You might notice your child doing great at school—listening, following directions, and keeping it together all day—only to melt down the moment they walk through the door. From an occupational therapy perspective, that’s not a failure. It’s often their nervous system’s way of finally letting down its guard after a full day of trying to…
As an occupational therapist, I often remind parents that a busy home naturally comes with big emotions. Moments of joy, frustration, and everything in between are part of daily life—and they’re also opportunities to help children build coping skills. Coping skills are the tools kids use to manage stress, regulate emotions, and recover from disappointment…
Homeschooling is bursting with opportunities for our children to learn and grow, but some skills—like social and motor skills—require more intention and creativity to nurture, especially in multi-age, multi-ability households. How do we encourage these important developmental skills when each child is on their own unique journey? No Perfect Calm, Just Real Growth Picture your…
If you walked into my living room during handwriting time, you wouldn’t see row after row of kids quietly forming letters in identical lined notebooks. Instead, you’d find a rhythm all our own. Children turning circles across the rug, a tunnel of couch cushions ready for kids, and yes someone always wondering aloud, “Why are…
As homeschool parents, we often wear many hats—from teacher and coach to cheerleader and investigator. There’s so much to consider, especially when it comes to teaching foundational skills like handwriting. If you’re imagining a serene scene with your child quietly tracing their letters, absorbed and happy—well, reality tends to paint a different picture: squiggly lines,…
Many of us, as parents, find ourselves searching for meaningful ways to keep our children be active, especially during long stretches indoors or when access to support services is limited. If you’ve ever wondered how to make movement-based occupational therapy (OT) fun and accessible at home, or if teletherapy could help fill service gaps—you’re not…
If you’re anything like me you know how overwhelming it can feel to encourage healthy habits—especially when those habits are wrapped up in nutrition, movement, and self-care. Maybe you have a child who resists every attempt at “let’s go for a walk,” or maybe you’re not sure how to balance celebrations, sports practices, and family…
Stepping into the teenage years with our children can feel a bit like entering a brand new co-op year with a room full of kids all developing at their own speeds, personalities stretching, opinions forming, and new skills awkwardly emerging. If you are picturing quiet, focused conversations, you might be surprised! More often, parenting our…
Is note-taking actually necessary for our children? And what does “taking notes” even look like in the age of digital resources, moving targets for handwriting, and the many variations in our children’s learning styles and abilities? This is a question that comes up time and time again among homeschool parents. Maybe, like me, you have…
Many homeschooling parents know the feeling: you’ve meticulously planned a lesson, set up your space, and then reality swiftly breezes in with the bustle and energy that only a houseful of unique children can bring. If you’re picturing focused kids quietly working in harmony, you may be picturing a room quite different from the one…