Coping Skills

Exploring and Understanding a Child's Sensory Systems

We all know the 5 senses and learned them from the time we started school. But did you know there are actually 8? Unpacking and understanding these can help us to understand yours and your child's needs and how you move around your space well. Joining Janine is Occupational Therapist, Sarah Collins who unpacks the senses and encourages you to find the words and strategies that work for your child's sensory needs. 

Today Sarah and Janine discuss: 

Helping Kids Understand How Their Brain Works

My guest Dr. Crystal Collier and I discuss some tough topics during this episode. Please be aware, especially if younger ears are listening, and please click play with care

As parents, we are concerned that our kids and teens may engage in high risk behaviors as they grow up. How can we, as parents, encourage our children away from engaging in these high risk behaviors? Or, if they are already doing any of these behaviors, how can we encourage them to stop them? 

In today’s episode:

Coping Skills Practice: Processing

Exploring different coping strategies helps us expand our child’s toolkit of strategies that work. But sometimes, it’s a challenge to get kids to try new skills. In this summer series, Janine tries to make it easier by walking you through six different strategies which she invites you to try with your child. Practice each one a few times to see if it’s a strategy that your child likes, and if they want to add it into their coping skills toolkit.

Coping Skills Practice: Movement

Exploring different coping strategies helps us expand our child’s toolkit of strategies that work. But sometimes, it’s a challenge to get kids to try new skills. In this summer series, Janine tries to make it easier by walking you through six different strategies which she invites you to try with your child. Practice each one a few times to see if it’s a strategy that your child likes, and if they want to add it into their coping skills toolkit.

Coping Skills Practice: Sensory

Exploring different coping strategies helps us expand our child’s toolkit of strategies that work. But sometimes, it’s a challenge to get kids to try new skills. In this summer series, Janine tries to make it easier by walking you through six different strategies which she invites you to try with your child. Practice each one a few times to see if it’s a strategy that your child likes, and if they want to add it into their coping skills toolkit.

Coping Skills Practice: Distraction

Exploring different coping strategies helps us expand our child’s toolkit of strategies that work. But sometimes, it’s a challenge to get kids to try new skills. In this summer series, Janine tries to make it easier by walking you through six different strategies which she invites you to try with your child. Practice each one a few times to see if it’s a strategy that your child likes, and if they want to add it into their coping skills toolkit.

Coping Skills Practice: Relaxation

Exploring different coping strategies helps us expand our child’s toolkit of strategies that work. But sometimes, it’s a challenge to get kids to try new skills. In this summer series, Janine tries to make it easier by walking you through six different strategies which she invites you to try with your child. Practice each one a few times to see if it’s a strategy that your child likes, and if they want to add it into their coping skills toolkit.

Coping Skills Practice: Deep Breathing

Using different breathing techniques can be such a useful tool to have ready in our tool kits to use with our children or even ourselves. In this year's summer series, Janine introduces us to a selection of different coping skills which she invites you to practice and see which style works best for you and your child. 

In today’s episode, Janine introduces us to a deep breathing technique called ‘Cool the Cocoa’. This is where you breathe in and out pretending to blow and cool down a hot drink of cocoa. 

Take a moment to try a new method, listen along and practice if you’d like.

Practical Executive Function Strategies for Kids and Families

The brain has to learn really specific skills when a child is little, like learning to pack a bag, organize themselves, tidy their room, personal hygiene, learning how to get a task done as well as learning how to finish a task too. These are all such key skills and are often learnt as a child goes through life and education and learning them well will make life easier!

In today’s episode:

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