All Things Early InterventionChristine Bellew loves teaching children, playing music and having fun. Her goal is to use playful teaching strategies to make doing hard things as fun as possible for parents and children of all abilities.
Christine and her husband Josh have three children that have provided loads of adventures. Their family has opened their home to serve as foster parents to children with special needs which adds to the adventure.
With a Master’s degree in Early Intervention, Christine started her career providing Early Intervention services as a Special Instructor and Service Coordinator.
Most recently Christine has branched out to teaching piano using creative teaching methods to serve children with a variety of learning needs. Music brings her and her students joy when she makes the learning fun and engaging.
Outside of work Christine enjoys watching Parks and Rec, doing puzzles and reorganizing her piano music.
I’ve been fortunate enough to attend several conferences where Dr. Robin McWilliam shared his insights on early intervention and child development. At one session, he discussed a technique called the “Sit and Watch” procedure, designed for preschool settings. The concept immediately resonated with me. For years, I mentioned this strategy to parents and teachers, but […]
Linking rings really are the unsung heroes of on-the-go parenting, serving double duty as a useful parenting tool and as a open-ended toy for early intervention.
As an early childhood educator, I have always loved the sweet rhythm and pace of Audrey Wood’s The Napping House. This story is based on a true Saturday morning at our home. While it started with everyone cozy and dreaming, a single wagging tail set off a chain reaction that brought our “sleeping house” to life.
Building a strong, loving family bond doesn’t require elaborate vacations; it starts with simple, positive activities and intentional time spent together. Whether you are looking to boost your child’s development or simply reduce household stress, establishing a regular family game night or dinner tradition can make an almost instant difference.
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. […]
My intent is to add more as I go. Do you have any other resources for Down Syndrome you’d like me to add? Are you blogging about your child with Down Syndrome? Let me know in the comments.
If you are a working with young children with difficult behaviors, right away my piece of advice is simple: stop wasting your energy disciplining minor issues like “stay out of the fridge,” “don’t touch the garbage,” or “get down from there.”
That energy is better spent meeting the developmental needs and teaching appropriate behavior. In my family’s case we were trying to meet the emotional needs of all involved and learning how to be a new family.
When I need a high-motivation, movement-based activity for teaching the ability to follow simple one step verbal instructions, I turn to an old classic: “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around!” When I start singing the song, the children know exactly what to do. It’s a joyful, musical cue that instantly gets them moving.
This experience forced a complete reassessment of our health protocols to move from general hygiene to strategic infection control. “Germs” is a non-medical term for microscopic organisms—bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa—that cause disease. Children under seven are particularly vulnerable because they have immature immune systems and a natural tendency to put their hands and toys in their mouths.
It is important to clarify that a child with violent behavior due to neurological or sensory disorders is not intentionally abusing their parent. However, the emotional and psychological impact on the caregiver is strikingly similar to that of victims of intimate partner violence.
All Things Early Intervention