that are needed to make the self regulation program a school-wide success
• So, in our previous session we will have identified what we need and in this session we will be making visuals for each class, the playground, the dinner hall, the office and any individualised ones we want too
• By the end of the session, each class and school area will have all the visual resources that they need to follow the self regulation program

4. How will we implement the program and measure success?

• This will involve a discussion and agreement of how and when we begin to implement the self regulation program
• What criteria will we use to measure success of the program?
• How can we make this an easy process which fits seamlessly into whole school values?

** After session 4, there will be a three week training break.  During this time, the whole school will trial our self regulation program and find out what works and what doesn’t. **

5. A celebration of experiences so far

• What’s working well?
• What needs tweaking to make it even better?
• Do we need to devise additional self regulation strategies to ensure the success of this initiative?
• Each class to bring a video of the self regulation program in classroom management in action and allow colleagues to reflect on it

6. Evaluation and moving forwards

• The final session will seek to answer any questions that the school staff may have and find out the best ways to ensuring it is a success
• Is the self regulation program something we want to adopt on a long-term basis?
• How can we get parents involved with our whole school initiative?
• How can we encourage other local schools to adopt a self regulation program?

My experience with this school has been very positive so far, most of the staff are gaining an understanding of our self regulation in classroom management initiative and are jumping on board with enthusiasm.  I have completed training session 1 and some of the success stories that have already been reported are creating a positive buzz within school, both with the staff and children.
We have also already had some comments from parents who are interested in what their children are telling them about feeling ‘just right’!  This augurs well for the success of the self regulation program and I’m excited to continue to build the necessary foundations to embed our program in the culture of the school.
Watch this space for exciting further developments in my new school!