02. A Sensory Emotional Lens on the Holidays

The holidays are upon us, and as parents of children with differences in sensory motor processing, gathering with family and friends for seasonal festivities can be stressful. We often deal with “the looks” from others about our child’s “behavior,” and we are left to explain the reason why our child is hiding behind us in social situations, does not respond to social greetings, or needs more support than the other kids when playing with others. We are often pulled between what we want to do for ourselves and our family and what our children need from us at that moment.  We’ve been there - many of us are parents of sensational kids. Let’s talk about it! As parents and professionals, we’ll provide tips to help you navigate these tricky situations and share expert insights, heartwarming stories, and tips to support your family’s holiday journeys. In this episode you’ll discover: What is sensory emotional processing? Ways to pre-plan for the holidays and visiting family How to change the narrative about sensory processing differences and the emotional outcomes of them  How to reframe ‘behaviors’ as strengths found in our children - it’s what our kids CAN do in that moment to help themselves feel safe, comfortable, and successful, and how we can find ways to celebrate it Tips on how to handle high energy, anxiety, big emotions, and much-needed breaks for our children during the holiday visits How to respond when our kids become easily fatigued and lack the endurance needed to sustain the long, busy day  Ways to include our children in this preparation for holiday visits  Free Download: My Child has SPD cards Download the sheet, print, cut these cards apart, and hand them out as needed. They will become a new way for you to respond when you feel stuck about the best way to respond to others. They are a great way to prepare family before you see them if you have not seen them in a while or to communicate with fellow parents on the playground when you feel something needs to be said, but you are not sure what. Join our community! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatkidsplace/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreatKidsPlace/ Want more resources? Please visit our blog: https://greatkidsplace.com/category/blog/