Unwinding Together: Simple Ways to Foster Family Connection over Winter Break

After navigating the whirlwind of end-of-semester activities, holiday events, and exams, the winter break offers a much-needed opportunity to unwind as a family. It can be difficult at times not to over-plan and hopefully, there will be time during that window to truly destress, reconnect, and recharge together. Below are some tips and strategies to help make the most of the break and proactively plan for some of the challenges that come with it, such as battles over screen time and a loss of routine.

ESTABLISH A MODIFIED DAILY ROUTINE

To ease into a restful holiday season, consider creating a modified daily routine that provides both a sense of structure and the gift of flexibility. Even a loose schedule can give children a little more stability while still providing plenty of space for self-directed creativity and exploration. For example, establishing predictable windows for waking up or going to bed and mealtime can reduce the effects of a jarring loss of structure and routine in their daily lives.

Ideally, free time can be balanced between independent activities and time spent together as a family and with friends. While family bonding is important, alone time is equally vital for rest and self-discovery. Designate segments of the day for solitude, allowing children (and parents) to engage in personal interests or simply reflect. This positive balance fosters independence and promotes self-awareness, enabling children to recharge in their own way before reuniting with family activities.  

LIMIT SCREEN TIME

As many parents know, managing screen time during the break can be incredibly challenging and vitally essential. There are many ways to encourage a healthy relationship with screen time. Ultimately, an effective approach will combine setting clear boundaries around technology use and creating opportunities for children to enjoy offline activities. Consider establishing screen-free zones or certain times of the day dedicated to unplugged family interactions. This can pave the way for deeper connections and more meaningful conversations. Encourage your children to explore books, board games, or arts and crafts, facilitating a healthy balance between technology and personal interaction. 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUN, ENGAGING ACTIVITIES

The winter break is an excellent opportunity for families to embark on new adventures or revisit beloved traditions. Here are some engaging activity ideas to spark joy and togetherness.

1. Outdoor Adventures: One of the benefits of living in the Phoenix Valley is the gift of beautiful winter weather. Take advantage of this gift by spending more time outside over the break. Explore nature trails, go for a hike, or simply spend time enjoying the plentiful parks and neighborhood playgrounds. Being outdoors helps re-energize and encourages physical activity.

2. Indoor Adventures: Looking for some ways to stay engaged while inside? This Peak blog article offers additional tips and tricks on how to stay active and have fun without stepping out the front door. There are so many ways to get moving and promote physical activity, even when heading to the nearest park isn’t an option. When the goal is to unwind, simple acts - such as journaling, creative writing, coloring, crafting, and reading - can have a powerful impact on keeping little minds active, creative, and engaged.

3. Puzzles & Games: Surprising though it may be, puzzles and games provide a unique opportunity to help children strengthen their metacognition without them even realizing it. Dedicate an evening to board or card games, and keep a large puzzle ‘in progress’ on the kitchen table to work on at intervals together. This not only fosters healthy competition but also provides ample opportunities for laughter and connection.

4. Cooking and Baking: Another surprising way to develop executive functioning skills in the context of a rest-oriented break is by spending time together in the kitchen. Plan family cooking sessions where everyone can contribute, whether it’s baking holiday cookies or preparing a special meal together. Cooking fosters teamwork and allows children to express creativity.

CONCLUSION

Prioritizing rest and connection is one of the most invaluable gifts families can offer each other this season. Establishing a modified routine, limiting screen time, and engaging in fun, interactive activities all help pave the way to creating meaningful moments full of both relaxation and self-discovery. This holiday season, embrace the opportunity to unwind together, fostering relationships that will last long after the break has ended.

Here’s to a restful and memorable holiday season!

Written by Brandi R.

Foundations of Reading Success: Phonological Working Memory

Working memory is an executive function used to complete daily tasks. Strong working memory skills help students recall and apply information over shorter periods of time. Many of these skills are applied in daily routines such as following 2-3 step directions and responding to questions. And while these skills help children perform day-to-day activities, they can also support children’s reading proficiency. One key component of a working memory model is the phonological loop, also referred to as the phonological working memory. This component helps the brain understand, retain, and reproduce sounds spoken, or written. With a strong phonological working memory, children can increase their vocabulary, process information, and develop reading skills. 

There are many different ways to practice phonological working memory by focusing on phonological awareness skills, like rhyming, blending, segmenting, and deleting/changing sounds in a spoken word.

Nonsense Words

Nonsense words are often called pretend words, or fake words, such as fep or tig. These words are often used to test students’ working memory and reading skills. Children can practice these at home with nonsense word lists. Nonsense words may follow a specific pattern like CVC, CVCe, vowel teams, and more! Your child can practice nonsense words by reading them aloud, repeating them, blending sounds, or segmenting all of the individual sounds. 

Blending

Blending and segmenting different word parts can be tricky tasks for beginning readers, second language learners, and students who are struggling with phonological awareness skills. Blending can sound different for each child based on their abilities. You can practice blending with your child by saying individual sounds in a word (like /b/ /a/ /t/) and asking students to blend the word to make (bat). This same skill can be practiced with syllables (/cup/ + /cake/= cupcake). 

Rhyming

Rhyming words can be practiced through repetition, selecting, and producing. Students can simply repeat rhymes back to you, decide if two words rhyme, say a word that rhymes with a given word, choose the rhyming words in a sentence, or even find the odd word in a group of rhyming words. There are plenty of different ways to practice, such as family packs or games like Bingo!

Sound Manipulation

Adding, deleting, and substituting are all types of sound manipulation children can practice to work on their phonological awareness. Adding refers to the ability to add new sounds or syllables (add cake to cup= cupcake), deleting is when children are able to remove sounds from a word (say stuck without s), and substituting refers to changing sounds in a word (say chip, then change ch to sh). This skill is considered to be more advanced and may take extra practice! Playing games that support these skills will help children succeed in their classroom, at home, and while reading independently.

Phonological awareness and working memory are skills that can be developed simultaneously, but are both important for your child’s reading success and overall development. These skills are often assessed during report cards and on reading assessments in school. The more children practice at home, the more advanced their reading may become.

Written by Ami Z.

Telling VS Teaching: There’s a Difference & It Matters

Have you ever found yourself repeating the classic phrase: “How many times do I have to tell you [blank]”? This repetition begs the question: why does telling rarely result in changed behavior? The answer hides in the gap between what it means to tell versus what it means to teach.

Not that long ago, teaching was synonymous with telling: a one-way transfer of information, where the speaker simply provided facts or details. Since then, however, much has changed. Educational research has explored the art and science of teaching, transforming its definition, clarifying how to measure its effectiveness, and identifying what truly works best for students.

So what has educational research found about teaching that is so fundamentally different from telling? And how does understanding that difference benefit teachers and parents when working with children? As far as telling is concerned, one study found that active learning increased student success and that lecturing increased failure rates by an alarming 55%.

Imagine a parent expressing frustration because they are repeatedly telling a child to clean their room. What if, in this case, the problem lies in the assumption that this child already has the executive functioning skills required for that task - including a high level of organization, prioritization, and focus? If that parent were to approach the situation from a teaching standpoint instead, here are some of the most essential differences to consider.

MEASURABLE OUTCOMES

Good teaching is, at its core, organized around measurable outcomes. One approach to this iscalled Backward Design. Using this method, you would:

● First, define the learning objective (ie. Child will clean and maintain an orderly bedroom)

● Then, decide what evidence would demonstrate mastery (ie. Child will put toys away immediately after using them; Child will put toys away in their appropriate and designated places; Child will make a habit of cleaning the bedroom for 15 minutes every evening without getting distracted)

● Finally, plan learning activities and instruction around those specific objectives and types of evidence

DISCUSSION VS TELLING

While the first step in the teaching process still includes direct instruction, it helps to explore that information as a discussion instead. Consider some potential discussion questions:

● Why is it important to keep a clean room?

● What problems could come from having a messy room?

● How do you feel while in a clean room versus a messy room? Why do you think that is?

● Why do you think it’s hard for you to keep it clean?

● What ideas do you have that would improve your ability to keep it clean moving forward?

● Is there anything I can do to help?

In this context, you still communicate vital information about what it means to clean a room, why it’s important, and what you recommend. Because it is a discussion, however, it will also encourage your children to think critically and problem-solve, empowering them to reframe their understanding of the problem and approach solutions in a personally invested way.

ACTIVE LEARNING

Practice opportunities should gradually increase the amount of independent mastery, and while strategies vary widely, one simple approach is “I do, we do, you do.” Depending on your child’s level of independence, you might clean the room while your child watches and observes, then clean the room together. It is particularly helpful to vocalize your thought process, so they hear each step your mind goes through while cleaning. Next, your child would do so under supervision and guidance until they can manage their room independently and consistently. How long this takes depends entirely on the child’s unique timeline. For some, this might be a few days, for others, a few weeks - that’s perfectly natural! The bottom line is this: the best learning takes place in an active, hands-on, and engaged manner.

FEEDBACK

Once you have measurable goals in hand, and you are actively engaged in hands-on practice, one more critical piece comes into play: feedback. This a complex subject with a wide range of factors to consider, but good feedback should link directly to the original evidence described for the learning objective.

For example, if “Child will put toys away in their appropriate and designated places” was one of the pieces of evidence, this could be tracked daily. Each evening, review the room with your child. If the evidence isn’t where it should be, show your child where the item(s) should have been instead and provide guidance on how to avoid that error moving forward.

Depending on the situation, it can also be helpful to ask the child why they thought that was the appropriate place to put it. As surprising as it might be, giving explicit attention to errors and spending time reflecting on mistakes directly improves learning.

While not all situations stem from a skills deficit or require explicit instruction, it can be incredibly helpful to look at areas where they might be and revisit them from a ‘teaching’ instead of ‘telling’ approach. Setting measurable goals, identifying evidence, providing room for practice that becomes increasingly independent, and offering thoughtful feedback can all improve those skills that children struggle with and that may need a more targeted type of support.

Written by Brandi R.

Tools for Success: Brain Breaks and Mindfulness Activities

Consider the phrase “don’t cry over spilled milk”. More likely than not, you have heard, and probably even used, this phrase throughout your life. By now, you know that the phrase is used to encourage others not to worry about situations they cannot change. In a simple form, the intent of the phrase is to help others regulate their emotions and develop emotional intelligence. And while it can successfully accomplish those goals, most children need more than a saying to regulate their emotions when they are overstimulated or emotionally dysregulated. Telling children how to do something and showing them how to do something are two completely different concepts. Just think- would you expect a child to know how to hold, and read, a book without showing them? 

There are simple, yet powerful, ways to practice emotional wellbeing with your child at home. The frequency and timing of these activities will depend on the skills that your child already has. Some children may need to practice these strategies during homework help while others may need help managing their big emotions as they arise. Whatever the context, these specific strategies will build the foundational skills your child needs to regulate their emotions with more independence:

Brain breaks and mindfulness activities are excellent opportunities to help keep children motivated, focused, and ready to learn. Most successful brain breaks are planned or used as a strategy when children have an inability to focus due to emotional dysregulation. Depending on your child’s needs and interests, brain breaks can include movement, mindfulness, or educational content. Here are a few examples of how they can be implemented at home:

• Timed intervals: Set a timer while your child is working on a long, or complex, task. When the timer goes off, have your child pause when they have reached a good stopping point. 

• Quantities: Set work-related goal with your child. Goals can range from smaller to larger chunks such as a number of problems, a complete assignment, or part of a project.

• Dysregulation: Use brain breaks and mindfulness activities to rebalance your child’s emotions if they become dysregulated, extremely fatigued, or unmotivated while working.

• Reinforce content with educational videos, or music. Let children reflect and practice mindfulness through a series of written or auditory prompts.

Here is a list of activities your child may enjoy:

• Go Noodle: A free resource with a variety of brain breaks, exercises, and mindfulness

• Cosmic Kids Yoga: A Youtube series with various Yoga tutorials

• Mindfulness Coloring Books, or free printable pages

• Youtube Freeze Dances: Coach Corey Martin, P.E. with Mr. G, or Matthew Wood with movement inspired activities

• BrightenUp! Kids: Free yoga, mindfulness, affirmations, and reflection tutorials with themes like Shake Off Those Icky Feelings and Butterfly Hug

• Educational games, puzzles, or strategy games for brain breaks and skill practice

• Creativity exploration: directed drawings, musical lessons, journaling, nature walks/5 senses writing, painting, or listening to music

Utilizing structured brain breaks during extended work sessions (i.e homework, cleaning, after school activities) can successfully help children regain focus and apply their best effort. By teaching these strategies at home, you are providing students with tools they can learn to implement independently when they are feeling dysregulated. Whether they’ve quite literally “spilled milk”, are fatigued at the end of a long day, or are struggling to focus, brain breaks are like a mini “reset” button that could provide clarity. 

Written by Ami Z.

The Gift of Choice: Ending the Power Struggle

Once your child learns the magic of the word “no,” it often feels like just about everything has the potential to create a power struggle. From getting dressed to taking a bath to bedtime, each new direction runs the risk of resistance and meltdowns. To make matters worse, this power struggle can last long after the toddler season has passed - as adolescents push even more passionately for their freedom to make choices and direct their own lives.

One of the most effective ways to address this tension is to harness the power of choice. By providing multiple acceptable options and then allowing children the freedom to select from them, parents can ensure their children’s needs and safety are met while simultaneously creating opportunities for them to develop executive functioning skills and age-appropriate self- direction.

To better understand how this might be applied in daily life, here are some examples of the power of choice when handling meals, bedtime, and transitions/delayed gratification. With the overarching principle in mind, it becomes easier to invent new, creative adaptations that can naturally evolve with your child’s unique personality, age, and needs.

MEALS

Meals can be a challenge for so many different reasons. We want to ensure children meet their nutritional needs, but it’s also important to help them develop a healthy relationship with food and not associate it with conflict, force, or avoidance. They are learning how to listen to and respect their hunger cues, and the age-old tradition of ‘clear the plate’ forces those cues to be ignored. A 2017 study from the National Institute of Health found that with the right balance between structure and autonomy, the power of choice can be a powerful tool that promotes their involvement and limits ‘food fussiness.’

● If the struggle is about what to eat, try providing a list of acceptable options and let your child choose from those. For example, you might share 10+ vegetables that could be included in their snacks this coming week and ask which ones are their favorites.

● If the struggle is more about the eating process itself, choices might include in what order they want to eat the items on their plate or what song to hum while chewing each new bite.

● Sometimes, focusing too much on the food itself can lead to avoidable conflicts. Try having a list of 100 kid-friendly discussion questions and prompting them to choose a number between 1 and 100. Then, have each person at the table take turns answering them. This strategy recenters the focus on family connection instead of fixating on the meal itself.

BEDTIME

● Ask your child whether they would like to have a bubble bath, do yoga stretches, or read together before bedtime. This cues your child into the fact that the time is approaching but hasn’t arrived yet, and there’s still a chance to have at least a little more fun before then. It also helps to choose activities that are calming and avoid electronics or overly stimulating games or exercises.

● After that first cue passes and it’s time to lay down, try giving choices for which blanket to use, ask what position they like to sleep in, and envision what kinds of dreams they hope to have. These questions not only help cultivate a strong relationship and bond, but they continuously allow your children to feel a sense of empowerment and self-determination in something as simple as bedtime.

TRANSITIONS & ‘NOT RIGHT NOW’

● If it’s difficult for your child to make transitions between activities or to leave something fun, potential choices might include whether to head home now or stay for 10 more minutes, or asking them for suggestions of what to do next after this has ended.

● Sometimes, it’s not an issue of ‘no’ but rather, ‘not right now.’ For example, if your child asks for ice cream and it’s not the appropriate time/place, an example response could be, “Oh I love ice cream too, that’s a great idea! I think it would be even better if we could do that with Grandma since she also loves ice cream. Should we go see her this weekend and have ice cream together? What flavors should we get?” While “No” is a natural and unavoidable part of life, that doesn’t mean it’s the only response to every question a child asks that doesn’t warrant an immediate “Yes.”

Making decisions as a parent about what’s best for your child while also encouraging their independence and decision-making skills can be difficult goals to balance. If power struggles regularly lead to meltdowns and tears, providing a few choices can be transformative not only in the prevention of conflict but also in the development of essential life skills and deepening the relationship between you and your child.

Written by Brandi R.

College and Career Readiness for Little Learners

From a very young age, students are asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Our little learners begin to uncover their life’s dreams and explore different career opportunities they may be interested in. Young students identify common occupations, like teacher, doctor, chef, and electrician. Sometimes, rather ambitious double occupations, like teacher/vet are named with admiration. And while it may be instinct to encourage students to limit their search to ONE full time job, the truth of the matter is that many professionals choose to explore careers throughout their life’s journey despite their prior knowledge or education. So, how can we equip little learners with the tools they need to explore these options and be successful despite their final career choices?

College and Career Readiness skills support a variety of tools and strategies related to organizational techniques, critical thinking, social-emotional intelligence, and a variety of life skills that ultimately promote executive functions. There are many benefits to using College and Career Readiness strategies throughout learning. These strategies focus on essential skills that support overall communication, problem solving, leadership, creativity, and responsibility. 

 Students can practice these skills in a variety of ways:

• Practice structured note-taking while reading or a visual/auditory presentation of information

• Analyze problems by discussing appropriate solutions that will be most effective

• Use organizational tools like graphic organizers, planners, trapper keepers, desk organizers, color coding information, and other organizational systems

• Discuss important feelings and emotions to expand emotional intelligence

• Engage with mindfulness activities

Many schools are adopting programs, such as AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) that incorporate College and Career Readiness skills into their curriculum, resources, and daily routine. Schools can support little learners by taking time in their busy days to explicitly learn essential skills required for successful job application. Additionally, using classroom jobs, homework planners, and daily routines will help students develop organizational and responsibility skills. Implementing social-emotional curriculums, morning meetings, or daily discussions can help students expand their social emotional intelligence. Schools may also choose to incorporate project based learning opportunities to develop citizenship and problem solving skills. Classrooms may also support their college and career readiness by creating collaborative work environments, using student-led opportunities (conferences, meetings, presentations) to address personal/academic challenges and strengths, and educational field trips to explore opportunities. Career Day is a great opportunity to explore different options and start promoting career inquiry. It is also a great way for families to engage by discussing their educational backgrounds and careers.

While college exploration is valuable, it is equally important for these structures to include career exploration so that students understand their options and the essential skills needed to be successful in both areas. For example, as students continue their education, teachers often hear “I’m not going to college so this doesn’t matter”. From a young age, students need to have access to important strategies that will help them as they embark on their exploration of career interests. Not only will these skills support academic success, they will also give students the appropriate tools needed to be successful in day-to-day life, workplace environments, educational settings, and self-management.

Written by Ami Z.

The 3-Step Guide to Effective Binder Organization for Students

If your child’s backpack is overflowing with crumpled papers and chaos, you probably know just how hard it can be to help them effectively organize their schoolwork. For students who struggle with executive functioning skills, one of the most common challenges is organization. This often carries over to impact their grades and performance - they can’t find that homework assignment (“I knew I had it somewhere!”) or English notes are buried somewhere in their math notebook. Teaching children how to implement and maintain an effective binder system to manage their school work can be a game-changer. It improves their performance and success at school, and the process itself strengthens several of the key executive functions they will need for the rest of their lives.

This simple, 3-step guide can help support that effort, but be sure to collaborate and create the system together instead of doing it for them. It is a perfect opportunity to learn how and why these kinds of systems work, and this understanding is crucial for them to successfully maintain that system after it’s been established.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BINDERS

First, take a field trip together to go binder shopping. Look for their favorite colors or designs to help create a sense of personal investment and pride from the start, and try to choose binders that are durable and can endure the rigor of the school year.

Depending on the number of classes and amount of paper content your student has, consider working with one extra large binder and adding dividers to separate each class, or if there is substantial content, create one binder per subject. If you choose to create one per class, a good rule of thumb is to use 1-2 inch binders that provide enough space for content inside the binder and for all of the binders to fit comfortably in a backpack.

Lastly, having an extra binder to hold past work is also recommended. This way, your student doesn’t need to carry every piece of old content each day, and it is safely stored away for future reference, final exams, etc. For example, finished projects, tests/quizzes, assignments, and notes can all come in handy when preparing for comprehensive summative assessments. Referring back to old feedback can also improve performance on new content. As students review content in their current binders to decide what can be moved to the ‘old content’ binder, they are also developing their executive functioning skill of prioritization.

ORGANIZING WITH DIVIDERS

Inside each binder, use dividers to separate different sections. If using one binder for all classes, the dividers will usually be structured based on each class. If you are creating one binder per class, look at how the course content is broken up (ie. notes, quizzes, and tests). If the course doesn’t have a clear format for organizing content, consider the following categories:

● Class Notes

● Assignments

● Tests and Quizzes

● Homework

Involve your child by strategizing together on what method would be best for the dividers, and ask them to label each divider clearly and consistently. This simple act helps reinforce your child’s executive functioning skills, particularly organization and working memory.

While it is considered best practice to maintain a separate agenda to track daily class activities, announcements, and homework, an alternative option is to create a checklist for each class and store it at the front of each class’s binder (or divider). Either way, using this to track each day’s homework and upcoming due dates will help enhance their task initiation and completion skills.

REVIEWing AND EVOLVing

Set aside time each week to review the contents of the binders together. This not only reinforces the organization but also provides an opportunity to discuss upcoming deadlines and areas needing extra attention. If your child struggles with executive functions, such as planning and organization, regular review sessions with a tutor can be particularly beneficial. They might even benefit from supplemental tutoring focused on executive functioning skills.

As your child becomes accustomed to the binder system, encourage them to take ownership of their organization. Ideally, it should naturally evolve and adapt to your child’s needs. If a certain setup isn’t working, show them it’s normal to adjust and make changes. Each week, as they sort and file the content in appropriate sections, note any moments where they feel like something doesn’t have a good section to call ‘home,’ or if there is a section that seems to stay relatively empty/unnecessary. Ask them to consider what kind of new category might be better suited.

By cultivating these habits, you’re not just organizing schoolwork—you’re building essential executive functioning skills like self-regulation, task management/initiation, organization, prioritization, planning, and metacognition.

Written by Brandi R.

Helping your Child Understand Routines and Checklists

Checklists are a visual tool that people use as early as elementary school and most likely continue to use throughout their adult lives. However, checklists are a learned skill. For beginners, there are some essential Do’s and Don'ts that can contribute to effective time management and organization skills. It’s important to consider that an adult’s checklist will look different than a child’s. For example, your checklist may have “Do the dishes” which you know includes unloading the dishwasher, re-loading the dishwasher, hand washing/drying any dishes, AND cleaning the sink out. But for a child, these intuitive thoughts do not flow easily, so how can we guide children through the extensive thought processes of checklists and routines? 

Create a Routine

Creating a routine can be an essential way for children to process their schedules and ensure consistent and fluent behaviors for a specific time of day (i.e. Morning, After School, Bedtime). Routines can be a combination of expected tasks from the adults at home and choices of activities from the child. By incorporating a mixture of must-do and may-do activities, children may not get burnt out as quickly and feel ownership and enjoyment in their daily routines. 

Develop Specific Steps/Checklists  

As mentioned before, children may not have the ability to process through all the of required tasks for part of a routine to be considered “done”. Using checklists and subparts can help guide children to begin thinking of these independently. For example, if a child’s morning routine includes “making the bed”, try asking your child “What is the process for making your bed? What specific steps do you need to take?”. You can guide children by prompting them to use transitional phrases (first, next, then, etc.) and reminding them of any steps they may have forgotten.

Explore Time

Children may need additional support to decide how long each item will take. You can encourage them to explore this concept by practicing their routines and timing each task. You may need to remind them that it could take a couple of tries before they are efficient in each task. Remind them to build in extra time for “unexpected” circumstances. There’s no need to cry over spilt milk, but there should be extra time built into routines just in case!

Write expectations

Children can begin thinking through each process through different writing activities. How-to writing exercises, journaling, and reflective activities can help children identify specific steps required for each task, strengths, and future areas for improvement. 

Use a Checklist 

Checklists can be an effective way to help children ensure they complete the required tasks of each part of their routine. It is essential to use clear language that is specific to the task. For example, a daily routine may include “clean your room”. However, cleaning your room  requires sub-tasks such as “making the bed, putting clothes away, putting toys away in the correct place”. Including these sub-tasks in a checklist specific to your family’s expectations can create clear objectives and procedures for your child to follow, which will create successful completion/routines. 

Routines and procedures are essential for building executive functioning skills such as organization, planning, and time management. They can be taught through guided practice so that children can begin independently thinking through small steps needed to complete larger tasks and projects. These skills can also promote problem solving and create critical thinking skills which can transfer into school activities. Routines and checklists are flexible resources that should fit your family’s needs. There are many editable checklists that you can use to create a visual reminder for your children. Include them in this process to make the most of your household routines and checklists!

Written by Ami Z.

Behavior 101: Understanding Positive and Negative Reinforcement

In the often complex world of behavioral analysis, the simplest and most fundamental question is this: what variables influence behavior? Every adult who interacts with children finds themselves faced with this question as they work to encourage desirable behaviors and discourage undesirable ones.

While many parents have heard terms like ‘positive’ and ‘negative reinforcement’ before, they are often associated with misconceptions about what they truly mean. When the basic principles of behavioral modification are understood, they can be used to craft a more informed and intentional approach to discipline. Similarly, knowing how these variables differ for children with ADHD supports a more nuanced grasp of how they work in action and what strategies will lead to improved outcomes. 

4 KEY TERMS FOR BEHAVIORAL INFLUENCE

First, there are two modes of influence: 

1. Reinforcement, which aims to ‘reinforce’ or increase a desired behavior

2. Punishment, which aims to decrease undesirable behavior

Second, there are two ways of approaching both reinforcement and punishment:

1. Positive, which adds a stimulus (environmental change)

2. Negative, which removes a stimulus

See a visual example here.

REINFORCEMENT: INCREASING DESIRED BEHAVIORS

Positive reinforcement means that if you want to increase the frequency of a certain behavior, you would add (positive) a stimulus (ie. reward). Some examples of positive reinforcers include verbal/written praise, tokens/points that can be redeemed for something of value, and tangible items like candy, toys, treats, etc.

Positive reinforcers should be:

1. Carefully selected - using food has unfortunately been linked to negative effects, whereas more ‘natural’ consequences create a stronger connection between the action and the result (ex. cleaning a room quickly/completely might mean that now there is enough time to go to the park or to play an extra game together)

2. Quickly delivered - reinforcement patterns have a tremendous influence on behavioral outcomes; wherever possible, avoid overly delayed reinforcers (the sooner, the better) 

3. Consistent - results take time, and inconsistency may unintentionally lead to worsening behavior

4. Directly linked to the behavior - explain precisely why the desired behavior was important and how/why it is linked to receiving the reward/reinforcer

Interestingly, deciding how to implement positive reinforcement is particularly important for children with ADHD, as they demonstrate higher sensitivity to both punishment and rewards (Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 2020). Behavior modification for these children should take into consideration the strong preference for immediate over delayed rewards and the heightened need for consistent, high-value reinforcers. 

On the other hand, while negative reinforcement also aims to increase the frequency of a desired behavior, it achieves this through the removal (negative) of a stimulus (something unwanted). For example, if a class is well-behaved, the teacher may waive a homework assignment.

The term negative reinforcement is often mistakenly used to refer to the reduction of undesirable behaviors; however, the correct term for this is punishment.

It is widely understood that positive reinforcement works better and faster - by far - than punishment does (National Library of Medicine). When adults are frustrated that ‘nothing is working’ for behavioral change, this is often directly associated with multiple forms of punishment for undesirable behaviors without positive rewards in place for good behavior.

PUNISHMENT: DECREASING UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIORS

In contrast to reinforcement, punishment aims to reduce undesirable behavior, and positive/negative still refers to the addition or removal of a stimulus. Positive punishment, then, is the addition of an aversive stimulus, such as being given extra chores or having to write an essay about a poor choice, and negative punishment is the removal of a desired stimulus, such as taking away privileges, attention, or toys. 

When it comes to positive punishment, or the addition of a stimulus to decrease a behavior, this often is associated with physical punishment. It is now widely understood that all forms of physical punishment are discouraged, due to its strong association with antisocial behaviors, aggression, and negatively impacted child development.

While some mild forms of negative punishment (such as losing privileges) may “increase on-task behavior and reduce undesirable behaviors effectively in the short-term… its long-term use and/or the use of positive punishment may have unanticipated and unwanted side-effects in children with ADHD” (Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 2020). This approach can also lead to children being motivated by a desire to avoid punishment, rather than an intrinsic drive to perform well or a sense of true engagement with the desired behavior.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Positive reinforcement - or the addition of a stimulus/reward in response to ‘good behavior’ - is regarded as the most effective approach to influencing behavior.

• Punishment is less effective in the long term and is associated with potentially negative effects.

• When it comes to children with ADHD, it is especially important to use positive reinforcers that are a) consistent, b) immediate, and c) high-value.

• Using this understanding to promote better outcomes in children’s behavior leads to improved performance in school, at home, in relationships, and in emotional regulation.

Written by Brandi R.

Setting Positive Intentions for the School Year Ahead

In what may seem like the blink of an eye, summer vacation is coming to a close as schools begin to open for the upcoming school year. And in these few weeks, your child may have a rush of different emotions: first day jitters, excitement, nervousness, and maybe even hopefulness for the school year ahead. These feelings are completely normal, and valid, as your child embarks on a new journey. However, as your child emotionally prepares, there are ways you can encourage them to look forward to, and prepare for, the upcoming school year. 

As children begin school and learn more about their upcoming school year and teachers, it can benefit them to reflect on their intentions. Identifying goals can create a positive outlook and keep your student accountable throughout the year. 

Reflection

Reflection is a great first step for creating positive intentions. Reflections helps your child think back on the successes and areas of improvement from the previous school year. After goals are set, children can incorporate reflective practices in their daily routines throughout the school year. There are many great reflection prompts and self-regulation workbooks that can help you and your child monitor their emotions and intentions throughout the school year.

Goal Setting

Reflection and goal setting can be used together to promote intentional focus for the school year. Many teachers use goal setting strategies to help students take accountability of their learning throughout the year. This helps set positive intentions for the upcoming school year because students are aware of specific skills they need to work on throughout the year and will learn self-monitoring skills to guide them. 

Visualization

Children can explore and present these goals in a number of ways: graphic organizers, letter to themselves, vision board, or even technology based modes (Canva, Powerpoint, Google Slides Prezi, etc). This helps your child create new intentions for the school year, and express them creatively. Creativity can be challenging for some students, so exploring different forms for creativity can help your child feel more confident in their abilities and even inspire positive intentions. 

Morning Routines

Morning routines can incorporate some of the different strategies listed above to set a daily positive intention. Children can create habits that include reviewing goals, setting a daily intention, reflecting on the previous day, or choosing a mindfulness strategy to prepare their brain and body for the upcoming challenges of the day.

Weekly Focus/Daily Affirmations

A weekly focus can help children learn how to segment their large goals into smaller, more manageable pieces. Using a weekly focus or daily affirmation can also reinforce a positive mindset and encourage children to start each day fresh. There are many books children can use for guided practice.

Setting positive intentions with your child will help them feel prepared for the upcoming school year. These positive intentions should be practiced frequently and continued throughout the school year. Even though specific goals may change, positive intentions can help children learn how to cope with some of the more challenging emotions and think positively about their desired outcomes.

Written by Ami Z.

Beat the Heat: Indoor Activities to Keep Kids Active and Healthy

Excessive heat warnings and record temperatures can make it challenging for children in Phoenix to get the kinds of body movement they need while stuck inside. Exercise is essential for kids’ mental and physical health, improves executive function, and doesn’t always have to include leaving the house. Unfortunately, according to the CDC, less than 24% of children 6 to 17 years old engage in the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Here are some strategies for getting those sillies out at any age, even when it’s 118 degrees.

MOVEMENT GAMES

One way to get kids active indoors is to incorporate movement-driven games that are friendly to smaller spaces. Some examples include: Simon Says, Twister, hide and seek, hopscotch, charades, fort building, paper airplanes, musical chairs, and obstacle courses.

For younger children, ask them to imitate animal walks and show off their best frog jumps or alligator crawls. Older children can create a scavenger hunt around the house, then hide the clues and help solve them. Another easy game is to blow up a balloon and see how long they can keep it in the air without hitting the floor. To have extra fun playing as a family, add a musical component and put on everyone’s favorite songs to get them dancing. If there are multiple participants, turn it into a game of Freeze Dance and pause at intervals to see who can stop and start on time.

INDOOR EXERCISE

Without the benefit of a PE class offered at school, and with the added challenge of the heat outside, children need to be given structured opportunities to exercise for at least an hour each day inside the home. The CDC recommends that this time is centered mostly around aerobic exercises (running, jumping, swimming, etc), but it should also incorporate muscle- and bone-strengthening (push-ups, jumping jacks, crab walks, stairs, etc) activities as well.

One simple strategy to meet this need is to locate exercise videos on YouTube or other preferred platforms that children can follow. Ideally, the videos should be selected according to the child’s age, skill, and unique preferences. There are countless types to choose from, including gymnastics for any level, martial arts, flexibility/stretching, aerobics, balance, mindfulness-oriented movement, and more. For example, a morning-focused video can offer some AM warm-ups while a more calming yoga practice can be done on the living room floor before bed to improve sleep.

Yoga can be a particularly valuable and accessible choice for indoor exercise that is associated with a wide range of benefits. These include improving emotional regulation, stress management, body awareness, mindfulness, concentration, memory, strength, flexibility, and self-esteem, while also reducing anxiety and impulsivity. There are plenty of different types and levels, too, so it can be used for both energizing and bedtime routines at any age.

Ultimately, children can and should still benefit from daily physical activity even if they are limited on time outdoors during the summer months. Intentionally providing opportunities to play games that involve movement and participate in indoor exercise can meet this need without costing money or giving anyone a sunburn.

Written by Brandi R.

Developing Flexible Thinkers Through Extracurricular Activities

Flexible thinking is a powerful tool as it contributes to successful problem solving, adaptability, perseverance, and contributes to metacognition and positive thinking. This type of thinking can be implicitly and explicitly practiced through intentional practice, modeling, and embedding these skills in the activities children are completing. Flexible thinking allows children to view situations from multiple perspectives and apply a variety of solution-oriented strategies in a safe environment.

Children learn the importance of flexibility from a young age in PE, athletics, and extracurricular activities. For example, if you were to watch the first ten minutes of a softball practice, you would see active children preparing their bodies for a practice or  game. What you won’t be able to see, however, is that children are not only practicing active flexibility, but they are also preparing their minds to practice flexible thinking skills. Although it is hidden, it is equally important for their success. Extracurricular activities, including hobbies, sports, clubs, and community service, build essential flexible thinking skills.

Hobbies and Clubs

Hobbies are an excellent way for children to learn about themselves, their interests, and practice flexible thinking. Hobbies such as painting, music, photography, writing, yoga, and cooking allow children to explore solutions to difficult problems. Overcoming writer’s block, adjusting a new yoga pose, and modifying a recipe are all different ways children can practice flexible thinking. Creative and critical thinking can also promote mental flexibility. Various clubs can improve these skills such as Chess, Drama, Improv, Art, and Book clubs can provide structured opportunities for students to practice enhancing their skills.

Sports

Different sports and mindful activities can help children develop mental flexibility through task analyzing and routines. Oftentimes children need to analyze their performance for improvements, make real-time decisions, find quick solutions for problems that arise, adjust their performance as needed, process information, and practice situational awareness. These skills can be improved during practice and during their team or individual performance (i.e game, meet, competition). 

Community Service

Community service is a great way for children to get involved and give back to the community. For young children, this may be done as part of a group such as Boy Scouts or an athletic team. While doing so, they can also practice their mental flexibility. When completing community service, children are faced with different problems they may need to overcome. Some situations may be unpredictable and require quick thinking to face these challenges. Other types of community service may encourage children to engage with the process of developing a plan. All of these examples require different components of flexible thinking which children can practice with support until they are able to perform specific tasks independently.

The flexible thinking skills learned through extracurricular activities can translate into real-world experiences. Children can use these skills to help solve problems, use positive self-talk, welcome changes to plans, and overcome challenges. By learning these skills early, children are more likely to continue exercising what they have learned throughout adulthood. Unfortunately, challenges don’t go away as children grow up- they typically get more complicated. Continuing to practice these skills will help children successfully manage changes and uncertainties as adults.

To see Peak’s last blog on flexible thinking, click here.

 Written by Ami Z.

Summer Survival Guide: How to Create an Activities Menu for Kids with ADHD

It can be hard enough to reduce screen time for kids in general, but the often unstructured and indoor nature of summers in the Phoenix Valley can unlock a new level of difficulty for parents of children with ADHD. While getting out of the house is a great way to spend the break, it isn’t always a sustainable choice for the long haul.

For many parents, hearing comments like ‘I’m bored’ and ‘There’s nothing to do’ signals a familiar struggle: decision fatigue. This is particularly true for children with executive function disorders. Decision fatigue occurs because “ADHDers struggle to filter out irrelevant information to focus on what’s most important. The struggle can lead to a significant cognitive load as information is weighed, making even small decisions feel big” (Michael Ascher, M.D., and Lauren Ascher, J.D. M.S.T., 2024). 

ENTER: THE ACTIVITIES MENU

Feeling overwhelmed by the task of choosing what to do during the day, amplified by a reduced sense of structure in general, can be a recipe for meltdowns and conflict. Fortunately, simplifying daily decisions with an activities menu can help prevent them. Working together with your child, brainstorm as many activities as you can. Providing a guided list of non-electronic activities offers a simple resource that encourages them to get creative about how to keep themselves entertained and empowers them with the gift of both structure and choice.

CREATE CATEGORIES

Aim for a variety of activity types, such as physical movement, art, music, reading, play, etc. Movement might include dancing to music, playing hide and seek, or following guided exercise videos for children. If reading and writing are generally a challenge, these can be more exciting after a trip to the library for new material, or when writing a letter to a family member who lives far away. For playtime, they might list the toys currently in their room, such as legos, blocks, and puzzles. If encouraging your child to entertain themselves more independently is a priority, it can also be helpful to create a list of activities that can be done alone versus collaboratively, such as coloring on their own or playing a board game together. 

ON THE HUNT FOR IDEAS

Running out of ideas? Check out Peak’s article on Summer Boredom Busters. Make a research project out of it on Google to see what new ideas you can read about. An adventure together around the house might discover an old pack of bubbles from a birthday party, some cake mix that hasn’t been baked yet, or other small surprises lying around. Even a sheet in the hall closet could become ‘Build a fort’ on the activity menu. Is the list getting too long? Write the ideas on slips of paper in a jar to be pulled as needed throughout the day. Or, the menu can be spread out as separate lists for different days, to help mix things up.

TAKEAWAYS

• Summer boredom can lead to cognitive overwhelm as children with ADHD try to decide what to do with their free time.

• Creating an activities menu can provide a sense of structure and empowered choices, while also reducing screen time and promoting creative problem-solving.

• Activities menus are ideally designed around non-electronic entertainment, and they incorporate variety in the types of choices provided.

Written by Brandi R.

Summer Boredom Busters

As the initial excitement of summer vacation wears off, children may be searching for ways to fill their time normally spent in school. Summer days most likely feel longer for children as they transition from spending their weekdays filled with content, routines, and tightly wound schedules at school to a looser summer schedule. And while your child may be enrolled in summer school, camps, sports, or other activities, it can be challenging to fill an entire day with engagement all summer long. So, what can you do when your child is looking for “summer fun” on a slow day or a day without pre-planned activities? Here are some boredom busters to boost your child’s excitement this summer.

Physical Activity

• Create an obstacle course and try to beat your previous record each week!

• Watch self-guided fitness or mindfulness videos that model how to complete exercises.

• Find movement-based brain breaks for kids. These can easily be searched on YouTube! There are many to explore until your child finds a specific type they like.

• Create active routines: riding bikes, taking walks, practicing sports, etc. for a specific amount of time each day.

• Spend time doing outdoor activities: jump rope, hula hooping, jumping on the trampoline, etc.

• Invite water play, such as running through a sprinkler, swimming at the pool, or using a Slip N’ Slide.

ways to Express Creativity

• Create a Summer Boredom Buster ​​Bucket List and pick one task to complete each day.

• Complete a scavenger hunt.

• Pick up new hobbies, such as painting, drawing, dancing, jewelry making, pottery, and more! Many stores have kits you can buy for guided practice.

• Try cooking or baking new recipes. 

• Draw pictures using guided videos from Art for Kids Hub.

• Explore photography with a class or on your own by taking pictures of different interests.

• Build with legos, blocks, or other household items.

• Run a lemonade stand.

• Play with sidewalk chalk. 

• Try journaling or expressive writing. Kids can set a timer for free-writing, write about nature topics, write stories in sidewalk chalk, keep a daily journal reflection, etc!

Learning opportunities

• Explore a new language with different apps, such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Gus on the Go, and more.

• Make observations and/or hypotheses about an interesting topic. If up for the challenge, create a plan to test the hypothesis. 

• Keep an exploration journal of new places visited, nature walks taken, or parks visited!

• Spend time focusing on handwriting practice: always check for correct capitalization. punctuation, spelling, and complete sentences!

• Try puzzles, strategy games, chess, educational apps, logic puzzles, etc.

• Create and complete a reading challenge, especially with a fun, new book.

• Make a daily routine and hang a poster in your room with the details.

• Help plant or care for a garden.

• Make an invention. Draw a picture, create a model, write about it, and explain how the invention can be used by others.

Summer can be the perfect time to try a new hobby, explore new ideas, or strengthen the skills your child already has. There are many ways to help empower your children this summer! Children can use this time to create daily routines of their own and feel a sense of independence. However, as you help fill your child’s summer days with engaging activities, don't forget the importance of downtime, which can be a great way to incorporate different mindfulness activities, such as drawing, journaling, or yoga!

Written by Ami Z.

Memory Books: Creating A Visual Representation of the Year's Biggest Achievements

The end of the school year is the perfect time for you and your child to reflect on the successes and achievements of the year! Working with your child to create a memory book is one of the best ways to compile all of the year’s accomplishments and set them on a stage for review. Not only is the process of creating a memory book fun, but it also provides practice with executive functioning skills, like organization, planning, and metacognition, and results in a meaningful keepsake that can be cherished for years to come. Below are some tips and ideas for creating a memory book. Think of these as a starting point and see where this project takes you!

Materials

First, let’s take a look at what components will help to define the past year for your child. This memory book may take on a more academic profile, a more social one, or ideally, be a nice mix of both! Photographs are, of course, one of the main items that will take up space inside a memory book. But you can also add items like report cards, treasured artwork, stories written, meaningful notes or compliments from friends and teachers, and essays or projects. For the memory book, you’ll want to find a blank scrapbook or notebook (or even just blank card stock that you later bind or staple together). You will also need basics like scissors, glue, tape, etc. Patterned paper and stickers are fun too!

Organization

Memory books can be organized chronologically by the different months of the school year or by semesters even! They can also be organized by different types of content. For example, there might be a “school success” section which has all of the items that are school-related, an “extracurriculars” section which highlights all of the achievements made during sports and arts classes, and a “friends and family” section which captures important memories made with loved ones throughout the year!

LayouT

Before adding everything to the actual book, take some time to organize all of the items that will go into the scrapbook by page. You can create a little folder or bag to hold all of the items that you want grouped together for each page or section of the scrapbook. Lay out all of the items on a table before gluing or taping them down onto the pages of the book.

Personalization

After adding all of the special mementos to the book, take some time to encourage a little bit more reflection. Leave space for your child to write captions, anecdotes, quotes, or even little stories next to the items they have chosen to add. For example, if they chose to include an essay that they wrote, next to it they could write, “I was super proud of this essay because…” Having these extra little notes and thoughts included will be so fun for your child to look back at during the years to come!

Creating a memory book is a fantastic way to reflect on the school year and document cherished memories!

Written by Laine J.

Fun Ways to Build Metacognition Over the Summer

Schools all across the country are beginning to prepare for the end of the year. Teachers are preparing final grades, students are turning in their last few assignments, and families are gearing up for summer vacation. Many students can feel the heat of summer approaching and are counting down the minutes until the final bell of the year rings, which means they may be slowly engaging less and less with their coursework. And while students may view this time of year as the “home stretch”, it is an excellent time to encourage them to continue to practice metacognitive strategies throughout the summer months.

“Metacognition is, put simply, thinking about one’s thinking” (Chick, 2013). It focuses on the thinking process and allows students to take ownership in their learning through ongoing self-reflection. However, thinking can be an exhausting process. Rapid thoughts, wandering mind, short attention span, and inner dialogue can all be challenges when it comes to metacognition. Luckily, there are strategies to improve metacognition with practice, such as checklists, goal setting, reflection, and many more.  And while there are many schools implementing these metacognition strategies, there are also fun ways to incorporate them at home!

JOURNAL ENTRIES

Reflection is an excellent way to promote the metacognitive process. Questions like “How was your day overall? What went well? Was there anything you would do differently next time? What challenges did you overcome and how?” can help prompt students to process their thoughts with intention. Journal entries can also help students identify any patterns or trends they see in their thinking process. For younger students, sentence writing with pictures would be a great way to start building writing stamina. Encourage students to add details to their drawing or writing and reflect on what they added!

PROBLEM SOLVING PUZZLES

Different puzzles, such as logic puzzles, crosswords, spot the differences, etc., can help your child develop their thinking skills. Logic puzzles can help children reflect on what they know, what they can infer, and what they do not know yet. Working through new information helps build observation skills. Solving puzzles also promotes the use of checklists to help keep track of information that is processed. Puzzles are a fun and engaging way to help students develop self-monitoring skills without it feeling like another assignment.

GAMES 

Various games can help children with metacognition. Strategy games can provide children with the tools they need to analyze, reflect, and respond. You can even ask prompting questions during these activities to help guide their thinking process. Additionally, modeling your thinking out loud can help students see examples of metacognition. Games like Life, Chess, Risk, Sequence, Connect Four, Battleship, Monopoly, and Sorry can help develop these skills. 

BOOK/TV SHOW CLUB

Book or TV Show Clubs can be a great combination of enjoyment and metacognition practice! Scaffolding information into smaller chunks (i.e. chapters or episodes) can help children process information in greater detail. Provide guiding questions, or allow children to ask their own questions, to help promote metacognition. Focusing on problems, solutions, and new learning can help children discover more about the bigger picture. Study guides, journaling, and notetaking are great tools for students to write their thoughts down and think more deeply about the content. 

While it may seem like the school year is ready to close, there are still lessons to be learned, ideas to be shared, and thoughts to be formed. Modeling thinking processes and offering time for ongoing reflection can help children develop their metacognitive skills. Children may discover a hidden interest by improving the structure of their thinking and discovering ways to expand their knowledge.

Written by Ami Z.

Math Made Fun: Playful Strategies for Math Education

When it comes to the subject of math, words like "rigid," "defined," and "standardized" often spring to mind. However, the true nature of mathematics can be one of curiosity, wonder, and yes, playfulness! A play-based approach to math offers children the chance to transition from abstract concepts to concrete understanding in a deeply engaging manner. This blog dives into how integrating play into math education fosters a deeper comprehension.

Why play?

From an early age, "play" is an inherently human trait. Research shows, “During play, children’s brains are actively seeking and using skills such as negotiating, improvising, communicating, critical thinking, problem-solving, taking risks, sharing ideas, perspective-taking, creating, and learning from mistakes.” These abilities are fundamental for academic success, and math, in particular, demands solid problem-solving and critical thinking skills. A flexible and curious brain is more adept at strengthening these skills. By adopting a play-based approach to math from the start, children develop increased flexibility and stronger problem-solving abilities, preparing them for the ever-increasing complexities of math as they progress.

Let’s Play!

So, what does a play-based approach to math look like? Math often poses difficulties for children due to its abstract nature. Introducing play into math education bridges the gap between abstract concepts and concrete understanding. This approach enables children to grasp the "why" behind mathematical concepts, rather than relying solely on rote memorization. Here are some inspiring ideas for incorporating play into math education:

Math Manipulatives

An array of math manipulatives are available, from snap cubes and pattern blocks to dice and counting objects. In fact, almost anything can serve as a math manipulative, including Legos, coins, trinkets, and stickers! Think outside the box when it comes to counting, learning math facts, and simple computation skills by using manipulatives!

Food

What’s more fun than food? It not only captures children's interest but also provides a multi-sensory learning experience. Whether it's using apples to introduce fractions or M&M's for counting and ratios, food offers a delightful and engaging way to explore mathematical concepts.

Board Games

Many board games offer opportunities to practice math skills in a playful manner. Monopoly, for instance, enhances money sense and computation skills, while a deck of cards or dice can be utilized for various math concepts. Additionally, numerous board games are now designed explicitly to strengthen math skills in children.

Apps

Digital apps provide another opportunity for a play-based approach to mathematics. Often, children enjoy these games so much that they don't even realize they're doing math! In a previous Peak blog post, numerous apps were highlighted that cultivate confidence in elementary math skills through play and games.

By embracing playfulness, educators and parents can unlock children's inherent curiosity, leading to a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts from an early age. Through manipulatives, food, and games, math transitions from abstract memorization to tangible, interactive learning.

Written by Laine J.

When Motivation is Low: Finding the 'Want' to Persevere

The word motivation is often used to describe one's desire to complete various tasks. Typically, when someone is unmotivated, words such as “lazy” or “apathetic” are used to describe them. However, the National Library of Medicine views motivation as the “process whereby goal‐directed activities are initiated and sustained” (Cook & Artino, 2016). Adding the word “process” to the definition provides more clarity that motivation can be a learned behavior and may look different for each individual. For most people, it’s a lot easier to get motivated to do something you enjoy. So, how can you increase the sustainability of task completion when motivation is low?

Checklists

Most school homework assignments and projects require multiple steps for full completion. It can be overwhelming, especially for younger students, to focus their attention for an extended period without knowing the smaller steps required to complete the task in its entirety. By helping your child create a checklist and outlining the specific steps needed to complete each task, they will see the big picture while also understanding how much attention they will need to complete each individual step. It may be helpful to include a range of tasks (i.e. personal, educational, chore-based) with varying amounts of effort required to complete them. Often, the tasks seem more manageable and less scary when they are broken down into steps.

Must Do/May Do list

Tasks can be broken down into Must Do and May Do lists for your child to complete based on what absolutely must be completed in a particular day and what can wait. Oftentimes providing choices for the May Do’s will support your child’s task initiation. Your child might be motivated with the agreement that they can choose what they will work on next. Must Do/May Do lists can include a variety of topics - from household chores to homework to after school activities - based on your family’s schedule.

Reinforcement

Reinforcement, from oneself or others, can be a powerful tool to increase productivity levels. Rewards can be used in different capacities based on your child’s desire to complete specific tasks or assignments. For example, if they REALLY do not want to complete a task, you may choose a reward system that emphasizes positive reinforcement after each smaller step complete is completed. For example, if they are completing a homework assignment with ten questions, you could give them the option to earn a minute of free time for each question they complete. This will reward them more frequently to encourage them to persevere. They may also choose to be rewarded after a larger task is completed, like an entire assignment or chore, for a larger reward. 

Environmental Factors

Sometimes low motivation is developed based on environmental factors and distractions. You can try to enhance your child’s motivation by having them work in a clean space, using noise canceling headphones, utilizing comfortable seating, or selecting a new workspace. If they seem to be unmotivated, encourage them to change their scenery, limit distractions, or remove unnecessary clutter.

Low motivation can develop for several reasons: long tasks, disinterest in the topic or activity, previous experiences, lack of self-confidence, environmental factors, desire to be doing something else, and many others. Most tasks have a deadline which can cause even more pressure to get the task done. There are many ways to increase motivation to persevere during these difficult internal struggles. If motivation is something your child struggles with, have them try journaling and reflecting on the root cause and suggest new ways of persevering until they find something that works for them!

Written by Ami Z.

Empowering Children: Strategies to Teach Self-Advocacy Skills

When children are aware of their needs and, more importantly, how to communicate those needs, they can unlock a skill that promotes life-long success. Teaching children to advocate for themselves is a gradual process that involves weaving in age-appropriate strategies over time. The eventual goal is for every child to feel comfortable actively advocating for themselves in a variety of situations. Teaching self-advocacy skills to children involves building upon the foundation of both their self-awareness and confidence, starting from an early age.

Cultivating a Strong Sense of Self

Before even beginning to teach self-advocacy skills and language, it is crucial to nurture children and encourage them to build a strong sense of self. The more a child is in touch with their needs, wants, emotions, and feelings, the more they are able to connect those with the idea of asking for what they need in any situation. Refer to our past blog here, which gives specific strategies for supporting children as they develop a sense of self.

Encouraging Independence

As caregivers and educators, it is tempting to intervene when children face challenging situations. The natural instinct to find the path of least resistance can be strong. However, constantly stepping in when things get hard can eventually send a message to children that they are unable to do hard things without help, which can ultimately hinder their confidence. Instead, provide them with space and support to tackle obstacles on their own. By giving children time and grace to work matters out for themselves, they gain problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and confidence in themselves. These skills will all help them become better advocates for themselves down the road.

Developing a Language Toolbox

Equipping children with the language to articulate their needs is another important factor in teaching self-advocacy. For example, a child may know that they need certain accommodations in the classroom at school, but being able to actually voice those needs to their teachers requires a set of vocabulary they probably don’t inherently know how to utilize. Role-playing difficult situations is one wonderful way to teach children the foundation of vocabulary needed to advocate for themselves. When children have the language that they need readily at their fingertips, they will feel more empowered and confident, even in tricky situations. This website provides some great “self-advocacy” sentence starters for children with all kinds of specific needs in school!

Assigning Responsibilities

Providing children with tasks that they can complete on a regular basis not only makes them feel important but is also a great confidence booster. As they accomplish tasks, they realize their capabilities, ultimately allowing them to assert their wants and needs. Responsibilities should be given and adjusted as children continue to age. This blog gives some great ideas for age-appropriate chores for children from ages 2–18!

Teaching children to advocate for themselves lays the groundwork for a successful future. By fostering self-awareness, independence, language skills, and responsibility, we empower them to navigate challenges confidently and assert their needs effectively.

Written by Laine J.

Avoiding the Rush: Completing Homework with Intention

“Take your time”, “Check your work”, and “Read the directions” are phrases your child may hear as reminders to complete their work thoughtfully. For most students, these simple reminders may be all they need to complete their work with intention. However, students with executive function challenges may not have strong self-control skills, or response inhibition. This often results in impulses, such as rushing through work “just to get it done”. 

So, how can you help strengthen this skill at home? It is not uncommon for children to need a combination of strategies to improve executive functioning skills. Harvard College explains, “These functions are highly interrelated, and the successful application of executive function skills requires them to operate in coordination with each other” (Harvard College, 2024). Here are some strategies you can try to help your child with self-control during homework time.

Noise Canceling Headphones 

Noise cancelling headphones could benefit your child from getting distracted from loud noises. Sometimes playing music, including instrumentals, may give an additional level of noise protection. Additionally, it may become a habit for your child’s brain to engage meaningfully with their work when they wear headphones. 

Checklists and Rubrics

Checklists and rubrics give your child something to reference when analyzing their work. It can provide specific skills to check for, strategies such as what to do when they get stuck, or specific actions that need to be completed before finishing a task. When you use vague terms such as “Check your work”, it will not benefit your child if they do not understand WHAT to check. Provide explicit instructions, such as “Check your work for capitalization, punctuation, and spelling errors”. Giving them a checklist, or using writing rubrics, will help them understand the expectations and allow them to self-correct anything that does not meet the requirements. This will teach them HOW to check their work thoroughly. 

Time Management Strategies

Timers, goal setting, and time management with planned breaks can help children overcome the unknowns of work time. By choosing a specific amount of time students need to work for, there is a clear designated amount of focus and attention they will need to allocate to complete the task. You could give an amount of time (15 minute work time), or a quantity of work (5 math problems) before incorporating a break in between. Using a visual checklist during this time will be helpful so students can keep track of their progress as they work. Try having a conversation with them about the directions and steps needed to complete each activity prior to getting started- this can help them understand the amount of time and effort they will need to contribute for successful completion!

Structured Think-Time

Structured think time can be a great way to increase intent during work time. This gives students the opportunity to explore more than one topic, rather than choosing the first idea they had. This is especially helpful when engaging with the writing process, critical thinking activities, and multi-step math problems. Graphic organizers may also be beneficial during this time. Modeling and incorporating structured think-time will allow children to slow down and analyze different ideas to pick the best one for the assignment. 

Strategy Games

Strategy games are a fun and engaging way to build children’s self-control. The skill they will develop while playing these games can transfer into their work habits as well. It could be beneficial to include strategy games in their work time breaks! This may help slow their thinking down and can even be used as a warm-up practice. 

Every child will need different supports to strengthen their self-control. A good first step is to connect with your child’s classroom teacher to see what strategies they have tried implementing at school. Don’t be afraid to ask questions such as: What strategies have you tried? Were they successful? What didn’t work about it? How long did you try these strategies? How were they implemented? Responses to these questions can give you a better understanding of what to try at home. Environmental factors (large group setting vs independent homework time) may require different strategies for your child to be successful. Just remember that it is a process - it will take time and patience to see positive results.

Written by Ami Z.