We try to prepare our kids for life but how do we help them when something happens that no one could prepare for–a natural disaster like a hurricane or flood. Dr. Andie gives us tips for helping our kids and us cope and thrive in times of stress including how the language we use affects how children see the situation!  Check this one out!  This is a MOM Podcast show–for more great shows, check us out at The MOM Podcast or in iTunes!

Dr. Andie is the author of More than Saying I Love You.

 

 Preparing Kids for Unprecedented Events [28:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1157)

This is Part 1 of a two part show. Part 2 is available on our site.

Lindsay and Nancy speak with Dr. Sarah Schoen, the Assistant Director of Research at the Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) Foundation about SPD.  This is a very personal discussion for both hosts as they each have a child with sensory challenges.

Dr. Schoen explains this disorder and the various ways it can affect an individual.  We share some of the challenges of having a child with SPD, the pain of feeling unable to help your child, the freedom that comes with knowledge and a few lessons we’ve learned along the way. We also discuss how Autism Spectrum Disorders and ADHD relate to and are different from SPD.

If you feel that your child’s “quirks” are interfering with his daily life and happiness; if you find yourself creating exhausting routines and work-arounds just to keep the peace in your home; if your heart is telling you that your child’s behavioral and discipline struggles are not typical; if your child seems overwhelmed or even underwhelmed by sensory input, then please listen to the information Dr. Schoen has to share.

More Sensory Processing Disorder resources:

SPD Foundation

Sensory Planet

STAR Center

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (765)

Over the past few months, Anna and I have been using an excellent educational program that covers the beginning reading skills, alphabet, basic science, math and much more.  It is called Rusty and Rosy and was created by Waterford Institute–a respected leader in educational materials for schools and home schools.

Rusty and Rosy is not your run-of-the-mill software program that tries to teach children while mostly just entertaining them.  Believe me, we have tried several of those programs in our house and they were never worth the price I paid for them–even when I paid very little. I first learned about Rusty and Rosy because my son was using it in his first grade class during computer time.  He would come home and tell me what he had done and learned.  He was very excited.

When my daughter had a problem with preschool and we decided to bring her home (she calls herself a Preschool Dropout), I wanted to still find a way to get her ready for Kindergarten.  That is when I remembered my son’s experience with Rusty and Rosy and looked to see if the program was available to parents.

I wasn’t prepared for how excellent the program would be and how much my daughter would enjoy it.  We got our Rusty and Rosy drive and hooked it up to our computer.  The drive contains all the lessons and materials for 3 years of reading learning.  Once you hook it up to your computer and create an account online, Rusty and Rosy also has the ability to adjust to the skills your child already has and customize learning from the resources on the hard drive. (more…)

As a parent, it is often a challenge to know if a movie, website, book, song, or app is appropriate for our children at their specific age.  And how do we talk to them about things like Facebook?  We discuss what we find useful to help us choose for our children.   One resource we discuss is Common Sense Media.  Others include Squeaky Clean Reads and Good Reads if you have friends you trust who have posted books in their list. This is a MOM Podcast show.

You can also check our list of summer reads for Boys Only! http://www.themompodcast.com/2010/06/27/summer-reading-fun/

 

 Standard Podcast [37:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2284)

Claire Lerner from Zero to Three talks about how to handle your child’s physical self-discovery and self-pleasure.  Listen for great tips on how to keep your emotions in check when addressing this and other potentially challenging developmental milestones.

For more information about early childhood development and parent resources, visit Zero to Three.

 

 Discovering Privates: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1713)