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Sensory Parenting - The Elementary Years: School Years Are Easier when Your Child's Senses Are Happy!
All of us have had a sensory issue at one time or another. Maybe it’s your neighbor’s dog barking that bothers you or you can’t stand the texture of cottage cheese. Does it make you crazy to have a hat on your head? Do you avoid the mall at peak shopping times so you don’t have to be around crowds of people? These are common things that as adults we adapt to or avoid without giving them a second thought. What about your children’s sensory sensitivities? What if you could make parenting easier and more fun by taking your child’s senses into consideration? Imagine the possibilities because you can!
A child’s sensory system affects their ability to learn, play, socialize and function. Maybe a child isn’t able to sit still in class because his shirt tag is bothering him. Or a child isn’t able to play with other children because his balance is off and other kids make him feel unstable and dizzy. Maybe your child isn’t just a picky eater – it could be that his sensory system needs some special guidance and adjusting. And with so much technology and choices of games out there, which ones are beneficial for your children to play? Britt Collins, M.S., OTR/L and Jackie Linder-Olson – an occupational therapist and parent team – have organized and combined parenting information along with sensory integration methods, tips and solutions. We’ve done our work, now it’s your turn! We’ve made it easy and fun and will help you avoid a lot of unnecessary battles between you and your child. It’s amazing how quickly our children adapt and the little adjustments that can make our days smoother. Who knew that our sensory systems affect every aspect of our lives? We all do now. Beginning with the age of five, Britt and Jackie walk parents through everyday situations and duties all the way through your child’s elementary years. They explain the underlying reasons beneath your child’s negative behaviors and the often simple fixes (sometimes not so easy, but steps that will lead you towards success). Parenting can be less stressful when you’re not struggling with your child’s sensory systems. A child won’t outgrow auditory processing issues or tactile defensiveness without addressing the child’s needs. Working together, you will find that parenting can be more enjoyable if you address or avoid certain sensory situations or prepare for them accordingly. We’re here to help every step of the way!
A child’s sensory system affects their ability to learn, play, socialize and function. Maybe a child isn’t able to sit still in class because his shirt tag is bothering him. Or a child isn’t able to play with other children because his balance is off and other kids make him feel unstable and dizzy. Maybe your child isn’t just a picky eater – it could be that his sensory system needs some special guidance and adjusting. And with so much technology and choices of games out there, which ones are beneficial for your children to play? Britt Collins, M.S., OTR/L and Jackie Linder-Olson – an occupational therapist and parent team – have organized and combined parenting information along with sensory integration methods, tips and solutions. We’ve done our work, now it’s your turn! We’ve made it easy and fun and will help you avoid a lot of unnecessary battles between you and your child. It’s amazing how quickly our children adapt and the little adjustments that can make our days smoother. Who knew that our sensory systems affect every aspect of our lives? We all do now. Beginning with the age of five, Britt and Jackie walk parents through everyday situations and duties all the way through your child’s elementary years. They explain the underlying reasons beneath your child’s negative behaviors and the often simple fixes (sometimes not so easy, but steps that will lead you towards success). Parenting can be less stressful when you’re not struggling with your child’s sensory systems. A child won’t outgrow auditory processing issues or tactile defensiveness without addressing the child’s needs. Working together, you will find that parenting can be more enjoyable if you address or avoid certain sensory situations or prepare for them accordingly. We’re here to help every step of the way!
- GenresParentingNonfiction
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2012
5 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 7, 2012
Sensory Parenting: The Elementary Years is a sequel of sorts to Sensory Parenting: Newborns to Toddlers. To me it feels like a much more accomplished book - perhaps though, it's simply the fact that this one is far more relevant to my current situation.
Like its predecessor, the book focuses on finding ways around your child's sensitivities and it's designed for parents of children with a range of complications, including but not limited to, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), the Autism spectrum in general and Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).
Like the first book, this is a collaboration between a mother (Jackie) and a paediatric occupational therapist (Britt). Somehow, this time around, their voices are far more harmonious and the switching between Britt and Jackie's point of view is far less jarring. Both authors have a lot of good material and the book is a breeze to read.
The introductory chapters cover the senses, going well beyond the five established ones; sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing to include vestibular (balance), proprioception (body awareness) and interoception (internals). The book also lists developmental milestones and discusses ways that you can extend your child's social repertoire.
The book also includes insightful and relevant paragraphs from other experts in the field including interviews with various specialist OTs to discuss the range and use of their therapies. There are also "OT tips" and "mom tips" scattered throughout the book.
The middle section of the book delves into specific sensory situations at home, at school, on holidays and in the world at large, with a chapter on each major area. Everything is very well labelled and helpful headers simply leap out at you.
The last few chapters cover sensory games, activities and therapies that you can use to desensitize and habituate your child. The book closes with useful appendices which contain relevant material from the first book on the use of pets as support animals and on dealing with food sensitivity in your child.
All in all this is an excellent book which I'd recommend to anyone with sensory children in elementary school. Of course, if you're an OT, then a copy is pretty much mandatory reading.
Like its predecessor, the book focuses on finding ways around your child's sensitivities and it's designed for parents of children with a range of complications, including but not limited to, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), the Autism spectrum in general and Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).
Like the first book, this is a collaboration between a mother (Jackie) and a paediatric occupational therapist (Britt). Somehow, this time around, their voices are far more harmonious and the switching between Britt and Jackie's point of view is far less jarring. Both authors have a lot of good material and the book is a breeze to read.
The introductory chapters cover the senses, going well beyond the five established ones; sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing to include vestibular (balance), proprioception (body awareness) and interoception (internals). The book also lists developmental milestones and discusses ways that you can extend your child's social repertoire.
The book also includes insightful and relevant paragraphs from other experts in the field including interviews with various specialist OTs to discuss the range and use of their therapies. There are also "OT tips" and "mom tips" scattered throughout the book.
The middle section of the book delves into specific sensory situations at home, at school, on holidays and in the world at large, with a chapter on each major area. Everything is very well labelled and helpful headers simply leap out at you.
The last few chapters cover sensory games, activities and therapies that you can use to desensitize and habituate your child. The book closes with useful appendices which contain relevant material from the first book on the use of pets as support animals and on dealing with food sensitivity in your child.
All in all this is an excellent book which I'd recommend to anyone with sensory children in elementary school. Of course, if you're an OT, then a copy is pretty much mandatory reading.
February 7, 2013
This book is full of hands-on, practical advice for parents of children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) or parents of children who are very sensitive and easily overwhelmed. The book presents techniques for easing your child's sensory difficulties in school, at home, while traveling, and during holidays and special occasions. It covers helpful devices and products, therapies, and other recommended practices such as yoga. The tone is friendly, conversational, and upbeat, and reading it felt like chatting with friends who had "been there."
I found Lucy Jane Miller's Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder to be a more thorough and reliable introduction and guide to SPD (as it should be- Miller is a leading SPD researcher); if you are going to read only one book on the topic, try that one. However, Sensory Parenting is a good companion book, offering the nitty-gritty, day-to-day tips and advice that concerned (or exasperated!) parents will find useful.
(Thank you to the authors and to Goodreads giveaways for providing me with a copy of the book for review.)
I found Lucy Jane Miller's Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder to be a more thorough and reliable introduction and guide to SPD (as it should be- Miller is a leading SPD researcher); if you are going to read only one book on the topic, try that one. However, Sensory Parenting is a good companion book, offering the nitty-gritty, day-to-day tips and advice that concerned (or exasperated!) parents will find useful.
(Thank you to the authors and to Goodreads giveaways for providing me with a copy of the book for review.)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews