Ohana Therapy, 545 Orchard Road #14-01, Far East Shopping Centre, Singapore (2025)

21/09/2025

Think of emotional regulation like learning a language, one that helps your child translate big, overwhelming feelings into manageable experiences. Just like any language, it is best learned through daily practice and patient conversations. 🧠💬

You can build this skill with ideas such as:
🪷 Naming emotions to help your child put words to their feelings
🪷 Practising calming strategies like deep breaths or squeezing a stress ball
🪷 Creating a cozy, safe space for calming down
🪷 Reading stories about emotions and talking through what characters feel
🪷 Praising the effort when your child uses a coping strategy

At the end of the day, emotional regulation isn’t about eliminating big feelings, it’s about helping your child feel supported through them. Every deep breath you model, every feeling you name, and every calm moment you share adds another tool to their inner resilience toolkit. 💛

18/09/2025

Feelings can shift like the weather in a child's inner world, changing from sunny to stormy without warning. Learning to navigate those emotional changes is a skill that takes time and support. 🧠⛈️️

Emotional regulation is what helps children understand their feelings and respond in ways that are safe and manageable for themselves and others.

If your child is still building this skill, you might see:
🌪️ Difficulty calming down after getting upset
🌪️ Big reactions to small problems
🌪️ Meltdowns that seem to come from nowhere

These moments can be challenging, but they are not signs of misbehaviour. Rather, they are clues that a child is still discovering how to make sense of their inner world.

With patience and connection, children can build the tools they need to cope with their feelings and express them more clearly over time. 💛

15/09/2025

Let's talk about "Plan B". Not as a backup, but as a superpower. We often see changes and surprises as interruptions, but what if they are opportunities?

In a world that's always changing, flexibility a key skill that helps children face uncertainty with courage and creativity. At home, everyday routines can become gentle practice grounds for adapting, problem-solving, and seeing things in new ways. 🧠🤸‍♀️⁠

You can do so by:
🔄 Intentionally making little changes
🔄 Exploring "what if" questions with curiosity, not pressure
🔄 Role-playing new situations together
🔄 Playing rule-changing games or switching the rules of familiar games
🔄 Letting them lead during open-ended play (no instructions!)
🔄 Celebrating every effort to try something new

These aren't just tricks to avoid meltdown. They help to build a resilient and adaptable mind. With each flexible choice, your child is given tools to navigate life's surprises with confidence, not fear. 💛

What’s one small change you’ve tried at home? Share your wins below! 👇

12/09/2025

Some children find comfort in routines, predictability, and doing things a certain way. But life is full of surprises, and that's where cognitive flexibility comes in. This essential skill helps children adapt when things don't go as planned, whether it's a detour on the way to school, switching tasks, or trying something new.

When this skill is still developing, you might see:
🔄 Big emotional reactions to change or transitions
🔄 Resistance to trying new activities
🔄 Difficulty coping in unfamiliar situations
🔄 A strong preference for sameness and routine

These behaviours aren't about being stubborn. They're signs that a child is still learning how to handle the unexpected and how to feel safe in uncertainty.

By recognising these moments as opportunities for growth, we can gently guide them toward resilience. With patience and understanding, we can help them become more confident, adaptable thinkers, ready for whatever comes their way. 💛

10/09/2025

You've seen the "dash", now let's build the "pause" ⏸️

Inhibition, the ability to pause before acting, is a skill that helps children manage impulses, follow rules, and make thoughtful choices. While inhibition might not come naturally to every child, the good news is that it is a skill we can strengthen through connection and practice. 🧠

Try weaving these ideas into your day:
✋ Create “stop and think” moments
✋ Set clear expectations: “We take turns with the toy.”
✋ Introduce “first-then” language to make waiting easier
✋ Make it a game
✋ Use stories to talk about big feelings and impulses
✋ Notice and name their effort: “That was amazing patience!”

Remember, every child is born with a powerful gas pedal. Your patience and understanding, along with these playful strategies, can help them build the brakes they need for life. 🚗💨 💛

What is one game or strategy you use to help your child practice self-control? Share them in the comments below! 👇

08/09/2025

This October, we’re levelling up therapy through imagination, laughter, and just the right amount of spooky! 🎲👻

If your tween or teen struggles with frustration, teamwork, or flexible thinking… what if they could practise those exact skills while battling werewolves, solving mysteries, and becoming the hero of their own Halloween story?

Our Critical Core group uses a Dungeons & Dragons-style roleplay framework to support social growth in a way that feels safe, silly, and seriously fun, with our therapist guiding every twist and turn of the adventure.

🗓️ New block starting this spooky season. Costumes optional. Imagination required.
🎃 Therapy has never looked (or felt) this fun!

📍 Orchard | 📞 8155 6575 | 🧙‍♀️ www.ohanatherapy.sg
📖 20222976H
💬 DM us to book your teen’s seat at the table!

08/09/2025

That moment you call their name or say "wait!"... but they've already dipped their hands in the paint. 🎨

Sounds familiar? That's inhibition in action (or the beautiful, messy process of it developing!). It is the brain's essential pause button: the skill that helps children stop, wait, and think before acting. From not interrupting to resisting a grab-worthy toy, it's what keeps big feelings from turning into big reactions.

When this skill is still growing, a child might:
✋ Blurt out answers in class
✋ Sn**ch a toy without asking
✋ Melt down when overwhelmed
✋ Interrupt when people are speaking

For a young child, the urge to GRAB, TOUCH, or DASH is often faster than the thought to stop. It doesn't mean they're being "bad" or "defiant", it means their brain's brake pads are still getting broken in. 🧠🛑

See these moments not as misbehaviour, but as a skill under construction. This shift allows us respond with patience and guidance, not just correction. 💛

06/09/2025

Did you know that daily life is full of secret memory training opportunities? 🕵️‍♀️ Just like a little muscle, your child's working memory grows stronger with practice! 💪

Try weaving in these simple, consistent strategies to help them remember instructions, follow through on tasks, and stay organised:
💡 Break it down to one instruction at a time
💡 Use visual reminders and checklists
💡 Have your child repeat instructions back to you
💡 Write things down together
💡 Turn it into a game
💡 Celebrate them trying their best

Small, consistent efforts truly build those strong mental muscles over time. Watch how they respond and let that guide you in supporting their amazing, developing minds. 💛

What's one way you help your child remember routines? Share your best tip below 👇

04/09/2025

Ever feel like you're on repeat? 🔁 If your child frequently forgets steps in a task or asks for instructions again right after you've given them, it might not be that they aren't listening. It could be a sign their working memory is still developing. 🧠 💾

Think of working memory as the brain's notepad. It's what lets children hold onto information just long enough to use it. This skill helps them follow directions, do mental maths, or keep track of a story while reading.

When this is tricky, you might notice a child:
💡 Forgetting what they were just told to do
💡 Skipping steps in familiar routines
💡 Struggling with tasks like reading comprehension or maths

It's important to remember that some forgetfulness is completely normal, especially with young or busy minds. But if it happens frequently, it may indicate that your child needs a little extra support while their memory skills develop.

Every child's brain works in its own way. Observing how your child takes in and remembers information can help you respond with patience and understanding. With steady encouragement and support, their working memory can continue to strengthen over time. 💛

02/09/2025

Feeling like your child is constantly distracted? 🌪️ Building focus isn't about demanding more attention, it's about creating the right conditions for it to flourish. The good news is that your daily routines are already filled with opportunities to nurture this skill. 🧠

Practical, gentle strategies can lead to meaningful progress. Here are some ways to support their attention at home:
⚡ Create a calm space
⚡ Break tasks into small steps
⚡ Include movement breaks
⚡ Use visual checklists or schedules
⚡ Offer gentle verbal cues to guide them back
⚡ Praising their effort and focus, not just the result

No one understands your child like you do. Notice what keeps them locked in, encourage them warmly, and follow their lead with patience. With time and support, these intentional interactions can expand your child's attention skills steadily. 💛

What's one way you help your child focus at home? Share below!👇

29/08/2025

Attention is a crucial skill that helps children focus on what's important, filter out distractions, and stay engaged with tasks. It's essential for learning, following instructions, and interacting with others.

When attention is still developing, you might notice your child:
⚡ Getting easily distracted or lose track of what they're doing
⚡ Finding it hard to finish activities or follow multi-step directions
⚡ Seeming forgetful or drifting into daydreams

Keep in mind: a little distractibility is completely normal! Every child builds their attention skills at their own pace. These behaviours don't mean a child is "lazy" or "not trying". More often, they're gentle signs that extra support may help strengthen their concentration.

By noticing how your child engages with tasks, you can better understand what they need. With patience and the right support, their ability to stay focused can continue to grow. 🌱✨

27/08/2025

Ever notice your child getting distracted easily, struggling to follow instructions, or having a tough time managing big feelings? It can be easy to label this as "naughty", "lazy", or "defiant". But often, what you're really seeing are challenges with executive functioning skills.

🧠 Executive functions are the brain's self-management tools. They help children plan, focus, manage time, regulate, emotions, and so much more. When these skills are still developing, or when they don't come as naturally, everyday tasks can feel a lot harder.

In this series, we'll explore 12 key executive functions:
• Attention
• Working Memory
• Inhibition
• Flexibility
• Emotional Regulation
• Task Initiation
• Planning
• Time Management
• Goal-directed Persistence
• Self-Monitoring
• Sequencing
• Prioritisation
And what it can look like when a child finds them tricky. This will be followed by practical strategies to help families support their child and strengthen these abilities in everyday moments.

These examples are not checklists for diagnosis, but gentle prompts to notice when a child might need extra support. When we understand the reasons behind behaviours, it becomes easier to respond with empathy instead of frustration. Every child's "control tower" develops at its own pace. With practice, play, and the right support, their executive function skills can take off and soar ✈️💛

Ohana Therapy

21/09/2025

18/09/2025

15/09/2025

12/09/2025

10/09/2025

08/09/2025

08/09/2025

06/09/2025

04/09/2025

02/09/2025

29/08/2025

27/08/2025

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category