Author: Gabriella Perlongo MS CCC SLP

1. Encourage kids to take short movement breaks before sitting down to work 2. Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps to help them succeed 3. Give them options or choices instead of taking away all control 4. Teach basic mindfulness, breathing exercises, and help them recognize negative thoughts 5. Set up a quiet spot where they can go to regroup when needed 6. Pause and rewind a video if they’re ready to talk or ask questions. 7. Work together with your child or student to solve problems 8. Acknowledge their frustrations and praise their efforts to choose better alternatives Source:  Let’s Not Overlook Mood Disorders in Our Youth Population By Tere Bowen-Irish, OTR/L

Interactive Activities on PBSKids (pbskids.org/parents) that Foster Language Development, Social Skills, and Increased Independence in Children: Rosie Care: https://pbskids.org/rosiesrules/games/rosie-care Help Rosie take care of animals Skills targeted: Following directions, sequencing, problem solving Babysitting Squee: https://pbskids.org/jellybenandpogo/games/babysitting-squee Help Jelly, Ben, & Pogo get Squee to sleep Skills targeted: Following directions, problem solving, vocabulary skills  Super Duper Halo-Halo: https://pbskids.org/jellybenandpogo/games/halo-halo Help Jelly, Ben, & Pogo find ingredients to make the Filipino dessert, Halo-Halo Skills targeted: Following directions, sequencing, vocabulary skills Riding with Rosie: https://pbskids.org/rosiesrules/games/riding-with-rosie Help Rosie complete activities of daily living across the community Skills targeted: Following directions, problem solving, vocabulary skills

Do you yearn for your child to be more independent with everyday tasks of living? Teaching your child strategies to further develop their self-management skills will foster independence and help him/her build confidence and responsibility. Here are strategies that will teach your child the importance of managing their tasks, emotions, and time: Modeling Self-Management: Parents can model self-regulation by managing their own tasks, emotions, and time in a consistent manner Following Routines: Establishing routines and expectations helps children understand what is required of them and it creates structure for the child Teaching Problem-Solving: Encouraging children to make decisions and solve problems on their own helps them develop critical thinking skills and independence Practicing: Giving your kids age-appropriate tasks (making a

To promote better sleep for children, it’s important to create a calm bedtime environment and establish a consistent sleep routine. Use cues and routines to help your kiddos transition smoothly to bedtime. Additionally, allocate time for connection and conversation before sleep to foster a sense of security. Utilize these Donkey Hodie bedtime cards   to create a calm environment with your child before bedtime! Donkey Hodie Bedtime Cards Website: pbskids.org/donkeyhodie Produced By: Fred Rogers Productions

  Kindness is a skill that can be developed and nurtured, given a strong model. Here are steps for parents to follow when teaching their child about kindness and how to be a supportive friend. It may be beneficial to have this discussion with your child before the upcoming school year. 1. Modeling Kindness: Demonstrate respectful and kind behavior in your own interactions, as children often learn by example 2. Teaching Empathy: Help your child understand and recognize others’ feelings through discussions and role-playing scenarios 3. Encouraging Positive Interactions: Provide opportunities for children to practice kindness, such as helping others, sharing, and offering support 4.  Reinforcing Good Behavior: Praise and acknowledge acts of kindness to reinforce positive social behavior By integrating these practices into daily

  Summer is coming to an end and school is right around the corner! Here are some ideas to make the transition back to school smoother for your child: 1. Establishing Routines: Set consistent sleep schedules, morning routines, and homework times to ease the transition and reduce stress 2. Organizing Supplies: Ensure that school supplies, clothes, and backpacks are ready well before the first day to avoid last-minute scrambling 3. Open Communication: Encourage open dialogue about any concerns or anxieties regarding the new school year, fostering a supportive environment 4. Gradual Adjustment: Ease into the school routine by gradually adjusting bedtime and wake-up times a week or two before school starts 5. Positive Attitude: Model and maintain a positive attitude

Enhancing Your Child’s Speech and Language Skills During Summer Outings   Are you concerned that your child may lose his/her skills over the summer break? Fear no more – Summer break offers children endless opportunities to build memories with their family, experience new things, and engage in hands-on learning activities. Some activities that promote learning opportunities for children to develop their speech and language skills include: going to the pool or beach, museums, and parks, creating a checklist for vacation, reading books about animals at the zoo, etc. Wherever you plan to bring your child this summer, make sure you are engaging in conversations with your child about their surroundings. Asking your child open-ended questions about what they are seeing

  Favorite Family Road Trip Games (Activities That Will Elicit Language) Are you looking to keep your children occupied on a long road trip without relying on screen time to entertain them? Here is a list of simple and engaging games for all ages that are sure to liven up that long car ride: ISpy: Take turns choosing an object to describe. The player can fill-in-the-blank with any word that describes the object (I spy something blue and round). Players will guess the object based on the description provided 20 Questions: Take turns choosing a mystery item. Players will take turns asking yes and no questions to guess the mystery object (Is it something that is living?) The Alphabet Game:

Siblings, older or younger, can be an excellent peer model for kids receiving speech and language therapy and this can be very motivating Have siblings help with turn-taking activities. Choose a fun game and get siblings involved by taking turns appropriately while playing a game with their brother or sister. Learning to take turns appropriately can help siblings get along better outside of therapy Siblings can help set appropriate goals; have the siblings help create functional goals in the home setting. For example, you may ask your child “when is it hard for you to understand what your brother/sister is saying?” He or she may provide examples which is helpful to establish functional goals at home Siblings can be helpful

Prepare: As the new school year is right around the corner, you can help your child prepare for what to expect. How? Write a social story about your child’s new school schedule. Add pictures that reflect your child’s day at school (riding the bus, eating lunch, going to recess, speech therapy, etc.) Read numerous times before they begin school. If you don’t have materials to make a social story, talk about what to expect at school, who your child might see at school, etc. (Make it positive) Contact and Communicate: Contact the teacher and speech pathologist working with your child this year. If your child’s speech pathologist at school has not yet contacted you, reach out and ask for your child’s