PediatricDigest: power of prep, 3-step plan, & knives

September 2024 Newsletter

Hi read,

Better late than never! This September has been a whirlwind for us at OKOT…so here it is the LAST day of the month for our September newsletter with helpful tips to make daily life easier for your child and you. 😊

💚 OT Tip-of-the-Month for More Joy & Ease in Daily Life

Recently I was reminded of the power of preparation whenever we're expecting kids to do something new and different than their normal routines. Remember, kids live in the moment and don't have all the details that we do in their little minds! Preparing your child for a new event involves telling them exactly what will happen at that event (as much as you know) and reminding them of the benefits or "what's in it for them" about participating in the event. Depending on your child, it may help to review expected behaviors for the event and use visuals to remind them of the expected behaviors during the event, if necessary.

☀️ Recommended Resource-of-the-Month:

We wrote an easy summary of Ross Greene's 3-step plan to help your child learn to manage big emotions. This might be helpful to give you a "go to" strategy for when your child is experiencing those big feelings that are a normal part of everyday life in childhood.

🌳 OKOT Story & Service Updates

Learning to whittle with real knives is always a hit with our older kids. You'll never see a child be more careful than when you give them an actual real knife and teach them how to use it safely! We teach kids about their "blood bubble" which is the space all around your body, as far as your arm can reach…and when you have a knife in your hand, NO ONE can be in or near your blood bubble! This group did a great job being safe on their first day learning how to whittle. (If your child isn't ready for a knife, a vegetable peeler and some fresh wood can work to teach them the motions needed for whittling in the future.)