PSA 33: Text Tool Database, Phase I: Feelings + Actions
Happy Monday, PS Friends and Family! Today on the blog I’m thrilled to announce that Phase I of our long-awaited Text Tools Database (TTDB) is live!
As mentioned in our Power of Books post, Children’s books are an invaluable resource for guidance, modeling, connection, and inspiration. There are thousands of titles out there that are on topic, age appropriate, and ready to meet the various needs of parents, children, educators, and clinicians everywhere. One of the most beneficial pieces I find in using children’s literature as a tool, in supporting clients (and with my own daughter), is the fact that you can revisit the same beloved titles to work on different skills. Enter the Text Tools Database. Our collection of high-quality children’s literature organizes tiles by topic and cross-references for additional skills that can also be supported with the same text.
PSA #32: Welcoming a New Baby, Part II
Parenthood, as defined by bestselling parenting author, Rebecca Eanes, “is a kind of beautiful chaos. The life I knew before is gone, and in its place is wild love like I never imagined and ferocious worry like I’ve never known.” Becoming a parent has many layers of emotion but the first, and most important, is the overwhelming desire to create a family with the ones you love. Since we are blessed with many pathways to become parents, the choice to do so begins within you and perhaps with a loving partner, however, it also has the potential to involve a collaborative community of those that will love and support you on this beautiful chaotic journey. Whichever pathway you are on, this blog will provide you with practical tips and tools to balance the demands of preparing for a newborn, within your current parenting structure, while maintaining a sense of calmness and self-care; guilt not included.
As, mentioned in our previous post: Welcoming a New Baby, Part I, my husband, three-year-old daughter, and I are expecting a baby boy this October. As a current parent, the idea of welcoming another child is driven by both pure joy and anxiety. The mere thought of being able complete our family and watch our daughter become a big sister is overwhelmingly exciting, yet it also brings feelings of nervousness with the unpredictable nature of caring for and nurturing multiple children with the same amount of time and resources as before. So where do we find the balance? The reality is, it can and will look different depending on the needs and resources of your family structure. However, Practical Solutions is here to guide you in achieving the just-right balance for your particular situation.
Photographer: CP Photography
PSA #31: Welcoming a New Baby, Part I
This week on the blog we are going to begin unpacking a very special milestone that my family is currently prepping for: welcoming a new baby. This joyous transition is often times filled with both positive and negative emotions that can be difficult to process and balance for everyone in the home. My husband, three-year-old daughter, and I are expecting the arrival of Baby Boy Gleysteen, this October and would like to invite you on this emotionally charged journey with us!
In this blog series, I will be sharing practical, research-based, and multisensory strategies and tools that are experientially proven to best preprogram and prep the whole family for a smoother experience, overall. We will go through everything from best practices for sharing the news with your child(ren) to advice and self-care tips to set yourselves up for success, as parents. So, if you are expecting (congratulations) or are close to a family who is, grab your coffee, get comfy, and read along, as I outline what has been beneficial for us, thus far, and how we plan to spend the next four months of preparation before meeting the special little boy that will make our family complete!
Photographer: CP Photography
PSA #30: Big Kid Bed Follow-Up
While we continue to work behind the scenes, getting ready to launch our long awaited Text Tools Database, I thought I would jump on here to do a follow-up on PSA #22: Transitioning to a Big Kid Bed. It has been about three months since we officially transitioned our 3-year-old daughter to her big girl bed and I have a series of updates to share on what has worked well (for us), what backfired, and the Practical Solutions and tools we created and implemented to support a successful night’s sleep for the whole family.
PSA #29: Text Tool Author Interview with David Ezra Stein
Today on the Text Tools Blog Series we are excited to showcase the unique story and work of a very talented author/illustrator whose creative and heartwarming books are well represented in our database, David Ezra Stein. David’s award-winning work encompasses important themes of friendship, kindness, growing up, acceptance of change, and self-sufficiency – to name a few. His early love of books and shared reading inspired creativity, storytelling, writing, and illustrating as he grew older. David’s artistic talent brings his stories to life with playful, warm, and inviting imagery loved by readers of all ages.
PSA #28: Text Tool Interview with Mind + Body Coach, Lia Pinelli
This week’s Text Tool Blog post proudly features mind and body coach, Lia Pinelli. I had the privilege of connecting with Lia through our momtrepreneur network, Pepperlane. Her impactful practice focuses on helping driven, busy women stop overeating by coaching them on how to reframe their mindset with tools to access and sustain the lives they crave. As, a mother of a growing seven-year-old boy, Lia also gets many questions from her clients regarding nutrition and children and created an episode on her powerful podcast: The Life You Crave, featuring the hot topic among parent communities everywhere. After listening to this episode, I wanted more and was interesting in unpacking Lia’s approach to instilling nutritious eating habits in her home, through her lens as an effective mind and body coach. So, without further ado, I give you the insightful interview on fostering and supporting practical nutritious eating habits and routines in your home and the text tools to compliment.
PSA #27: Text Tool Interview with Speech and Language Pathologist, Madeline Lopez
Today on the Text Tools Blog Series we are excited to spotlight another instrumental prospective on using children’s literature as a tool for child development and growth. This Monday our interview is with seasoned Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP), Madeline Lopez. Maddie is a friend and colleague who is incredibly passionate and effective in her craft. She has kindly offered to participate in our Text Tools Blog Series to shed some light on the impact early literacy has had on her life and how it’s transformed who she is today. Maddie shares some “industry secrets” on how to hook even the most resistant readers, as well as various ways to keep feeding that love of literature once the interest is born. She is a wonderful resource and if you are seeking speech and language support for your child, I highly recommend her private practice! Thank you, Maddie.
PSA #26: Text Tool Interview with Educator + Mom, Lesley Entwistle
Next up on the Text Tools Blog Series is an interview with a seasoned educator and mom of a very busy 9-month-old, Lesley Entwistle. As a longtime friend and colleague, Lesley has always been an inspiration to me as a teacher and now a mother. The positive energy and warmth that she constantly radiates would always captivate and calm her students and now that innate love for children is working its magic with her own son, right at home.
PSA #25: Text Tool Author Interview with Janan Cain
Today on the Text Tools Blog Series we are excited to showcase the unique story and work of one of the author/illustrators who’s impactful books are represented in our database, Janan Cain. Janan (rhymes with Japan- as she playfully states in her website logo), is an accomplished graphic designer turned illustrator. As a mother in need of a Text Tool to support her daughters’ social emotional development, she put her own talents to work and added “author” to her resume with her well-known book, The Way I Feel. This powerful piece of children’s literature, with over two million copies in print, beautifully describes the various feelings we can experience through bright, whimsical, and colorful illustrations and poetic language to match. The award-winning text attracted attention from Publishers Weekly, Children’s Book Watch, and ForeWord This Week (just to name a few), all highlighting her expressive illustrations and nonjudgmental text. This trailblazing social-emotional resource is now found in the libraries of countless clinicians, educators, and parents around the world. In fact, it was one of the first books I purchased for my daughter’s library when I found out I was pregnant. Following The Way I Feel phenomenon, came her equally are powerful and instrumental books: Roonie B. Moonie: Lost and Alone and The Way I Act, a project she collaborated on with award-winning author, Steve Metzger.
PSA #24: Text Tool Author Interview with Patrice Karst
Today on the Text Tools Blog Series, we are excited to feature an author whose work carries the universal theme of love, Patrice Karst. Patrice is the best-selling author of The Invisible String, a beautiful story that supports the understanding of separation, connection, and loss for children and adults of all ages. With over one million copies in print, The Invisible String has been used widely with various populations from schools and therapy groups to the military and even in hospice.
PSA #23: Text Tool Author Interview with Barney Saltzberg
Today on the Text Tools Blog Series we are excited to showcase the inspirational story and work of one of the authors who is well represented in the database, Barney Saltzberg. Barney is an award-winning author, illustrator, and singer/songwriter whose dynamic journey led him to the accomplished feat of writing over 50 children’s books, 4 children’s albums, and music for the popular PBS series, Arthur. Barney has also traveled the world sharing his passion for creativity and the hidden beauty found within all mistakes. He has collaborated on projects with Cyndi Burnett: the Director of Possibilities for Creativity and Education, and even award-winning actress and writer: Jamie Lee Curtis. Additionally, one of his bestselling works: Beautiful Oops (A PS fave), was named by Melinda Gates as one of the top three books all children should read. As a role model for young writers, his interesting story elicits a sense of awe and wonder from children, building confidence and breaking down barriers.
PSA #22: Transitioning to a Big Kid Bed
(and the Text Tools to support)
There’s no perfect time to transition your child to a big kid bed, just as there’s no perfect time to potty train. Sure, there is a recommended window of when to act but the exact time where you should gear up an execute really depends on your child and the timing of other big transitions and events within your family planning and structure. At Practical Solutions we strongly believe in child-led approaches and if you are really observing and listening to your child through their play and daily routine, you will notice signs and indications that he is ready. Another good barometer of how to determine the rightish timing would be to talk to your pediatrician, your child’s teachers, and the parents in your community. However, as natural as discussing these topics with our parent friends can be, we always need to be aware that sometimes these conversations can leave us feeling more discouraged than empowered. While it’s human nature to compare, children do not all develop at the same rate. So just because your mama bestie’s son has been rocking his big boy bedtime routine for a few months now, and you have yet to pull the trigger, it doesn’t mean you’re behind. In fact, the reason(s) you may be holding back could actually benefit your child in the long run because transitions like this are a family effort.
PSA #21: Flexible Thinking
(and the Text Tools to support)
It’s been quite chilly, here in New York, making outdoor play tricky, but perfect for building cozy forts and curling up with good books. In our apartment, we have been focusing a lot on flexible thinking and, of course, the children’s literature that supports understanding of the concept. So, today on the blog, we will be featuring this important skill and the text tools that we have been using to explore perspective, open-mindedness, problem-solving strategies and how they link to our Executive Functions.
PSA #20: Text Tools
(The Power of Books, Continued)
Today, on the blog, we are going to continue discussing the power of books, as we begin to unveil some exciting content in the works: Our Text Tools Database!
Children’s books are an invaluable resource for guidance, modeling, connection, and inspiration. There are thousands of titles out there that are on topic, age appropriate, and ready to meet the various needs of parents, children, educators, and clinicians everywhere. One of the most beneficial pieces I find in using children’s literature as a tool, in supporting clients (and with my own daughter), is the fact that you can revisit the same beloved titles to work on different skills. Enter the Text Tools Database. PS is developing a collection of high quality children’s literature that organizes tiles by topic and cross-references for additional skills that can also be supported with the same text.
PSA #19: The Power of Books
Whether you are preprogramming your child for a big event or just trying to build their empathy and/or awareness of the various emotions we all experience, books can be a magically unbiased way to teach a lesson, explain a concept, prevent/support anxiety, and fulfill that need for structure all children crave. When children can explore what may happen in a new experience, through another character, they are able to get a preview about what their experience may be like and what feelings might come up, as well as tools that they can use to tackle them. This creates a sense of security that can be instrumental in the behavioral response of your child.
PSA #18: Setting Goals + Personal Jobs
Goal setting is best defined by identifying something that you can work on to improve your overall performance. Simply engaging in the process sparks self-reflection, brings awareness to aspects of our personalities, behaviors and habits that could use improvement, forms a deeper understanding for how these skills transfer across our day, and allows us to reframe something that we may feel self-conscious or insecure about in a positive way. Goal setting is taught in various forms throughout our lives from engaging in lesson plans with clear objectives to being coached on our unique skillsets in sports and other activities. Some goals are based on benchmarks that are age appropriate and others are situational and can also be constructed from our inner talents. Believe it or not, the very early stages of goal setting can happen right in our homes with our youngest children through modeling and multisensory experiences.
PSA #17: Wait Time Tips
Waiting is a skill that we all develop over time, learning strategies to cope through modeling and creating others through experience. Research shows that the younger the child, the more difficult wait time will be, as younger children are in the early stages of cognitive development and do not yet have a concept of time. As our children grow, building an understanding of relationships like cause-and-effect work towards their ability to process and cope with instances where they will have to wait. Today we will explore how we, as parents and caretakers, can play a crucial role in modeling and explicitly teaching our children how to wait with tools and tricks that foster communication skills, help build and sustain focus and attention, as well as develop imagination and creativity.
PSA #16: Non-Verbal Communication
I have always been fond of non-verbal communication throughout my career. When I was a classroom teacher, it was one of my most powerful and universal tools because of its versatility and silent impact. I was always baffled at the instant success I would have at gaining the attention of a room full of busy students, just by sitting at the front of the group, making eye contact, and keeping a still body. It almost never failed! The initial curiosity of the students sparked throughout the room and all of a sudden, the desire to know what I was doing was far greater than any of the conversations the students had been engaging in. This was a different approach. Most teachers and/or adults in their lives would usually work to gain their attention by using words (for starters) and would increase the volume and intensity of those words with each failed attempt. The children were used to strong voices that could become frustrated and angry quite quickly and the potential negative energy and modeling this could create would make the communication unsuccessful, right from the start. We have all been there…
PSA #15: Redirection
When our children experience difficulty with self-regulation and are either beginning to tantrum or are right on the verge of doing so, we can support them by redirecting their attention. Implementing this tool can thoughtfully lessen their emotionally charged behaviors and introduce opportunities to find calmness to replay the situation for awareness, understanding, and (re)establishing boundaries.
PSA #14: Replaying Situations
Conversations are always more productive when you can replay and discuss tricky, emotionally charged situations once everyone has had a chance to process and find calmness. It is always important to acknowledge situations, behaviors, and emotions, however, some commentary is not necessary, nor helpful, in the moment, while others are crucial. For example, a child may need his emotions to be validated before he is even able to calm down and move on but that is usually all he will be available to hear in the moment. Anything that you are finding important to communicate and learn about the situation for the future, or that you may want to try to uncover for the purposes of further understanding and supporting your child’s emotion well-being, should always take place after some time has passed, space has been taken, and emotions are calm.