Tag Archive for: Parenting

parent teacher conferences

Ten Tips for Parents for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences

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parent teacher conferencesParent-teacher conferences serve as an important time in a child’s academic year. The teacher can provide updates and insight into your child’s progress within the classroom. In today’s schools, teacher’s conferences schedules are often jam-packed and you might only have fifteen precious minutes with the teacher to talk about your child. If you want to get the most out of this vital time with your child’s teacher, then a little prep is needed! Here are our top 10 tips for a successful parent conference:

10 Tips to Prepare for Conferences:

 

  1. Ahead of the conference (in fact starting today!) ask the teacher to log behaviors or issues, so you have concrete examples about behaviors your child is engaging in that the teacher wants to discuss.
  2. Make a questions list beforehand. Focus questions not only how the child is doing academically but also socially and behaviorally.
  3. Invite your child to suggest if there is anything you should know before you go in or any concerns he or she would like to raise.
  4. Ask your child what he or she likes about school and also what he or she does not like.
  5. Ask the teacher how you can make sure your child reaches his or her potential? What extra activities would be recommended?
  6. Ask the teacher who your child is friends with and how that aspect of school is going.
  7. Ask the teacher who your child sits with at lunch and if he or she smiles a lot and looks happy.
  8. Ask the teacher if she has any other concerns about your child besides academics.
  9. If the teacher says anything negative about your child, without follow up, ask for a solution(s) and tell her you also will think of some.
  10. Don’t be defensive, just ask good questions!

 

Remember that the teacher is there to help your child develop to the highest potential. It is important to take the advice that is provided as they have seen many children and can readily identify areas of strength and weakness. It is important to work as a team to make sure your child’s academic and social needs are met.

If your child’s teacher identifies concerns regarding your child; the best advice is to be proactive and garnish additional information instead of waiting. If there are possible concerns regarding the child’s attentional regulation, learning, and/or social-emotional functioning, it would be recommended to seek out a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation to help identify whether or not there is a specific diagnosis such as ADHD, a learning disability, anxiety, or Autism Spectrum Disorder. If and when a specific diagnosis is identified, individualized recommendations would be able to be created to help the child progress at the highest level possible.

If you are in the Chicago area and would like to discuss issues that arise from parent-teacher conferences or you have other concerns regarding your child, please contacts us at 1-866-309-4610 or fill in the contact form on this page.

CONTACT US TODAY

 

 

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Parenting vs. Technology: Helpful Strategies to Combat Electronic Overload

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Chromebooks, iPads, Nooks, oh my! It would not be surprising if your child has access to more than one piece of technology in your home. With that said, the struggle to balance technology needs for school with the games and activities that take over your child’s night and weekends is real. BlogParents-vs-Technology-Main-Landscape

Although it may be frustrating to accept that technology is not going away, it’s important to recognize these moments as learning opportunities and a way to become a more creative parent.

Below are some helpful strategies to implement when combating technology:

Reward Responsibility – Create a system in which your child can earn ‘technology minutes’ for completing chores. Similarly to earning an allowance, this can be a great way to get your child more active in helping around the house.

Limit Bingeing Behaviors – Allowing your child to play on technology for multiple hours at a time on the weekend will likely make shorter episodes more difficult to transition out of. When your child has more time available, limit play to 30 minute or 1 hour increments, with other family activities in between.

Practice Transitions – Turning off the iPad, Xbox, or computer is a great opportunity to practice transitions. Provide your child with time warnings, clarify expectations, and work with your child to plan for the next opportunity to use electronics. Remotely turning off the family Wi-Fi can also be a helpful way for children to recognize that their time is up.

Become a Minecraft (or fill in the blank of which game your kiddo likes) expert! – Many of the games and activities your child plays can be a great way for you to spend quality time with your child in “their world.” Ask questions about the games. Read up on the latest news. Show interest and join in!

NSPT offers services in Bucktown, Evanston, Lincolnwood, Glenview, Lake Bluff, Des Plaines, Hinsdale and Milwaukee! If you have questions or concerns about your child, we would love to help! Give us a call at (877) 486-4140.

Social Work

Bullying Warning Signs

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Bullying is an ongoing concern for parents, care givers and teachers. How to tell if your child is being bullied can be difficult, as bullying can take on many forms. The act is a deliberate imbalanceblog-bullying-warning-signs-main-landscape of power; and can be physical, emotional, sexual or verbal.

Having a working knowledge of warning signs is essential for supportive parenting. If your child has some of the warning signs below, it is not a guarantee that they are being bullied. Open and honest dialogue with your children will provide more insight into the potential causes of some warning signs.

Below are a variety of warning signs that could signify your child is the victim of bullying:

  • Noticing your child has damaged belongings; this can span from clothing, to book bags, to text books, etc.
  • Unexplained physical injuries like bruises or cuts
  • Tendency to isolate from friends and peers
  • An increase in anxiety or fear related to attending school and often will explore opportunities to miss school (i.e. Excuses, faking sick, etc.)
  • Changes in sleeping or eating patterns; suffers from frequent nightmares, poor appetite
  • Appears sad, upset or angry when returning from school
  • Decrease in academic achievement
  • Health concerns; most often frequent stomach aches, headaches, etc.

Beginning a discussion with our children about bullying can be challenging, as many kids tend to shy away from disclosing this information. The most essential component is that as a parent you remain calm and supportive, not reactive to what your child discloses.

There are several questions below to guide a conversation related to bullying:

  • There has been a lot of bullying in the news lately. How does your school handle bullying? Tell me about a time you saw someone being bullied, or experienced it yourself. How did you handle it?
  • I’m worried about [insert behavior/symptom/action]. I’m wondering if you could tell me more about what is going on?
  • Tell me about your friends this year. Who are you spending time with, and what do you like about them?
  • Who do you spend time with at lunch and recess? Tell me about your bus rides home. With whom do you sit?
  • Are there any kids at school who you really don’t like? Why don’t you like them? Do they ever pick on you or leave you out of things?

If your child discloses that they are being bullied, it is essential that you remain calm. Overreaction can result in regret of disclosure or a tendency to limit discussing such content in the future. As a parent, the strongest role you can take if your child is being bullied is to provide support and care, validate to your child that this is not their fault and that you are here to love and support them.

At times, children can be very hesitant about disclosing bullying due to fear of retaliation. If you notice concerning symptoms, but your child denies, it is appropriate to reach out to your student’s teacher and express concern.

The following questions may provide greater insight into your child’s experience during the school day:

  • With whom does my child interact on a daily basis?
  • Tell me about my child’s peer interactions. Which are going well? Are there any you find concerning?
  • Have you noticed any behavioral changes within my child over the past [days, weeks, months]?
  • What is one thing my child does very well in school, and what is one concern you have for my child.

If you suspect your child is being bullied, beginning dialogue and providing a safe non-judgmental space is the first step in supporting your child. If you have greater concerns, or have information that your child is being bullied, it is important that this be addressed as soon as possible. Reach out to your school, principals, teachers, and notify them of your concerns. Provide your child with support and listen when needed, and if appropriate, provide the access to a licensed mental health provider for additional care.

References:

https://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/warning-signs/

http://www.violencepreventionworks.org/public/bullying_warning_signs.page

NSPT offers services in Bucktown, Evanston, Highland Park, Lincolnwood, Glenview, Lake Bluff, Des Plaines, Hinsdale and Milwaukee! If you have questions or concerns about your child, we would love to help! Give us a call at (877) 486-4140 and speak to one of our Family Child Advocates!

Social Work

4 Practices Parents Can Do at Home That Will Help Children with ADHD at School

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This guest blog was written by retired teacher, Joyce Wilson.Blog-ADHD-Main-Landscape

It’s common for parents of children with ADHD to be concerned for their children’s behavior at school.
But there’s no need to feel powerless. Implementing a few best practices at home will create a ripple effect and help improve your child’s behavior in the classroom, too.

  1. Encourage Physical Activity

Regular exercise has many benefits for children with ADHD, most having to do with increased brain function. Play games and sports with your child or simply go for a walk outside. The fresh air and bodily movement will help calm his restlessness and sharpen his focus.

It’s wise to let your child’s teacher know that taking away his recess time as a punishment is the exact opposite of what she should do if she wants to see an improvement in his behavior. Let her know how important this active time is for his mental focus.

  1. Encourage Organization

Teach organization and tidiness at home so your child can take these habits to school with her.

Teach her the importance of having a tidy room and work space and help her organize her school supplies. Use dividers, Post-it notes, folders, and color coordination to break her schoolwork down into a manageable, organized chunks.

  1. Create Structure

Your child will benefit from routine in the form of a daily schedule that runs morning to night. Keep schedules and to-do lists posted where your child can see them and include checkboxes next to each task on a list.

Sticking to a schedule helps children with ADHD persist with tasks that they might not necessarily feel like doing at the moment. Insisting they stick to a routine will help performing these tasks become habits for them. For instance, although it’s often difficult for children with ADHD to fall asleep, they still need to stick to a regular sleep schedule the best they can.

  1. Make Your Expectations Clear

When your child is organized, sticking to his schedule, and participating in physical activity like you’ve asked him to, make sure you’re rewarding him for his efforts and thanking him for his cooperation.

Positive reinforcement through small rewards is just one aspect of managing your child’s behavior. Set rules and make it clear to your child that you expect him to follow them at home and at school. Be specific when disciplining your child and let him know exactly how you’d like him to improve his behavior.

Be specific with your praise as well so he can continue to make you proud by doing exactly what you’ve asked him to. Giving him the praise he deserves will encourage him to continue to succeed in life at home and life in the classroom.

NSPT offers services in Bucktown, Evanston, Highland Park, Lincolnwood, Glenview, Lake Bluff, Des Plaines, Hinsdale and Milwaukee. If you have questions or concerns about your child, we would love to help! Give us a call at (877) 486-4140 and speak to one of our Family Child Advocates!

Find-Out-More-About-ADHD
Joyce Wilson is a retired teacher with decades of experience. Today, she is a proud grandmom and mentor to teachers in her local public school system. She and a fellow retired teacher created TeacherSpark.org to share creative ideas and practical resources for the classroom.

What is Prader-Willi Syndrome

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Prader-Willi Syndrome is a congenital disorder that is caused by a missing gene on part of chromosome 15. These children are found to prader willi syndrome have cognitive skills in the below average to mild mental retardation range.

Physical symptoms associated with Prader-Willi include:

  • Newborns often present with low tone
  • Almond shaped eyes
  • Delayed motor development
  • Short stature
  • Very small hands and feet

The main symptom associated with Prader-Willi is a very strong interest in food with a lack of sensitivity to the physiological sensation of satiation. This means that the child will continue to eat with no sense of feeling full. Research has found that these children are at a very high risk to develop obesity and diabetes.

The main intervention that should be offered to these children is that the child works with a behaviorally trained therapist (psychologist or social worker) and a dietitian in order to develop healthier eating habits as well as behavioral incentives to decrease eating.

Click here to meet with a neuropsychologist for solution based therapy!

The Importance of One-On-One Time with Your Child

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One-on-one time you spend with your child is priceless. It says to your child, “You are special.” It symbolizes your unconditional love mother and son togetherfor your child. There is nothing that can replace your undivided attention. Special time works best when several guidelines are followed.

Guidelines for One-On-One Time with Your Child:

  • Call the reserved time a certain name that the child understands, such as “special time.”
  • Set aside this time every day regardless of your child’s behavior that day.
  • Never take this time away as a punishment.
  • Give one-on-one time separately. One day mom and son can have their time together. The next day dad and son can have their time. Make this time for each child in the family.
  • Use this opportunity to do a fun, interactive activity. Do not use the time for watching TV or other passive activities.
  • Don’t interrupt this time by taking phone calls or attending to other distractions that take your attention away from the special time.
  • Be consistent with one-on-one time. Stick to the scheduled time and end when the time is finished.

If your child refuses to engage in “special time”, continue to pursue. You are conveying to your child that you are sincerely interested in him/her and want to have this time together.

Howard, BJ. 2002. Guidelines for special time. In Jellinek M, Patel BP, Froehle MCV, eds., Bright Futures in Practice: Mental Health-Volume II. Tool Kit. Arlington, VA: National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health.

Speech and Language for the Adopted Child

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The number of foreign adoptions in the US continues to grow every year. Children who are adopted may be at greater risk for speech and/or language difficulties. Occasionally, this is secondary to a congenital disorder and, at times, the difficulties are secondary to the abrupt change in the child’s primary language. It is important to be aware and know what to expect with an adopted child.  

When Should An Adopted Child Start Speaking? adoption and speech

Speech/language should be closely monitored for the first 12 months. This is approximately enough time for a child to “catch-up” with their native speaking peers if adopted before age 2-2 ½. Adopted children that are older than 2 ½ will often catch up quickly as well; however, it may take a longer period of time to acquire the language.

How “Age” At Adoption Makes An Impact On Speech:

The orphanage conditions have an impact on the exposure and quality of language and interaction that your child received during these very important years, therefore, the longer the child was exposed, the longer amount of time the child may require to readjust. Unfortunately, some research by Gunnar & Quevedo (2007 ) indicates that prolonged exposure in these orphanages may have permanent effects on stress that can impact the memory storage and retrieval areas of the brain associated with language. The younger the child is when adopted, the better outcomes predicted.

Children adopted during the preschool years have minds that are uniquely prepared  to absorb language, regardless of their birth language. In other Read more

Healthy Twists on Your Kids Favorite Foods

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Let’s face it; kids have their favorite foods and those foods may not be the healthiest choices. Wouldn’t it be nice if we, as parents, could make healthier mango icecreamversions of foods that kids actually enjoyed? Well, you can! These recipes have been kid-tested and approved in my office (and home).

Below are a few ideas on healthy twists on your kid’s favorite foods:

Rice Cake Pizzas:

  • Brown rice cakes
  • Fat-free pizza sauce
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Baby spinach, sliced tomatoes and/or diced green peppers

Take out one rice cake and place 1-2 tablespoons of pizza sauce on top. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of cheese and as many veggies as you can get on top. Heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds or until cheese is melted. One “pizza” is approximately 100 calories, which makes a great snack or part of a meal. These pizzas are also gluten-free.

Simple Homemade Mango “Ice Cream”:

  • 2 cups nonfat vanilla Greek Yogurt
  • 1 package (16 oz) of frozen mangoes

Let mangoes sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to thaw slightly. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth so that the consistency is similar to ice cream, or for about 5 minutes. Serving size is ½ cup, which is 100 calories. This is a great option for a healthy dessert. Mangoes are high in vitamin A and the yogurt is a great source of protein and calcium.

Kale Chips:

  • 4 large kale leaves, washed and stems removed
  • 1 tablspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350. After washing kale and removing stems, tear kale into bite-size pieces (approximately 2 inches x 2 inches each). Put kale pieces into a large bowl with olive oil and salt. Toss to coat. Spread out on a rectangular cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until kale is crispy like chips. Recipe makes 3-4 servings;however, this snack is so healthy that there is really no limit to the serving! Kale is a superfood and is high in many vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

These recipes are all winners- for parents as well as kids. They are low in calories but high in nutrients, which is the best combination. What are some of your kid-approved healthy twists on recipes?  I would love to hear about your recipes in the comments section below!

7 Developmental Steps To Teaching Your Child To Catch

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Children learn at a very early age how to roll a ball.  As they grow into toddlers, they can begin to understand the basics of playing girl playing catchcatch.  As with any other skill, catching a ball is something that takes practice. Below is the developmental sequence for teaching your kiddo how to catch.

7 Developmental Steps To Teaching Your Child To Catch:

  1. Push a ball across the floor.  Encourage your child to receive the ball between their outstretched legs and then push it back to you. This teaches your child the concept of reciprocal play as well as turn-taking. It also teaches them about the concept of cause and effect (push ball and the ball will roll).
  2. Catch a ball with both hands. Use an underhand toss to throw a large playground-sized ball to your child’s chest. When first learning to catch, encourage your child to catch the ball by wrapping their arms around the ball and cradling it to their chest. When their accuracy to catch the ball against their chest improves, encourage them to use only the palms of their hands and fingers.
  3. Catching a ball with one hand. Ask your child to put one hand behind their back or in their pocket. Again, toss a tennis ball to your child’s chest. Encourage them to catch the ball using only the hand that is free. Another technique that you can use is to put a baseball mitt on your child’s non-dominant hand. Encourage them to catch the ball in the mitt, transfer it to their other hand and toss it back to you.
  4. Dropping and catching a ball with two hands. The next step is to drop a tennis ball and catch it using both hands. The biggest trick for catching the ball after bouncing it on the floor is to start the drop at waist height, as opposed to at the level of their chest or higher. This will provide a smaller and more manageable bounce.
  5. Dropping and catching a ball two hands. Once your child can drop and catch a tennis ball with two hands, challenge them to do the same action with one hand.
  6. Bounce and catch with partner. Once your child can drop and catch a tennis ball by themselves, try to stand about 10 feet away from them and play catch by bouncing the ball back and forth with your child. Start by throwing it to the mid-line of their body. Once they’re able to consistently catch the ball, you should throw the ball to their sides.
  7. Over/Under: The next step in the ball-catching process is the trickiest game of catch yet. It requires two balls. Designate one partner as the “over” and one as the “under.” The person who throws over will throw their ball  in the air to their partner. The one who throws under will bounce the ball on the floor to their partner. Count to three before each bounce and see how many times you can simultaneously pass between each other without dropping either ball!

Depending on your child’s skill level, there are ways in which you can alter the game in order to make it easier or more challenging for your child. For example, you could use a larger or smaller ball. Smaller balls are more difficult to catch. In addition, you could increase or decrease the distance between you and your child. The closer you stand to them, the easier the task will be. You could also give your child a carpet remnant or draw a shape on the floor. Direct your child to stand on that designated spot while playing catch. This will help them define their space so that they only need to worry about catching and throwing, rather than their body positioning.

Practicing catch also works on a variety of skills that will transfer to other functional activities. These skills include bilateral coordination, convergence of eyes, projected action skills and visual motor skills.

You’ve got the steps. Now, get out there and play ball!

Fragile X Syndrome

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Fragile X Syndrome is one of the most common forms of inherited intellectual disability in children.  This condition arises by a mutation in a single gene on the X chromosome.  Both males and females can have Fragile X; however, as males have only one X chromosome, they are usually affected more severely and show poorer functioning.

Physical Features Associated with Children who have Fragile X:fragile x syndrome

  • Long faces and prominent ears
  • Flat feet
  • Flexible joints and low muscle tone
  • Large body size
  • Soft skin

Cognitive Features Associated with Children who have Fragile X:

  • Median IQ in moderate impaired range for males
  • Median IQ in low average range for females
  • Articulation and speech difficulties
  • Pragmatic (Social) language difficulties
    • Understanding idioms and non-literal languag
    • Inferring meaning from contex
    • Echolalia (repeating what others state)
  • Poor motor movements
  • Difficulties with visual spatial functioning
  • Poor mathematics and abstract reasoning
  • Difficulties with executive functioning
  • Difficulties with socialization

Research has demonstrated that children with Fragile X Syndrome often benefit from a multi-faceted treatment approach which might include:

  • Sign language if there are significant deficits with language functioning
  • Minimization of visual and auditory distractions in the classroom
  • Academic intervention focused on an individual level versus a group level
  • Stimulant medication for difficulties with attention
  • Speech/language therapy for language development
  • Occupational Therapy for motor and visual spatial development.

To find out more how your child may benefit from treatment, click here to contact us.