Hyde Park Kids OT

11/03/2021

Raise your hand if you are the parent of an...
🦉extreme night owl
🐥early bird
😴always tired
😵‍💫always wired
🌙midnight awakener, or
🦹🏽‍♂️bedtime escape artist kinda kiddo!

We’ve been there! It's exhausting isn't it?

It can feel like a never-ending battle to get everyone the sleep they need when raising kids-not least for you the parent!

Watching your kiddo have a
1) hard time going to sleep,
2) pop up much earlier than you are ready for, or
3) just seem poorly rested throughout the day

can be a source of confusion and leave you feeling like there's nothing to do but wait a few years for it to get better. SCREECH. A few years?!?! Who says we can’t make it better now?

My view as a therapist? You don't have to stay stuck there. 🙌🏼 The good news is, noticing and *naming* it is the first step to *taming* it (to paraphrase The Whole Brain Child)!

So instead of throwing in the towel and labelling our kids "Bad Sleepers," getting a little more specific about what in particular is hard for them can get you headed in the right direction for a solution. Then? Take a look at the next post for some tricks to make it better!

So which one is it for you?

11/02/2021

Hey there! It’s been a while since I introduced myself so I thought I’d give it a go!

I’m Maggie, the OT and creator behind Hyde Park Kids OT. The name of my practice comes from my neighborhood of Southside Chicago where I grew up and now help families of children with unique needs find the tools to thrive. ✨

I love working with kids and families, helping them discover their unique strengths, and finding the particular support that they need to make all the difference, because no two are the same. It’s always creative and I’m always learning something new.

One of the new things I added this year was outdoor nature sessions which have been SO fun. Think tree climbing, scavenger hunts, and nature crafts. 😍 They’ve been going strong through summer and fall, but I don’t know how much longer the weather will allow us to keep going-fingers crossed for a few more weeks. 😉

I had to snap this this morning to document one of the last clear cold mornings of play we have and to remember how refreshing having nature as an ‘office’ is!

Happy Tuesday!!
Maggie

10/19/2021

Kid woke up on the wrong side of the bed? Wanting to pre-empt an after-school meltdown? Need a sensory reset halfway through the the weekend?

Sensory snacking is one of my family's go-to’s. It's an easy way to reset our kiddo's bodies, lift them right out of their funk, and get them back to their happy-go-lucky selves. And how do we do this you may be wondering? By harnessing the power of t e x t u r e !

Just like a weighted blanket calms and reset's a body, munching on something CHEWY or CRUNCHY provides deep pressure to our kiddo's jaws and mouths. Without them even knowing it, you can sneakily get some input in and get your tired, wound up, or stressed out kiddo off the fast-track to a meltdown. (Pro tip: this works for grown ups too. And spouses. 😏).

Does your family have a go-to crunchy or chewy snack that you now know why it's the best?!

Cheering you on, Maggie

07/06/2021

One question I'm often asked is "Will they grow out of it?". I used to think that because ADHD and sensory processing disorders can be overwhelming, parents were looking for a light at the end of the tunnel. But they were actually getting at something else. These dedicated parents just want to know how best to support their child: "Is therapy what we need? Other supports? Or do we just need to 'ride it out?'"

The answer to 'will they grow out of it?' is (wait for it) both. Yes and no.

Yes these conditions will evolve as they grow.

No, they will not go away. And they likely won't get better without intentionality.

The best way to approach it given that information? Get help.

📖Read books
👩‍⚕️Find healthcare providers on instagram sharing information about your child's condition
💡Educate yourself
🤸Find a wonderful therapist
💞 Watch your child thrive

Lightbulb moments will happen. New ways of relating to and supporting your child that will become second-nature. And your child will grow in confidence AND the ability to self-manage independently for adulthood.

No, they won't grow out of it. Yes it takes intentionality. But it is so worth it.

07/02/2021

06/01/2021

After a long day of school, a super fun time with friends, or when bored at home, have you noticed your kiddo do some of these odd things? 🤔

They may be working through some feelings (whew! I’ve been sitting all day! OR boy that was fun! OR ugh I’m a little out of sorts!). Turns out, they’re just typical ways that kids intuitively know will help them to get feeling regulated in their bodies! (And actually quite similar to how we as adults do, too we just are a little more hung up on how we appear in public😆).

The trick is to know if and when to intervene.

Here are 3 questions to ask yourself to know if what they are doing will work or if they need some support from you!
⭐️ Is it working to calm them?
⭐️ Are they happy or starting to look agitated?
⭐️ Is what they’re doing ok in the setting you’re in?

If YES to all 3, then just sit back and watch the magic happen as your little one shows you what feels best for them and gets back to a calm state. 🧠

If no? Keep an eye out for the next posts with strategies you can help them do to calm down!

05/18/2021

Have you ever thought about the impact that helping your child calm down when they are hyperactive, overstimulated or melting down can have over the rest of their life?

You can give them the tools they will use for years to come! What potential!

Beginning this week I’ll be doing a deep dive into how we can calm meltdowns, hyperactivity and overwhelm in our kids so stay tuned for the tips and tricks.

In the meantime, think about the gift we give our kids when we model and teach these skills!

05/11/2021

Save this post so you can come back to it! 📌

What’s that you say? You want more ideas for ways to strengthen those fine motor skills while doing normal things at home? Don’t worry I’ve got you covered!

Handwriting, shoe tying, and buttoning struggles have one thing in common: weak hand muscles. Want to beef those up? Here’s the best 2-birds-with-one-stone deal ever! CHORES! 🎉

Yep-housework gets done WHILE strengthening little hands. 💯

Scrubbing the counters
Spraying the windows
Carrying in the groceries
Pushing that big ol vacuum

all target finger (and arm!) muscles, which are key for those tricky skills.

Throw a few of these into your routine and you’ll be off shoe-tying (and zippering...and buttoning...) duty before you know it.

Questions? Drop ‘em below👇🏼

Cheers to freedom! Maggie

04/27/2021

So you don’t have time set aside for catching upon those pesky fine motor skills...who does?!

Here’s my number one way to work on those skills with NO extra time, NO reluctance from the kiddos, and NO one even knowing you snuck it in! 🎉

Hand your kiddo a hard boiled egg, a clementine or some pistachios and let them get peeling!

My kids love doing this-even if they don’t care for one of these foods-because it’s just fun. So sit back and watch those little fingers get stronger and more coordinated with every second.

And...that’s it! See what I mean? So. Easy. I’d say that’s a mom win!

04/27/2021

Maybe your child’s handwriting is sloppier than you’d like, or they have trouble with zippers and buttons, or they’re STILL not tying their shoes.

But day after day goes by and there’s never time to sit down and practice! At this point you’re pretty much holding out hope that the Fine Motor Fairy will wave her wand and make it all better. 😜 It sounds ridiculous but as a busy working mom of 2, TRUST ME, I’ve been there.

So how do we get around it? When there’s no time for practice (or you’d rather use that extra time to just enjoy and connect with my kiddos 🙋🏽‍♀️) I’ve found some sneaky ways to get practice in WITHIN your daily routines!

Sound too good to be true? Keep an eye out for the next few posts on how you can (sneakily) do it all. From one mom to another-you’ve got this. 😏👊🏼

04/20/2021

It's been a long day of school for the kids, work for the adults, and you haven't even started conquering the mountain of laundry/dishes/toys begging for attention. You've made it through the marathon of dinner and are staring down the rest of the evening wondering how.do.we.make.it.to.bedtime.... when you look down and see those big eyes looking up at you begging for connection.

Your first instinct is to turn on their show/game/device and go tackle the dishes (or stare at your phone until bedtime). But the voice in your head reminds you that they grow up fast or someone said something about screens being off for 2 hours before bedtime improving sleep. With a herculean effort, you manage to look back into those eyes and say YES. I want to spend this time with you.

First of all, YES! YOU ARE THE PARENT YOU DREAM OF. Give yourself a pat on the back.

Second, what in the world can you do together that can help settle them in for the night while also filling their tank with the connection they crave??

These are simple ways to gently calm our little ones' bodies so that by the time bedtime routine rolls around they are so centered they practically put themselves to bed! And-bonus-you come away refreshed from the kind of connection that warms your heart.

Remember these small moments might not seem like anything revolutionary, but they are the things your children will remember for the rest of their lives. They add up! And that's worth leaning in for after a long day.

Cheering you on, Maggie

03/30/2021

Easter is just around the corner and as I shopped for my boys’ outfits I realized there were a LOT of sensory factors I was trying to work around. Most kids don’t like being stuck in uncomfortable dress clothes for long but when there are sensory sensitivities at play, it’s a whole other level of tricky. If your kids are like mine, they’re not huge fans of stiff collars, scratchy fabric, long sleeves/pants when there could be short ones, and tight shoes (or maybe any shoes!).

Of course the last thing we parents need when spending time with family for a holiday is added sensory stressors-so here’s what I’m doing to make life easier.

1) I picked out the outfits (sorry kids!) so they aren’t getting a choice this time but I will set aside time to show them and talk through any concerns they have.

2) Making a point to acknowledge that “I know this isn’t easy for you” or “I know this is asking a lot of you” goes a long way.

3) Process through feelings of worry, anxiety or anger that may come up with acceptance. They’ll feel heard and know you’re still on their team.

4) Make sure to limit the amount of time the outfit will be worn. All day is not likely a good idea. We will shoot for 1-2 hours during our celebration-(including enough time to take a family picture of course☺️).

5) Compromise by limiting the uncomfortable features of the outfit. If you require close-toed shoes, allow for shorts. If you want long pants, allow for short sleeves. If you want long sleeves, skip the button down shirt and collar. Like they say with being a working parent, you can have it all, but not at the same time. 😊 Look carefully at what aspects of the clothing your child may find irritating (or ask them if you’re not sure!) and limit it to 3, maybe 4 if they’re flexible.

5) Consider a reward as a way to honor their effort. And when it’s time to be done, let them get out of those clothes as they can and hop into the sweats/shorts/pajamas of their choice!