Is Your Child Struggling in the New School Year?
School called: Refusals, anxiety, poor attention?
It’s that time of year, and I’ve lived it.
I dreaded seeing the school on caller ID because it was never good news.
The emails and calls come from school to discuss performance and behavior. By now the students should have settled into their routines.
Each year, I was hopeful that my son had matured, and the new teacher or new classroom would be just what he needed for a successful year. (This didn’t happen until he was a sophomore in HS.)
The calls changed after the summer when I did a couple sessions of Bridging® with him.
(Our kids never want to partake of our own expertise, right?!)
The emails and calls from the school and coaches ask, “Can you talk to your child to do ‘x’ better, or to stop doing ‘y’?”
As a parent you put your hands to your head and sigh.
“What can I do?”
Often when we start asking different questions we get very useful insights. Instead of telling your child, catch yourself and try asking instead.
For example – Noticing a child prefers to stand when doing a fine motor assessment task, we asked them ‘Is it easier to write standing up, than sitting down?’ The answers are often jaw-dropping, and always insightful.
What can you do with new insights?
Once you understand more about how your child functions best, there are three things you can do.
- Advocate more specifically
- Devise more appropriate accommodations
- Find more specific resources to help long term
The child who writes best when standing can ask for a standing desk at school, and at home. Yes, there are situations where standing isn’t viable. It’s easier to negotiate these when you’ve supported the standing option in other realms.
You will build trust from both your child and the staff when the suggestions you provide facilitate results. Getting your child to realize you hear them, and are advocating for them is HUGE!
Building a recipe for success
Raising your child is like making a great cake — stirred enough, heated enough, and cooled down enough, at the right times.
Ask questions about which activities or rest breaks help recharge or calm.
Once you both tune into the activities which focus, energize, and calm, you begin to have a repeatable recipe that usually works for your child.
By the way, there is a ton of neuroscience research related to the role of activity, learning, and resting. A quick search will peak your curiosity.
Need help figuring your child out?
The multi-faceted assessment process used at The Bridging® Institute decodes your child like reading a book. Seems like we have a Ouija® board, but the movements we assess reveal:
- The preferred postures for motor skills.
- The visual-motor positions for ease and success.
- The body mechanics that align with specific sports.
- The positions for restful sleep.
Wondering if The Bridging® Institute can help?
Take a moment to complete our intake form and we’ll get in touch to discuss specific concerns, goals, and how Bridging® can help.