Wright Therapy for Kids

04/11/2026

💙 Is your child neurodivergent?

Here’s what to look for in a swim instructor… 💙

Finding the right swim instructor can make all the difference between fear and confidence in the water—especially for kids with autism, ADHD, sensory sensitivities, or anxiety.

Here are a few things that really matter:

✨ Experience and knowledge along with specialized certifications to work with neurodivergent children; not every instructor is trained for this. Ask about their experience with autism, ADHD and sensory needs.

✨ Patience over progress
The right instructor won’t rush milestones or force skills—they’ll focus on comfort, trust, and small wins.

✨ Consistency & routine
Same instructor(s), similar lesson structure, and clear expectations help kids feel safe and confident.

✨ Clear & flexible communication
Great instructors adjust how they teach—using visual cues, simple directions, and hands-on demonstration.

✨ Sensory awareness
Water can be overwhelming. The best instructors understand triggers and adapt (noise, splashing, goggles, etc.).

✨ Trust comes first
If your child doesn’t feel safe, they won’t learn. Connection matters more than technique.

✨ Individualized approach
No one-size-fits-all. Look for private or small-group lessons tailored to your child.

🚩 Red flags:
Forcing participation, ignoring distress, rushing progress, or dismissing parent concerns.

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03/06/2026

03/05/2026

02/22/2026

02/18/2026

Mrs. Manda is fantastic with kiddos of all abilities and is specially trained in adaptive swimming. Water safety is so important for all children, but especially our neurodivergent kids who may struggle with safety and spacial awareness!

🚨 ATTENTION PARENTS! 🚨

Winter, Spring, and Summer swim lessons with Manda’s Minnows are already 60% FULL! 🐟💦

If swim lessons are on your to-do list this year, now is the time to register. We offer swim lessons for all ages (1yr-adult) and abilities, swim lessons tailored to the student and their individual needs/experiences.

Don’t miss your spot — we can’t wait to swim with you and/or your little ones! 🏊‍♀️✨

Manda's Minnows

www.mandasminnows.us

02/14/2026

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples 💕 It’s the perfect opportunity to show our children how deeply they are loved — in ways that truly speak to their hearts.

Did you know kids give and receive love in different ways?

Understanding your child’s love language can strengthen your bond, reduce behavior struggles, and help them feel secure and confident every single day.

In our latest blog post, we’re sharing how the 5 Love Languages apply to children and simple, practical ways you can fill your child’s “love tank” this Valentine’s Day:
❤️ Words of Affirmation
🤗 Physical Touch
🎁 Receiving Gifts
⏳ Quality Time
🛠 Acts of Service

When we learn how our kids best receive love, we can be more intentional — not just on Valentine’s Day, but all year long.

If you’ve ever felt like, “I’m doing everything… why doesn’t my child feel it?” this post is for you.

Read the full blog and discover simple ways to make your child feel deeply loved 💗

Discover the 5 love languages of children and learn simple ways to help your child feel deeply loved, secure, and emotionally connected.

02/03/2026

Why should we celebrate International Play Therapy Week?

02/03/2026

🧸Children are always communicating — even when they don’t have the words.

Before children can explain fear, grief, anger, or confusion, they show us their inner world through play.

In play therapy, toys, art, and imagination become a child’s voice.

When we slow down and truly observe play, we begin to understand what children are telling us about their emotions, experiences, and needs.

✨ During International Play Therapy Week, we celebrate play as more than fun — it is one of the most powerful forms of communication available to children.

👉 Read more about how play therapy helps children feel seen, heard, and understood in our latest blog.

In play therapy, toys, art materials, and imaginative scenarios become the child’s voice.

02/01/2026

✨🌍 It’s here! International Play Therapy Week is officially kicking off! 🧸🎉

This week we’re celebrating the power of play — where feelings get expressed, confidence grows, and healing happens in ways words alone can’t. 💛

Follow along as we highlight how play helps kids feel seen, safe, and supported… all while having a little fun along the way! 🖍️🧩

01/31/2026

If you’ve ever been told your child “should be able to calm themselves by now”, this matters.

Decades of developmental research show that emotional regulation is not something children learn alone. It is built, slowly and repeatedly, through co-regulation with a safe adult. Before the brain can self-soothe, it needs to experience being soothed. This isn’t permissive parenting — it’s how nervous systems develop.

Studies on parent–child synchrony, the Still-Face paradigm, and social biofeedback consistently show the same thing: regulation is social before it becomes internal. Children borrow calm, learn meaning, and gradually build the capacity to regulate themselves through relationship. Co-regulation isn’t a parenting trend — it’s the cornerstone of emotional development.

Research references (evidence-based)
Ruth Feldman – Bio-behavioural synchrony research demonstrating that attuned caregiver–child interactions predict later self-regulation and emotional competence (Feldman, 2003; 2012).
Edward Tronick – Mutual Regulation Model and Still-Face paradigm showing that infants rely on caregiver responsiveness to regulate distress before self-regulation emerges.
György Gergely & Watson – Social biofeedback model explaining how contingent adult responses teach children to understand and regulate internal emotional states.
Murray et al. (2019) – Applied developmental model positioning co-regulation as a core mechanism through which self-regulation develops across childhood.
Bornstein et al. (2023) – Reviews framing co-regulation as a multilevel biological and relational process foundational to emotional regulation.