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Throw This, Not That

Some children just love to throw stuff, and it’s a powerful developmental drive. We don’t want to hurt people or break stuff, but constantly fighting a toddler with that impulse often leads to frustration for both the adult and the child. Our immediate, instinct is to say, “Stop throwing stuff!” But what if we paused…

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DIY Light Box for Early Intervention

A DIY Light Table for Sensory Seekers I know what it feels like to be out of ideas. When our foster son entered our lives, he was a vibrant, intense sensory seeker. He needed high-octane input, often chewing on non-food items, bumping, crashing, and constantly moving. He struggled to settle and focus on quiet activities.…

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Challenging Behavior: Dealing with Children who Bite

As a teacher and foster parent, I have seen biting behaviors resolve through team-based plans and specific strategies. When these strategies were consistently in place, the biting behavior disappeared. I realized that adults often want the child to simply “stop,” but the most effective interventions begin by changing the environment to reduce triggers like stress,…

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Challenging Behavior: Self-Injury

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for a small child hurting himself. It’s a difficult situation but it can improve over time. Early Intervention providers working with families going through this need to remember to be supportive and encourage them to focus on one thing at a time one day at a time.

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Behavior Charts: Pros and Cons

When I was in school, the system for managing behavior was simple, if harsh: write your name on the chalkboard, and check marks and a possible paddling would follow. Later, when I became a mother, my child’s classroom (as well as everyone else’s) employed a color-coded traffic light chart. Everyone seemed to love this system.…

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