image source by Leeroy This is a post that I wrote January 2012. I share it again for those of you living with a spirited child or a child with ADHD. It is hard. But know you are not alone. In the past few weeks, I have visited a few homes for playdates and the holidays. Many of these homes have children around our ...
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ADHD: You Know the Name but Do you Know What it Means?
image source Pin It After reading "Welcome to Our Story," you know that two of our children have been diagnosed with ADHD. Little Man for the hyperactivity side and Bubs more for the attention issue. Unfortunately Bubs doesn't have an open-shut case because of the Executive Function Disorder (Frontal Lobe), Sensory Processing Disorder, and ...
How to Know If a Child Has a Disability
There are moments in motherhood when a quiet question keeps returning: Is this just a phase, or is something more going on? I remember asking that question again and again, unsure if I was being overly concerned or not concerned enough. This post was originally written in April 2015, a season when I felt confused, overwhelmed, and desperate for ...
13 Tips to Navigate the Holidays with Sensory-Sensitive Kids
The holidays are hard for most children and adults. But for children navigating Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism, or ADHD, the large groups of people, over stimulation, and changes in routine can send the whole day into a downward spiral. I learned—many times after the fact—that the best way to help my children (and myself) was to prepare for ...
When “Normal” Doesn’t Fit Your Child
When I imagined becoming a mom, I pictured sleepy baby snuggles, first words, and sweet milestones. I didn’t picture the first month of my child’s life being spent at a children’s hospital after open-heart surgery. I didn’t expect therapy appointments to fill our calendar, or for terms like “neurophysiologist,” “psychiatrist,” and “conduct ...
7 Gentle Tips to Help with Early Risers
My life changed the day I decided to wake up before my young children to spend time with God in prayer and reading His Word. But getting there wasn't easy. I had every excuse in the book:"My kids wake up so early. I could never get up before them.""As soon as I wake, my kids get up.""I am exhausted. I need every possible moment to sleep." I ...
Simple Sensory Strategies to Help Kids Focus and Calm Down
Have you ever watched a child spiral into a whirlwind of energy or meltdown, unable to focus or slow down? I’ve been there. Whether it’s sensory sensitivity, ADHD, or just an overwhelming day, sometimes kiddos need a little extra help to calm down and regulate their emotions. Through occupational therapy, I learned two simple strategies that ...
Making Reading Time Count {Transcript #67}
This transcript has been lightly updated for clarity. Heidi Franz Host 00:00 Talk to any elementary school teacher and they will agree that the best thing you can do with your toddler or preschooler to prepare them for school is to read to them and then read some more. But what does reading to your child really look like and how do you pull ...
How Visual Perception Activities Would Have Helped Her
I thought we were done with diagnoses. Isn't Autism, ADHD, and Executive Function Disorder enough? I guess God has other plans. Let me back up a little. Things began falling apart for Sweet Pea in the 2nd grade. Her reading level decreased, her test scores dropped, and her spelling was atrocious. But she continued to be at the ...
How to Get a Child to Stay in Bed, Part 1
Kids don't want to go to bed, while adults long for bedtime. Oh the irony! And I think it is these contrasting bedtime goals that can make nights so challenging. But I have some easy tips that will remove the battle and will help your child stay in bed. To begin, let me share a blog post I wrote on May 10, 2010. Little Man was almost 2 and ...