Self Regulation

On By justmymomsenseIn Sensory ResourcesLeave a comment

Taken from: The Out-Of-Sync Child:

The child may have difficulty modulating (adjusting) his mood. He may be unable to “rev up,” or to calm down once aroused. He may become fussy easily. He may have difficulty with self-comforting after being hurt or upset Delaying gratification and tolerating transitions from one activity to another may be hard. The child may perform unevenly: “with it” one day, “out of it” the next.

Self regulation can be extremely difficult for someone with sensory processing difficulties. As a parent, I have also learned how important it is for us to stay regulated when a child is feeling dysregulated. There are a variety of things you can do to help your child during this time:

  • Demonstrate deep breathing
  • Offer a safe environment if they are unable to control their bodies
  • Strong hugs/being covered in a weighted blanket
  • Try different parts of your sensory diet: swinging, jumping on a trampoline, playing with playdoh, etc.

You know your child best and what gets them back to a place of feeling comfortable. I recommend reading The Out-Of-Sync Child as a resource for all things sensory processing. The book has been updated since I originally purchased it and I am linking the most recent version.

I would also recommend listening to the Living a Sensory Life Podcast, where Becky Lyddon discusses self regulation and sensory characteristics.

Click here to check out The Out-Of-Sync Child.

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30 Day Writing Challenge | Day 13 Update

On By justmymomsenseIn Travel, writing challenge4 Comments

I have a confession to make.

I have missed one day of my writing challenge. That day, was yesterday.

On Thursday, I went away for a few days and made sure to schedule blogs so I didn’t miss anything. Only to come home Sunday and then needing Monday to recover.

I have decided that I will do 2 blogs today to make up for yesterday! Do I have a plan for what I’ll be writing in this one or the next? Nope! So we’ll just roll with whatever comes to mind.

Going away solo as a parent is a weird thing. I’ve mentioned in previous blogs that I co-host the Dillo’s Diz Podcast with my brother. It covers our love for Disney, random tangents and some pop culture thrown in along the way. This trip was our first every meetup and it meant so much to us. I’m still processing trying to find the words to explain how much it meant, but I’m not sure I ever will.

We’ve taken a few Dillos trips and they’re always a bit tough for me. My mom guilt kicks in, missing them is a constant and I never want to be away from them for too long. On the flip side, it was great spending time with the friends we’ve made along the way thanks to the podcast and I am so happy we did it.

If you’re a parent and can relate to feeling all the things all at once, comment below and let me know!

<Shameless plug time> If you like Disney, pop culture and hearing siblings tangent, then be sure to check out the Dillo’s Diz Podcast, available on your favorite podcasting platform or by clicking here!

The 1st Day of School 2023

On By justmymomsenseIn school1 Comment

I am now a parent of a 1st and 4th grader.

Yesterday was their first day of school.

New outfits? Check!

New kicks? Check! (Kicks-as the kids say)

School supplies? Check!

Both kids are in separate schools but this is their second year in their respective schools. Sound confusing? Our schools are split up in an interesting way in my area. I like it, but I do wish they could be in the same school. This won’t happen until one is a senior in High School and the other is a freshman.

A big milestone: this was the first year that my now 4th grader went into school without tears! This was major! He had plenty of nerves and ton of adrenaline. Luckily he saw some friends on the walk to school and waiting in front of the school. He was able to walk in as part of a pack and waive goodbye over his shoulder.

My 1st grader went in tear-free as well. She didn’t cry in Pre-K but threw me a curveball in Kindergarten when she cried and didn’t want to get out of the car. We had a successful drop off this year.

As I’ve talked about in previous blogs, all kids, not just my own, tend to hold in a lot of different emotions throughout the school day. Once they get home, it can come out in a variety of ways. When I picked up my 4th grader today, I had to wait for him at a new door. He came out of the door from last year and ran to me crying. I think the cap popped off and now it was mixed with feeling like he did something wrong. His nerves got the best of him and he went to the exit he knew the best. Tomorrow his teacher will point out exactly where he needs to be which will alleviate some of those jitters. We walked home with on and off tears talking about his teacher, his class and how he had a good day. He also pointed out how he didn’t cry that morning, which made him happy.

Transitions are hard. They’re extra tough for someone with sensory processing difficulties and anxiety. The routine of school each week into the weekend can be tough. The routine of the school year into summer can be tough. The summer routine back into the school routine with a new class and new teacher can be straight up overwhelming.

I have no doubts that they’ll both have a good year. As we always do, we take it one day at a time and try our best to focus on the highlights while riding the emotional waves.

Back To School Nesting

On By justmymomsenseIn school1 Comment

I felt like this was an appropriate title. Does anyone do this?

Leading up to the first day of school, which was today, I’ve been doing more than just getting the school supplies together.

I’ve been cleaning, organizing and making sure all the laundry was put away. Now some of you may be thinking “I do this everyday, so that doesn’t sound too different.” I think I know how quick the school year can turn chaotic and I want to kick it off with calmer vibes, so this is a bigger clean. But then I had the realization that this is similar to nesting I did prior to the kids being born.

And boom, we now have what is known as: Back to School Nesting.

Walking, Listening and Breathing

On By justmymomsenseIn Parent Life, writing challenge7 Comments

Two springs ago, my husband and I started going on walks while the kids were at school. We did it just as a way to get out, enjoy the nice weather and didn’t have a goal in mind.

Once the summer and fall came, I missed walking. What I hadn’t realized is that walking had made me feel better, even though I wasn’t feeling bad. So we got back into walking, sporadically, on nicer days.

Last year my 9 year old switched to a school that is in walking distance from our house. We walked him to school everyday and most days took the long way back home. Once this past summer hit, I made it a point to make sure I continued to walk. This time I did it solo.

Once my husband was done working, we would divide and conquer. I would go out, put my earbuds in and just walk. He started doing the same in the mornings before work.

We are still parents, so life can get in the way and these walks can’t happen everyday. However, we have made it a point to set aside this outside walking time for ourselves as often as possible.

Personally, I am walking for mental health and to move my body. I have Hashimotos and exercising is important, with gentle exercise being the preferred method. While walking, I like listening to audiobooks, podcasts and sometimes just music. We had ordered iLuv myBuds Wireless EarBuds awhile back, due to the cost and not knowing how often we would be using them. Now that we’re using them more, they’ve been great and I have no plans on switching any time soon. Just remember to keep the volume at a place where you can still hear your surroundings. If I can walk at the end of the day, I find it better because I don’t have my daily to-do list running through my head like it is in the morning. But I take what I can get!

Finding solo time as a parent is tough and everyone’s situation is different. Whether it’s a few minutes or a few hours, once a week or everyday, I would highly recommend it. Take time to watch a favorite show, favorite movie, go out for a walk, stay in and do a home workout, read a favorite book, journal, meditate or find something else that allows you time to breathe and center yourself.

If you would have told me two years ago that I would be walking on my own a few times a week, I would have said “I don’t have time for that.” Mental health is just as important as overall health and whatever you can do to help yourself be the best version of you, to feel good and get through the day, please do!

Just My MomSense is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program

Why Do You Blog?

On By justmymomsenseIn writing challengeLeave a comment

Today is Day 4 of my 30 Day Writing Challenge. My blog is hosted by WordPress and on the home page I saw this writing prompt: Why Do You Blog?

In life and especially in parenthood, you never know what kind of twists and turns there will be. Twists and turns I’ve experienced with my kids have included a speech delay, sensory processing difficulties and anxiety.

Everyone talks about “Dr. Google” because google is the first place most people go to try and find information. Maybe they head to social media to join groups, discussions and get feedback from their peers. Information is at our fingertips in good….and in bad ways.

I wanted to share my personal experiences and my family’s experiences as we navigated through speech therapy, occupational therapy, school, virtual school during a pandemic and having fun in between.

Blogging helped me process and appreciate all the good that was happening and all the milestones we were achieving as a family.

I blog because I’ve always loved to write.

I blog to be one of the many pieces of information another parent may come across while searching for something I’ve been through.

I blog to be part of a community.

I blog to remember the day to day.

I blog in order to take some of the harder moments and turn them into something helpful for someone else.

I blog to remind myself where we’ve been.