The latest episode of Raising Confident Kids with SEN, was an emotional roller-coaster filled with wisdom, real-life experiences, and heartfelt discussions. Here are the key takeaways from my enriching conversation with special guests Lauren Fenton and Rina Teslica, hosts of the podcast F**king Normal and both mums of daughters with disabilities.
Read MoreEpisode 11: Helping your SEN child transition at school with confidence
Read MoreIn this episode of Raising Confident Kids with SEN, I was joined by Suzanne Meill-Ingram MBE, an inspiring mother who uses the power of sign language to support her daughter’s communication. Suzanne has a wealth of experience and shared heartfelt anecdotes with me that shone a light on the transformative power of signing for children with special educational needs.
Read MoreIn this episode of "Raising Confident Kids with SEN." I was thrilled to have Dr. Amy Moore, a cognitive psychologist and TEDx speaker, share her insights on supporting and nurturing children with ADHD. As a professional, ADHD mum and a parent of a child with ADHD, Dr. Amy provides a wealth of knowledge and practical strategies focusing on the five pillars essential for understanding and assisting kids with this condition.
Read MoreDo you ever get that gut feeling that something might be a little different about your child? Maybe the school or nursery has raised concerns about your child's development, or perhaps you've been contemplating seeking some support for your child's struggles. Either way, it's totally okay to feel a little overwhelmed. I've been there, and I'm here to share some helpful advice on what steps to take when you suspect your child might have Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Read MoreEvery parent of a child with SEN knows the scene: you pick them up from school and are met with an avalanche of emotions and behaviours you don't always understand. In this episode of Raising Confident Kids with SEN, I tackle the post-pick-up slump, offering strategies to support your child through this daily transition.
Read MoreAmanda, a seasoned neonatal and paediatric occupational therapist, discusses the power of co-regulation and its profound impact on our children's emotional balance in this week’s episode of Raising Confident Kids with SEN.
Read MoreI'm excited to share some tips with you about how to choose the right school for children with special educational needs. As a parent, I understand the challenges of finding the best educational environment for our children, and I've compiled some valuable insights to make this process smoother for you.
Read MoreIn the second episode of Raising Confident Kids with SEN I had the pleasure of chatting with an incredibly inspiring guest, Richard Woods. Who not only has personal experience with dyslexia but is also a father following the path of special needs education with his daughter, Poppy.
Read MoreWe are delighted to announce that the Raising Confident Kids with SEN podcast is here. It is a new show where parents can find solace, understanding, and valuable insights into the world of parenting children with special educational needs (SEN). This podcast aims to ease the frustrations that often accompany the journey of raising children with SEN, while providing a platform for parents to connect and learn from the experiences of others.
Read MoreChristmas - the season of joy, festivities, and, let's be honest, a touch of chaos. As parents, we've all been there, juggling the demands of the season while trying to keep our cool. Why is it that the most wonderful time of the year often comes with a side of emotional turbulence, especially for our little ones?
Read MoreAs things start to edge back to normality, parents are understandably anxious about how the pandemic has affected their young children’s development in many areas. One of the most concerning for parents is the impact on the development of their social communication skills.
Read MoreWe are big fans of Orchard Games in our house. We have quite a few and both oF my girls have really enjoyed playing the games.
If you haven’t tried them out yourself, the Orchard Games range has a variety of simple, structured games for playing with young children. Everything from lotto to shopping!
Read MoreAttention and listening skills are the bedrock of language development and allow us to learn other skills. Learning to focus is a really important part of early development that helps us to listen to others and engage in shared activities. But how can we help our children to develop their attention skills?
Read MoreI have read several articles about how modern children are ‘over scheduled’ with a plethora of structured activities and clubs and that modern children need more time for unstructured and outdoor play. Kids can become overtired when they are engaging in too many sports and clubs and need the less structured playtime to develop their imagination, communication and negotiating skills.
This all sounds reasonable but how do you know how many activities to choose, when is it too much?
Read MoreSeparation anxiety is a natural part of childhood development. Often, separation anxeity first kicks in when a baby is about six months old and can be a relatively regular occurrence throughout their toddler years. However, at times of significant change such as starting school, moving home, a new baby in the family or having a new nanny can bring the anxiety back to the surface.
Read MoreFingerplays (action songs) are a tool widely used at home and in early years settings. These songs are a wonderful way to support early development in a number of areas.
Read MoreLearning to listen is an important foundation for later development. This is particularly true for speech and language development. Being able to hear the difference between different sounds is an important first step. Then tuning into the language used by others to understand it, learn from it and copy it. As with so many skills, starting early and building in lots of practice makes all the difference. Try these tips to get your baby engaged in early listening.
Read MoreAttention and listening skills are the foundation skills on which communication and learning can be build. So, it’s a bit of a no-brainer that supporting the development of these skills needs to be top priority. If we focus on these first, then the support we give to other areas is likely to be more successful. There are lots of skills and approaches that can be used in helping young children to learn how to attend and listen to others. Attention buckets are one of my favourites. They are fun and super engaging, plus, they work! What more could we want, right?
Read MoreAm I the only one who feels a little like we are living in an alternate universe? Life feels a little like my normal life, same family, same home and yet somehow everything is entirely different. To be honest I have taken a little time to adjust and settle into a new routine. I needed about 10 days to find a groove that worked for both my family and I. As a result, this blog was written a full 2 weeks after I had planned to write it.
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