29/07/2025
What we see is most likely only the tip of the iceberg. Let us work together to figure out what is causing the presented difficulty and address them one by one.
🌊 Iceberg Concept and Whole Child Approach...
Think of a child’s behavior as the tip of the iceberg...it’s what we see on the surface. A meltdown, refusal to participate, trouble sitting still, or emotional outburst might seem like the "problem." But just like an iceberg, most of what’s really going on is beneath the surface.
That’s where the whole child approach comes in.
The whole child model reminds us that every child is made up of interconnected parts: sensory needs, motor skills, emotional regulation, communication abilities, cognitive development, social understanding, and environmental factors. These underlying skills and experiences shape what we see on the outside.
So when we look below the surface using both lenses (iceberg thinking + whole child perspective) we stop asking, “How do I fix this behavior?” and start asking, “What’s this behavior telling me about what my child needs?”
Example:
A child is refusing to write in preschool.
Surface behavior (tip of iceberg): Avoiding writing tasks, tantrums, shutting down.
Underlying skills (beneath the surface):
🧊Fine motor delays
🧊Poor pencil grasp
🧊Sensory discomfort
🧊Low frustration tolerance
🧊Lack of confidence
🧊Difficulty with visual-motor integration
The whole child approach helps us support all of those needs, not just focus on “getting them to write.”
✅ Key Takeaway:
The iceberg shows us there’s more than meets the eye.
The whole child approach gives us the map to understand it, and support every layer with care.
