Family Life Archives

Coming Back to Homeschooling

April 21, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for the Laugh and Learn Linkup! Last week, we had some great posts shared and Tina, Sarah, and I have featured our favorites below. Plus, a new blogger, Haley, is joining our linky! You can read all about her below. 🙂

I also wanted to share a post I wrote recently for The Homeschool Post, which I’m very excited about because….*drumroll*

We’re returning to homeschooling this year!!!!!

Coming Back to Homeschooling

We began our Great Homeschool Public School Experiment in November back when I desperately needed a break from homeschooling. Now that I’m almost finished with my associate degree program, I’m definitely ready to bring our kids back home.

I cannot tell you how much I’m looking forward to homeschooling them without the added pressure of going to school or working. It’s going to be fabulous. All of it. Yes, even the sibling squabbles and the days when the kids don’t want to do their work. 🙂

This time, though, I want to do some things differently. So I wrote a post about what I’d like our new homeschooling approach to be over at The Homeschool Post. Stop over and see how coming back to homeschooling is changing my homeschooling perspective!

Coming Back to Homeschooling – The Homeschool Post

And now it’s on to the linky! 🙂

Welcome to our 29th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup. We have a new addition this week! Haley will be joining our linkup and picking her favorite post too. Be sure to visit her and say hello

Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning. We will pick our four favorite posts and feature them on the following weeks linkup. Be sure to link your best content and maybe we will pick you! When you link your post with us it will be featured on four blogs.

We pin our favorites to a special Pinterest board for #laughlearnlinkup – homeschool and parenting posts. Check the board out here: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina

Tina lives abroad in Latin America with her husband and four children. Currently in Mexico, Tina is active in homeschool, travel, and her Bible ministry. She blogs about all of their adventures and more at Los Gringos Locos.

Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin
Tsu

Selena

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!

Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram

Sarah

Sarah lives in Kentucky, USA, where she and her husband homeschool three children. Sarah writes for and about, families with special needs. She hopes to provide support and encouragement to all special needs parents in the homeschool community. Visit Sarah at Dedicated Homeschooler.

Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram

Haley

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help moms learn how to make an extra income, to stretch a budget, to make crafts, and other useful information. Haley always has updates on the kids and funny things that happen. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.

Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Pinterest
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Our Favorite Posts for the Week of April 20th:

Written by Ann at Annie and Everything

Written by Alecia at Learning 2 Walk

Written by Brenda at Schooling A Monkey

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the posts above by clicking on the image.

[bctt tweet=”Come join the #laughlearnlinkup and share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post!”]

Now, let’s see your best posts for this week so we can share them as next week’s favorites!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment: Unwelcome Attitude Changes

January 16, 2015 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

Today is the last day of our series The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment! And today we’re talking about the last thing we’ve noticed since our kids have been in school: unwelcome attitude changes.

It’s no secret that all kids act out on occasion and ours have been no strangers to that rule. We’ve dealt with quite a few tantrums over the years, but we’d settled into a fairly comfortable routine as a family. After our kids started going to school, though, we noticed some sudden and glaring changes.

While we weren’t shocked by these changes, we were certainly less than thrilled. And it’s taken us a while to get back to our original comfortable routine. But we’re definitely on our way now. Here is how we’ve dealt with the unwelcome attitude changes that have popped up since our kids have been in public school.

Image: altanaka / Dollar Photo Club

The Sudden Appearance of Backtalk

We have never really had to deal with backtalk from our kids. After they started going to public school, though, we started to hear it for the first time. I wish someone had taken a picture of my face the first time Tigger said with a sigh and an eye roll, “I didn’t mean THAT, Mom.” I’m fairly certain my jaw was lying on the floor.

After recovering from my initial shock, I managed to ask “Excuse me?” I guess my face showed my abject horror, because Tigger immediately backtracked and rephrased her original comment. Still, Jay and I had to talk with each of the children in turn about picking up disrespectful speech from their classmates. We addressed it every single time we saw it. Every single time. And slowly, it’s loosening its death grip on our household.

Dealing with Irritability

Another issue we noticed was serious irritability. Pooh and Roo would wake up and immediately begin arguing as they got dressed. As soon as the kids got in the van at the end of the school day, Tigger and Pooh would instantly begin interrupting each other. It was awful.

We chalked a lot of the irritability up to the sudden change in schedule and their new homework responsibilities. But any life change is going to bring its own challenges and going to school was a HUGE change for them. Since we don’t have as much time together during the day as we used to, we have to make the most of what we have by sharing family dinners, giving the kids time to unwind individually, and getting them to bed at an early hour. Now that we make those things a priority, the irritability seems to be decreasing.

Have your children ever picked up negative character traits from other kids (in public school or elsewhere)? How do you handle it? Let us know in the comments!

This post is part of the series “The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment“! I really hope you’ve enjoyed reading it! Read about our other adventures in trying public school for the first time!

Renewing Your Home and Your Homeschool with Family Fun Friday!

January 15, 2015 by Selena Robinson 7 Comments

Hi everyone! Welcome to another edition of Family Fun Friday! We loved last week’s posts and we’ve picked our favorites to share with you all today!

I also wanted to share a simple decluttering plan that I’m doing in 2015: Declutter 52! As a mom with ADHD, it doesn’t take much for me to get overwhelmed. And I’ve seen lots of great decluttering plans for the entire year. But, honestly, I’m at a point where seeing something that spells out the next 52 weeks makes me hyperventilate…lol.

So, I’m doing something quite a bit simpler. Want to hear more? 🙂

Image: Joseph Helfenberger / Dollar Photo Club

Declutter 52

Here’s how Declutter 52 works:

You get rid of one bag per week.

That’s it. One bag. Each week. We can do that, right?

There’s only one special rule: If you bring home a bag (buy something new), you have to get rid of three bags that week. The goal is to get rid of old stuff, not just replace it!

I’ll be sharing my Declutter 52 images on Instagram, so if you join, feel free to do the same!

And now….this week’s edition of Family Fun Friday!

I’m not homeschooling right now, but I’m busy gathering ideas and inspiration for when we resume learning at home. I definitely want to think outside the box this time around and avoid falling into the same old stale routine. So, if you’re looking to add a spark into your homeschooling schedule, I’m happy to feature some great ideas for renewing your homeschool!


Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’/ Instagram. Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.

Selena is a homeschooling graduate and a veteran homeschooling mom to four super special kids. She blogs at Look! We’re Learning! about unit studies, foreign language, and homeschooling with ADHD. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Selena will be featuring homeschooling and kids’ crafts.


Herchel enjoys blogging about parenting, organizing, crafting, and having good old-fashioned kid fun her blog Scrggbug Corner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Herchel will feature organizing and family fun.

Britta was a military kid and is a military wife, now living in the high desert of Arizona and far, far from her New Orleans family. She happily homeschools and writes about the intersection of God’s Word and her world at Britta Lafont ~ Everyday Holiness. This year Britta wants to find that sweet spot between getting more done and enjoying the process. Britta will feature Delicious Recipes. Follow: Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram.

Christin blogs at illuminate. As wife to her high school sweetheart and mother to three premature children, she’s learned that God is the Perfect Party Planner and sometimes the unexpected is the greatest gift of all. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Christen will feature Inspirational Posts.

Special Guest Co-host! Nicolette Roux blogs at PowerfulMothering.com sharing simple and easy art, crafts & activities for ages 0-5! Learn through play with free printables and occupy the littles with no sew quiet books. Explore kitchen play with taste safe sensory alternatives. Nicolette is the author of Rice Play, 99 Fine Motor Ideas for Ages 1-5 as well as The Blog Planner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Email

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

1. We’ve made DIY play dough, but I love to get new recipes, especially for sensory play! Teaching Mama has a great Peppermint Cocoa Cloud Dough recipe which sounds wonderful!

2. If you’re teaching world history to your kids, make it fun with these free World Explorer Printables from Write Bonnie Rose!

3. One of the goals of homeschooling is to help kids learn how to play and work independently. Caroline Nixon has some great suggestions for encouraging Independent Play in Children!

4. Are you feeling like giving up on homeschooling? Before you do, check out this encouraging and heartfelt post from Science Kiddo “The Week I Gave Up on Homeschooling!”

5. Science is not one of my favorite subjects to teach, so I love any post with tips for teaching science. The Sunny Patch has a helpful look at how to teach about Rocks and Minerals using an Interest-Led approach!

6. Learning comes in all different styles and finding out how our kids learn is the key to homeschooling success, especially in the long run. Mimi and the Grands provides a great tutorial on how to create a Multiple Intelligences Lesson Plan!

Were you featured? Grab the Family Fun Friday button below!

Stop by to see what my co-hosts are spotlighting this week!

Bloggers are invited to share their best family-friendly and mom-inspiring posts in the link-up below.

Link guidelines:

Link your post.
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Spread the word. Share and pin your favorites.
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If you link up, you permit the hosts of Family Fun Friday to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media.

Family Fun Friday is a growing link-up with over 200 bloggers sharing their posts each week. Each host shares her favorites from the week before, increasing your chances of being featured. Co-hosts will also be pinning their favorites to a community Family Fun Pinterest Board. This link party opens up at around 4 pm EST on Thursdays.

Please be aware that by linking in Family Fun Friday you give our hosts permission to use your images to create a collage for our features. We may also use the collage to promote Family Fun Friday through our individual social media accounts.

The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment: Plenty of Alone Time! Or Not

January 15, 2015 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

We’re on to Day 5 of The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment! Today I’m giving you an honest look at all that “alone time” you picture when you think about sending your kids to public school.

On some of my worst homeschooling days, I’d fantasize about how “free” I’d be if my kids were in school. I’d have hours of solitude to get the house cleaned, plan meals, and even go shopping if I wanted! I’d read books I’d always wanted to read. I’d finish knitting the afghan I’ve been working on for over a year. I’d even think about painting the walls in my house. (Something I’ve never done.)

Of course, that didn’t happen. I do get more alone time during the day, but it comes with a HUGE catch. Here’s my take on the plenty of alone time you get when your kids are in public school.

How I Spend My Days

Bear in mind that I still have Miss Piglet (who’s 2), so I don’t have quite the break that I’d have if all of my kids were in school. But I will say that having a house with one toddler in it during the day is FAR quieter than a house with four kids.

Generally, I drop the kids off at 7:15 and make it back home by 7:30. I get Piglet settled with breakfast and I start cleaning the kitchen. Piglet and I spend time watching JW Broadcasting, then we color and read a Bible Story. This takes a couple of hours. I make her a snack, then she takes a nap around 10:30.

Now I get to enjoy that vaunted “alone time”, right? Yes and no. I get about an hour and a half alone while Piglet naps, but here’s how I usually spend it: Doing laundry. Our kids’ school requires uniforms, so I end doing laundry and ironing more than I’ve ever done in my life as a mother. (Our kids often did school while still in their PJs.) If I’m actually caught up on laundry, I start on MY school assignments.

I make time to do something I want for half an hour (usually reading or taking a nap), then I get Piglet up, make lunch, and straighten up the kitchen yet again. By then, it’s time to get the kids. Seriously.

How My Evenings Became Even Busier

So, yes, I do get alone time in a way. But here’s yet another catch: My evenings are busier than ever. By the time we finish homework, it’s time to make dinner. And we have to cram in all the talking we used to do during the day around the dinner table. After dinner, the kids get about half an hour to unwind, then they get ready for bed. By the time they go to sleep, it’s time for me to finish up my schoolwork and get ready for the next day.

The quiet time during the day that I get is really helpful while I’m in school, though. Just having time to think clearly about what I want to do and how to go about it makes the evenings run much more smoothly. And after I’m done with school this spring, I’ll probably be able to enjoy that alone time a little more. 🙂

If your kids have ever gone to public school, did you find that you had more alone time? How did you use it? Do you miss it at all? Share your experiences in the comments!

This post is part of the series “The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment“! Read about our other adventures in trying public school for the first time!

The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment: Adjusting Our Schedule

January 13, 2015 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

Welcome to another entry in The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment series! Today, I’m sharing how we had to adjust our schooling and living schedule to make room for public school.

It’s also time for another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky, so be sure to check out our favorites from last week and read some great new posts this week!

Since we’d been homeschooling from birth, adjusting to a public school schedule was a MAJOR event in our family. Honestly, I had forgotten how much of my day revolved around school as a child. During the week, school pretty much consumed my waking hours. It’s only gotten worse since then.

Here’s a look at how we had to adjust our schedule when we took a break from homeschooling and enrolled our kids in public school.

Getting Up Earlier

First, we had to start getting everyone up earlier. A LOT earlier. Generally, we allowed the kids to wake up on their own (usually around 8 a.m.) and then we’d start our morning routine. Fortunately, our kids’ school is located less than a mile from our house. But we still have to get everyone up no later than 6:30 a.m. so that they could make it to school in time for breakfast.

Apparently, they got the most important sleep of the night during that last hour and a half. Because without it, I have some seriously grouchy little ones. Pooh, in particular, has had a difficult time adjusting to rising that early. Sometimes, I actually have to shake him awake.

Reshaping Our Afternoons

I figured that the morning overhaul would be the biggest adjustment, but I was wrong. I had no idea how much homework kids receive these days. Even Roo has homework and he’s in kindergarten.

So, when I pick them up, I bring them home for a snack. (They’re always starving, because they eat lunch at 10:10 a.m. Truly.) After they have a snack, they get right on their homework. I’ll talk more about how we adjusted to the very idea of homework in another post. In general, homework takes about an hour, sometimes more for Tigger, and then they get a chance to unwind before dinner.

What Happened to Our Weekends?

I didn’t even consider that our weekends would be affected by public school, but they are. I had seriously taken for granted how much homeschooling helped me with errands. Now, I have to wait until the weekend to take the kids shopping for anything. Of course, every other person in our town is also shopping on weekends, so those trips now take three times as long. Fun!

If you have kids in public school, I’d love to hear how you tweaked your daily schedule to make room for their assignments. Let me know in the comments!

This post is part of the series “The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment“! Read about our other adventures in trying public school for the first time!

And now it’s time for the Laugh and Learn linkup! 🙂

Welcome to our 15th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup. Join us in the fun and help us spread the word! Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning. We will pick our three favorite posts and feature them on the following weeks linkup. Be sure to link your best content and maybe we will pick you! When you link your post with us it will be featured on three blogs.

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina

Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin
Tsu

Selena

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!

Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram

Sarah

Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram

Our Favorite Posts for the Week of January 12th:

Written by Sheila at Brain Power Boy

Written by Annette at In All You Do

Written by Brand New Mom at Brand New Mom

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the posts above by clicking on the image.

Now, let’s see your best posts for this week so we can share them as next week’s favorites!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment: School Shopping on a Budget

January 12, 2015 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

When you have the bright idea to start public school in the middle of the school year, you kind of miss out on all the back-to-school sales. So, we had to cut a few financial corners to afford school shopping. But we managed to get it done!

If you decide to put your children in school suddenly, you may be shocked at the amount of supplies they need. I know I was. The supply list for our kids’ school included all kinds of things that used to be available free of charge: reams of copier paper, for example. Plus, the school follows a uniform dress code. Naturally, as homeschoolers, we had no uniforms.

So if we were going to make our Great Homeschool Public School Experiment a success, we were going to have to learn how to go school shopping on a budget. Here are a few tips that helped us out a bunch!

Image: freepeoplea / Dollar Photo Club

School Shopping on a Budget

1. Raid your homeschool closet.

The first place we started “shopping” was in our homeschool closet. We had been homeschooling for six years, so we had tons of pencils, crayons, and markers. Before you buy a thing, look at the supplies you already have and then just purchase what you don’t have hiding away behind schoolbooks.

2. Use the Dollar Store to the fullest.

Our kids’ school supply list called for name-brand items: Lysol wipes, Expo dry-erase markers, etc. After pricing these items on Amazon and then panicking as I imagined the cost of multiplying these things by three, I talked with a few veteran public school moms. They quickly calmed me down by directing me to the local Dollar Store.

I found just about every single cleaning item there (generic branded, but still). So, if you’ve worried about name-brand items, they’ll take the store brand ones. Never fear. 😉 Another tip I got was to buy one of each item and then wait for the teachers to ask for the items they need throughout the year. That cut down our initial cost of supplies considerably.

3. Buy used uniforms, if you can.

If your school requires uniforms, you may be able to find used uniforms at second-hand or consignment stores. The school my kids attend does not require special patches or insignia, so all I needed were the right color and style clothing items for each child. I stopped at Goodwill first. And, fortunately, I found a few shirts and pants right away.

What I couldn’t find used, I bought from Old Navy. Kids’ uniforms are very, very cheap there. 😉

Have you had to cut corners to afford school supplies? How did you do it? Share your tips in the comments!

This post is part of the series “The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment“! Read about our other adventures in trying public school for the first time!

3 Tips for Raising Boys with ADHD

December 29, 2014 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

We have two boys in our family with ADHD. Since one has classic ADHD with hyperactivity and one has limbic ADHD (which is characterized by a distinct lack of energy), they require very different parenting styles. Complicating this issue is the fact that we also have a daughter with ADHD and both my husband and I are living with ADHD as well.

While our family life is never, ever, ever boring, it can also be extremely challenging. So I’m always searching for great advice on how to raise boys with ADHD. Naturally, I was thrilled to get a copy of the book “Raising Boys with ADHD” from Prufrock Press!

As I read the book, I appreciated several of the suggestions and I’m sharing a few of them with you all today. 🙂

*I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for this review. My opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.*

Image: nadezhda1906 / Dollar Photo Club

Tips for Raising Boys with ADHD

1. Make it into a game.

What is “it”, you ask? Anything. Make any and everything into a game. Since boys with ADHD are often easily bored, which can lead to misbehavior, keeping their interest is critical to getting them to cooperate. So, if you need them to pick up their rooms, challenge them to see who can get their room clean faster: you or them? You’ll get them to clean up and work together at the same time!

2. Take a problem-solving approach.

One of the biggest struggles for young boys who have ADHD is feeling defeated. As parents, we can do a lot to help them build self-esteem by refusing to overreact to their difficulties. Raising Boys with ADHD suggests viewing every challenge as a puzzle that can be solved. If what we’re doing now is not helping, then we need to find another solution. But we want to always believe that there is a solution that can help. That optimistic viewpoint can do a lot to help our sons keep trying, even when they feel like giving up.

3. Emphasize respect in the home.

All siblings tend to argue and fight, so when you add ADHD into the mix, things can become even more volatile. Rather than creating a long list of do’s and don’ts, the book recommends establishing the family rule “Treat Others with Respect”. If we help our sons learn how to respect us and their siblings, they’ll have an easier time managing their emotions and considering how their actions affect others.

Do you have sons with ADHD? How do you handle the challenges of parenting them? Let us know in the comments!

The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment: Breaking the News

December 15, 2014 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

As you all know, we made the decision to put our kids in public school last month. After homeschooling for six years, it was … a difficult transition to say the least. Our kids had never stepped into a school before and their only ideas of what school is like came from TV, so they had no idea what to expect.

Personally, I waffled back and forth on the decision to enroll them for months, so I waited until we were really sure to break the news. It still did not go well.

Here’s the first installment in our series: The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment! Today, we’re talking about how we broke the news of our new public school experience to the kids.

Image: archideaphoto / Dollar Photo Club

Breaking the Public School News to Our Kids

I actually decided to tell Tigger first. She’s the oldest and I thought that if I told her in advance, she’d put on a brave face for her younger brothers. That turned out to be a good idea.

Her first reaction was to cry. She told me she was afraid, because she thought the other kids would be mean to her. I told her that she’d probably have a few mean kids, but that most kids would probably just be unsure since they didn’t know her (and because she was starting in the middle of the year). Of course, fourth grade is a difficult time for kids anyway, so she had a lot of questions and doubts, but by the time we started, she was looking forward to it.

Pooh, our six-year-old, responded with “THIS IS A CATASTROPHE!” (He actually said that…lol.) He really, really, really did not want to go at all. Ironically, he ended up adjusting the fastest, so go figure.

Roo was kind of nervous, but also kind of excited. He’s in Kindergarten, which is an awesome time to go to public school for the first time. If I could go back to any point in my childhood, it would probably be Kindergarten.

Personally, I had been dreading breaking the news to the kids for weeks. But it turned out that telling them about our new homeschool public school experiment was the easiest part of the entire process. The harder parts were still to come. 🙂

Next week, I’ll talk about the next part of our experiment: School Shopping!

Is Multitasking Bad for Moms?

December 8, 2014 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

Hey, mom! Take a quick second to look at your life. What are you doing right now? Are you reading this post while talking on the phone? Or waiting in a parked car? Or eating? (Please tell me you’re not reading this post while driving.)

It’s no secret that all of us are busier than ever before. Between the demands of modern parenting, taking care of our homes, working (from home or away), going to school (for some of us), homeschooling (for some of us), and attempting to maintain our health, it seems as if moms never get a break. And if you have more than one child, all of those responsibilities are doubled, tripled, quadrupled, or more.

Interestingly, if you Google the phrase “multitasking”, the first few results are from articles that present evidence that multitasking can actually impair our ability to perform tasks well. If so, we might have to ask the question: Is multitasking bad for moms?

Image: olly / Dollar Photo Club

Is Multitasking Bad for Moms?

How Multitasking Can Take a Toll on Your Health

For starters, it’s a good idea to look at how multitasking may be affecting your life. Personally, I started to notice the differences in my health first. When I was homeschooling the kids, working, and going to school full-time, I started to rely on fast food, pre-packaged junk, and constant snacking. Unsurprisingly, I gained about 10 pounds. Also unsurprisingly, my sleeping habits suffered, which turned me into Mom-Hulk. (“You didn’t do your copywork! MOM SMASH!”)

The house suffered as well. I didn’t keep up with the chores, which led to the formation of Mount Laundry atop our washing machine. I couldn’t even remember the last time I prepared an actual meal for my family. I also started to lose my memory. I would lose my train of thought when speaking or forget what I was going to do when I walked into a room. I’m 31, by the way.

Want an even bigger jolt? Some researchers think that chronic multitasking can actually trigger ADHD in adults, which may explain a lot about my life as an ADHD mom.

Is Multitasking Really More Efficient?

I also found that in my attempts to multitask, I ended up taking longer to do each thing. For example, I’d sit down to outline a post for the blog, then I’d check in on one of the kids’ school lessons and end up getting sidetracked by a question or two (or six) and another child’s tantrum, then Piglet would need a diaper change, and, before I knew it, it was time to make lunch. Sometimes I wouldn’t come back to the computer until after the kids went to bed.

If I had just sat down and written the post, I could have been done in 20 minutes or so. Instead, it took me nearly 12 hours! Plus, I worried about it all day, which made me irritable and short-tempered with everyone I dealt with, including my kids. That, my friends, is neither an effective use of my time nor a way to be a good mama.

What to Do Instead

So, if we shouldn’t multitask, how are we ever supposed to get all this stuff done? Short answer: We can’t. We were never meant to do ALL of these things at once and trying to do it is killing us. So, we have to simplify. For me, that meant taking a break from homeschooling and cutting down on work, so I could get the rest I need, take care of our home properly, and be attentive to my kids and my husband.

Another way to avoid the tendency to multitask is to devote a set amount of time to each task, if possible. I like to use the Pomodoro Method, which is to work on one thing for 25 minutes, then take a five minute break. To keep myself on task, I use the free program Instant Boss. And, I have to say, now that I’m trying to slow down, simplify, and be more intentional about what I do, I’m actually beginning to find joy in the “small” things again, such as making breakfast for my family, sewing, and even writing on this blog.

What do you think? Is multitasking bad for moms? Are you a chronic multi-tasker? Do you think it’s helping your parenting or hurting it? Let us know in the comments!

Why I Decided to Take a Homeschooling Break

December 3, 2014 by Selena Robinson 15 Comments

If I was to sum up the last ten years of my life as a parent in one word, it would probably be “homeschooling“. We planned to homeschool Tigger as soon as we found out we were pregnant and we’ve stuck with it from the very beginning.

But ….

Last month, we decided to put our three oldest kids in public school. Everybody gasp with me! GASP.

Like a lot of homeschooling mothers, I’ve thought about public school a few times before but this is the first time I’ve actually gone through with enrolling them. And it was hard. A lot harder than I thought it would be.

Still, I know it was the right decision for our family. For now. Here’s why I decided to take a homeschooling break.

Why I Decided to Take a Homeschooling Break

1. I was no longer a happy homeschooling mom.

For the past year and a half, I’ve been juggling homeschooling, working, and going to college full-time. During my first two semesters, my husband was unemployed, which was a huge reason why I went back to school in the first place.

This fall semester (ending this week! Yay!) has been the first time I’ve tried to juggle all three while he’s had a job. It. Has. Not. Been. Fun. I’ve been stressed for the last 15 weeks straight. I couldn’t even concentrate on teaching school to my kids, because I was so worried about my own (often rushed at the last-minute) assignments.

2. My ADHD was becoming a real problem.

I’ve always had a lot of things going at one time. I was brought up that way and I’d done it so long that I didn’t know there was another way to live. Since I have ADHD, I tend to get bored quickly and want to move on to something else.

Here’s the problem: You cannot do that when you have to take care of a home and raise children with consistent values. Boredom is not an excuse to skip lessons for a week (or a month), let dishes pile up in the sink, or overlook a tantrum. I had gotten to the point where it was either: A) put my kids in public school so I’d have a little time to clear my head or B) try medication. And, for me, medication is the absolute final last resort.

3. I didn’t want my kids to get the wrong idea of motherhood.

Most importantly, though, I began to feel that I was giving my kids the wrong perception of motherhood. Moms shouldn’t be stressed out and frazzled, because they have too much going on at once. And we certainly shouldn’t treat our kids as if they’re inconveniences, which is what was happening to me. I mean, what’s the point of keeping them home with me if I’m biting their heads off every time they ask a question?

Here is an example of an actual exchange between me and Pooh:

Pooh: *loudly from down the hall* “Mama?”

Me: *working* “WHAT?????!!!???!!!”

Pooh: “Can I….”

Me: “STOP CALLING ME! GOD!!!!!”

Pooh: *sadly* “Yes, mom.”

(I’ve since apologized. Fortunately, he’d forgotten about it. But it was not one of my proudest moments as a parent.)

That is not the mother I want to be. And I decided that being a happy mom was more important than being a homeschooling mom. Right now, I can be one or the other but not both. And my husband, wonderful supportive spouse that he is, was open to it from the beginning.

Btw, I’ll be blogging about our transition and some of the adjustments we’ve had to make along the way. And I’ll keep sharing great educational unit studies, lesson plans, printables, and more! I have Piglet with me during the day and she’ll be starting tot school soon, so I’ll have plenty to share for preschoolers in the upcoming months. Plus, I’ll be making activities and lessons to use with the kids during breaks and summer vacation. So if you’re a fan of our resources, they’re not going anywhere. 🙂

Have any of you ever considered taking a homeschooling break? What made you decide to? Or what made you decide not to? Let us know in the comments!

How Homeschooling Improved Our Family Life

November 4, 2014 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’ve been homeschooling for six years now…and we’re about to make a huge transition in our family. (I’ll be talking about that in an upcoming post.) But there’s no doubt that homeschooling has changed our family life….for the better.

Since most of us have ADHD, homeschooling has been a challenge but it’s also been a true blessing to our family. We’ve had fun, we’ve had fights, and we’ve had freedom to learn from and with each other.

Recently, I got the chance to share a bit about how homeschooling has improved our family life over at TOTS Family. Be sure to stop by and check out the post: How Homeschooling Has Improved Our Family Life to read more!

How Homeschooling Improved Our Family Life – TOTS Family

Seasonal Skirts: My Favorite Long Skirts For Fall

October 22, 2014 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We live in Georgia, so it always takes a little while for fall to actually reach us down here. But we’re having highs in the low 70s and the leaves are changing (finally), so I’m excited to share in the fall edition of the Seasonal Skirts linkup!

We’ve already shared our favorite skirts for spring and summer. Today, I’m sharing my favorite long skirts for fall!

If you’ve been keeping up with these posts, you already know about my love affair with the clothing website Soul Flower. Three of the four skirts in this post came from there. Just so you know. 😉

If I had the patience and the skill, I’d sew a patchwork skirt like this for every day of the week. While I could probably learn the skills to make this, though, I doubt I’ll ever have the patience…lol.

Top: Goodwill

Skirt: Soul-Flower.com

I know that green does not really match this skirt, but I always wear this top with it. I’m not sure why. This skirt is a drawstring one that’s finally getting loose (yay!). I’ll probably add some elastic to it, so I can keep wearing it.

Top and skirt: Soul-Flower.com

Okay, you might be able to tell by looking at my smile in this picture, but this is my favorite fall skirt of all. In fact, this skirt is probably in the running as the favorite skirt in my closet period. I don’t think they sell it anymore, but it’s called the Falling Leaves skirt. Which is appropriate because fall leaves were the inspiration for the colors. If anything happens to this skirt, I might actually cry.

Top: Kohl’s

Skirt: Soul-Flower.com

Surprise! This one, like the last outfit in my summer post, is not actually a skirt. It’s a maxi dress. But maxi dresses often have low-cut necklines or a strapless bodice. So, I just got a denim-colored long-sleeved top and I wear that over it.

Top: Old Navy

Maxi dress: Thrifted from a clothing swap

This post is part of the Seasonal Skirts: Fall Edition linkup! Stop by to see the long skirts for fall our fellow bloggers are modeling!

Sifting Through the Different Types of ADHD

October 5, 2014 by Selena Robinson 7 Comments

Did you know there are different types of ADHD? It’s true! Unfortunately, the names of these might differ, depending on who you ask, which can be confusing. For example, is it ADHD or ADD? Are they same?

I’ve been reading the book “Healing ADD” by Dr. Daniel Amen off and on for the past couple of months and it. is. excellent. I literally cannot say this enough. It is an excellent book about ADHD/ADD. In the book, Dr. Amen describes seven types of ADD. He also uses ADD to encompass ADHD, and in this post I will use both terms interchangeably.

As I read “Healing ADD”, I found almost every member of my family, which was both enlightening and horrifying. We had no idea it was this widespread in our home. But it also explained a lot.

If you’re beginning the process of homeschooling your children with ADHD, you’ll want to take the time to sort through the different types of ADHD before you decide on a homeschooling method. Otherwise, you’ll have to go back to the drawing board multiple times. (Ask me how I know.)

The Different Types of ADHD/ADD

In “Healing ADD”, Dr. Amen describes seven types of ADD/ADHD. I’ve added a very brief description of each one.

Classic – the stereotypical person with ADD or ADHD
Inattentive – the daydreamer
Overfocused – the one-track mind
Temporal Lobe – the hothead
Limbic – the loner
Ring of Fire – the intense one
Anxious – the worrier

Here’s the problem: If you have a family with multiple ADHD members (like ours), you may have to deal with several types of ADD at once. For example, my husband tends toward anxious ADD and I tend toward overfocused ADD. Needless to say, we’ve had quite a few incidences of miscommunication over the years.

We’ve seen variations in our kids’ types of ADHD as well. Tigger has classic ADD, complete with hyperactivity, but Roo displays Ring of Fire ADD. He has extremely intense emotions and he is very easily frustrated. Until I read the book, I was under the impression that Pooh did not have ADHD at all. But then I learned about limbic ADD and that is him to a T.

Adapting to Your Child’s Type of ADHD

Here’s why it’s so important to understand your child’s type of ADHD: If you intend to homeschool, you will have a miserable experience if you choose a method that does not fit with the way your child’s brain works. This is especially true if multiple members of the family have ADHD, because the likelihood that all will have the same type of ADHD is very low.

In our family, Pooh has limbic ADHD, so he is moody, irritable, and generally negative. He needs a very different homeschooling approach than Roo and Tigger. They need far more activity than he does, and, in fact, he generally prefers a solitary activity over P.E. (We’ll talk more about developing a homeschooling approach for the ADHD child later in the series.)

Have you noticed any symptoms of these different types of ADHD in your family? How have you adjusted to them? Let us know in the comments!

This post is part of the series “31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling“! Be sure to stop by tomorrow for Day 6: Creating an ADHD Friendly Routine for Kids!

Why ADHD Parents Should Let Go of the Homeschooling Ideal

October 3, 2014 by Selena Robinson 6 Comments

When you first thought of “homeschooling“, what did you envision? I talked about my homeschooling dream a few months back when I shared my Homeschool Mom Confession at The Mommy Mess. In short, it was to have all of my kids sitting quietly at the dining room table – kind of like the one-room schoolhouse in Anne of Green Gables.

Naturally, this is an unrealistic fantasy, so I wasn’t surprised that it didn’t come true. But while I dropped the more ridiculous aspects of my ideal homeschooling experience, I was still hoping for a certain homeschooling reality. I’d settle for completing an entire week’s lesson plan or finishing a picture book without my kids getting up or standing on their heads.

Finding out that our kids have ADHD, though, threw a real monkey wrench in my plans for our homeschool. I tried lowering my expectations and reducing our schedule, but I still had a hard time dealing with our situation. I found out the hard way that, if our homeschooling experience was going to be a success, I’d have to let go of the homeschooling “ideal”.

Dealing with the Sadness

My first feeling after the diagnosis was sadness. I was sad that my kids were never going to be “normal”, because I felt that they should be able to sit down for an entire school lesson and they should be able to think before they speak. I worried that other parents would look at me as an example of what homeschooling should NOT look like.

Then, there was the guilt that I felt after I realized that many of my primary parenting techniques were unfair to my kids. I had been unfair by expecting them to sit down and maintain focus during a lesson. I had been unfair by assuming that they were being disobedient when they forgot their assignments or got distracted on the way back to the table after a bathroom break. Those realizations were extremely hard to deal with.

Looking on the Bright Side

It wasn’t until I started reading about ADHD that I learned that there are positive aspects of having it. Our kids are extremely imaginative, which is a quality that can serve them extremely well both in school and in life. Plus, kids with ADHD tend to become super passionate about the topics that interest them, so the ability to focus is there if the subject is right.

The great thing about homeschooling is that we have TONS of leeway when it comes to deciding how to approach specific topics. When I use a unit study about a topic the kids like, they get excited and interested and they stay that way throughout the whole lesson. My boys are even asking to read books during their free time now, just because I started letting them choose books about topics they like. Bugs, cars, and trains are at the top of the list these days. 🙂

As an homeschooling parent to an ADHD child, it’s very easy to burn out and lose motivation to continue. The fastest way to burn out is to expect your kids to be like the ideal homeschooled kids. They may not graduate at 15. They may not read until they’re in elementary school. And they may not even potty train until they’re in PreK.

But that’s just fine. As long as you help them love to learn and adjust to their needs, they’ll still be homeschooling success stories!

This post is part of the month-long series “31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling“! Be sure to stop by tomorrow for Day 4: Understanding Your Child’s ADHD Brain!

Must Read Books for ADHD Homeschooling Parents

October 2, 2014 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

When I first learned that our daughter had ADHD, I was full of questions: What is ADHD? What are the treatment options for ADHD? Should I change my parenting style? Can we manage ADHD without medication?

I Googled and poked around some online sites and found a few great ones (I’ll be sharing those later in the series), but what I really wanted was a comprehensive book about ADHD that would explain the condition, let me know what to expect, and offer suggestions for how we could help Tigger manage her symptoms.

Of course, now that we’ve learned that most of us in the family have ADHD, I’ve had to do even more reading about it. Today I’m recommending my must-read books for ADHD homeschooling parents, but even if you’re not a homeschooling family, you’ll find some excellent advice and tips for managing ADHD in these resources.

My Must-Read Books for ADHD Homeschooling Parents

Healing ADD Revised Edition: The Breakthrough Program that Allows You to See and Heal the 7 Types of ADD

This book by Dr. Daniel Amen has literally been a life changer for our family. In the book, Dr. Amen describes seven types of ADD, including hyper and inattentive versions. We found each of us in this book and we learned about the types of behaviors that are unique to each type.

For example, Tigger tends to show classic ADD symptoms, complete with hyperactivity, while Pooh displays the characteristics of limbic ADD – a type I had never heard of before. It was after reading this book that I decided to adjust our homeschool schedule to allow for a more gradual wake up routine in the morning.

We’ll be talking more about the different types of ADHD later this week.

Raising Girls with ADHD: Secrets for Parenting Healthy, Happy Daughters

Raising Girls with ADHD is a book specifically about helping young girls with the condition to understand their symptoms, manage their behavior, and build self-esteem. Tigger’s dealt with low self-esteem quite a lot over the years, especially when it comes to some of her harder school subjects, so this book was right up our alley!

Look for our full review and a giveaway later this month! 🙂

The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, Revised Edition: Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder

Since some of our children have sensory processing disorder, we try to incorporate sensory activities whenever possible. This book, a follow up to The Out-of-Sync Child, is packed with active, sensory-stimulating activities that are simple to do around the house. These activities have provided some great material for our homeschool P.E. classes!

Women With Attention Deficit Disorder: Embrace Your Differences and Transform Your Life

I came across this book as I was just beginning to realize that I have ADHD. The author, Sari Solden, is also a woman living with ADD and she is incredibly compassionate and relatable as she describes the challenges and advantages of living with this condition.

As a homeschooling mom, I do the majority of the parenting and the teaching in our home and I really needed some help to understand my tendencies toward disorganization and procrastination. This book has really helped me to work with those tendencies, instead of trying to be “normal”.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks

This ebook, written by homeschooling mom Heather Haupt, is a great way to add movement breaks into your homeschool day! We got a chance to review it a while back and our kids absolutely loved it! We schedule in brain breaks every day and the kids pay attention so much better after we take them.

Do you have any favorite books for ADHD homeschooling parents? Share your recommendations in the comments!

This post is part of our “31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling” series! Be sure to stop by tomorrow for Day 3: Why ADHD Parents Should Let Go of the Homeschooling Ideal!

This post is also part of The Massive Guide to Homeschool Reading Lists by iHomeschool Network! Click over to read tons of awesome booklists shared by my fellow homeschooling bloggers!

All Touched Out: Managing SPD Tactile Seeking Symptoms

October 1, 2014 by Selena Robinson 16 Comments

Two of our children are living with sensory processing disorder. Since SPD is such a broad disorder, it can involve all kinds of symptoms that affect every sensory system of the body. One of the biggest issues for both of our kids is SPD tactile seeking. (By the way, tactile is just a fancy word for touch.)

Tigger and Roo are huge tactile seekers. They always have their hands on things around the house. I mean, ALWAYS. When Tigger was younger, we would say “Stop touching!” so many times each day that I’d lose count.

It wasn’t until I started reading about SPD that I realized they were seeking tactile input. I just thought we hadn’t done a good job of teaching them to be polite. And then we noticed variations in their behavior. Tigger tends to touch things very lightly, but Roo uses an enormous amount of pressure. Those variations made it hard for me to know how to treat each child.

Over time, though, we’ve learned to offer sensory experiences for our kids and we’ve seen their behaviors improve quite a lot. Today I’m sharing a few tips we’ve used to help our kids manage their SPD tactile seeking symptoms!

Image c/o: EduardSV / Dollar Photo Club

Tips for Managing SPD Tactile Seeking Behavior

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Don’t overreact.

This tip is probably the most important. When you have a tactile seeking child, expect that he or she is going to try to touch every. single. thing. every. single. day. Depending on your child, he might touch things very, very softly or with tons of pressure.

When Tigger brushes up against me, it’s like being brushed with a feather. In the past, my immediate reaction was to push away, which made her feel that I didn’t want her to touch me. Now that I understand that she’s just looking for sensory input, I’m more sensitive and I let her crawl up against me as often as she likes.

Give them a safe item to touch.

If your child tends to touch things too hard (like Roo does), give them a safe item that can provide that kind of sensory input. Squeeze balls have been a big hit in our house, because Roo can grab them and squeeze them as hard as he likes without worrying about breaking them. And I’d much rather he squeeze those than his little sister. 🙂

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

Engage in lots of sensory play.

Sensory play is a must for kids who exhibit SPD tactile seeking behaviors. When you engage in sensory play, the goal is to engage as many of the senses at once as possible. For example, if you make a sensory bin, you try to include colorful objects (for visual input), different textures (for tactile input), items that make noise (for auditory input), and, if possible, objects that can be tasted (for oral input).

This year, we’ve been sharing in a monthly linkup called “12 Months of Sensory Dough”, where we make a different kind of sensory dough and try it with the kids. So far, we’ve made edible play dough, fizzy dough, moon sand, pumpkin spice latte dough, and even DIY slime! When I take the time to create sensory experiences for our kids, they get the input they need without grabbing random objects.

Those are some of the tips I’ve used to help our kids manage their sensory seeking behaviors, but I’d love to hear your suggestions! Feel free to leave your experiences and tips in the comments!

SPD Solutions from Project Sensory

To help kids manage their SPD tactile seeking symptoms, a new website is launching today called Project Sensory! One of Project Sensory’s SPD products is the Sensory Fix Toolkit, a complete SPD kit in a backpack with 15 tools for managing auditory distractions, restlessness, and even oral input.

Every purchase of the toolkit includes access to Project Sensory’s exclusive printables club, where you can download printables full of sensory tips! Even better, a percentage of every Sensory Fix Toolkit goes toward supplying classrooms with sensory tools. 🙂

This post is part of the “Decoding Everyday Kid Behaviors” blog hop hosted by Lemon Lime Adventures! In honor of Sensory Processing Awareness Month, bloggers will be sharing their favorite tips for sensory processing disorder all month long! Be sure to click over and visit the hop landing page to read all of this month’s great SPD-related posts!

How to Keep a Homeschool Tantrum from Derailing Your School Day

September 24, 2014 by Selena Robinson 11 Comments

Homeschooling moms have the dual challenge of serving as parents AND teachers during the day, which means we often have to deal with a homeschool tantrum or two on occasion. Yay! Not.

When a child throws a temper tantrum, it can disrupt the entire school day. And if you’re homeschooling more than one child, it can distract the other kids from their lessons, make you angry, and throw off your whole schedule for the week. Since we’re homeschooling children with ADHD, it’s essential that we stick to our regular school schedule, so I just cannot afford to have the school day disrupted by a temper tantrum.

Today, I thought I’d share a few of the things that have worked for us in keeping a homeschool tantrum at bay. I’ll also be including a few things that did NOT work, just for comparison. 🙂

Tips for Dealing with a Homeschool Tantrum

Find out what’s wrong. Before you even attempt to handle the tantrum, try to learn why your child is upset. Trust me, this can be difficult. Especially if they’re screaming incoherently at the time. Is your child frustrated because he can’t understand a concept? Is she feeling overwhelmed? Ask your child what’s wrong and then try to listen patiently as he explains.

What does NOT work: Shouting at your child to “Be quiet!”

Establish a regular schedule. Pooh, our oldest boy, is extremely cranky in the mornings. He tends to sleep restlessly and he frequently has night terrors. As a result, he really needs time to wake up at his own pace without being rushed. So, we decided to begin school a bit later in the day to avoid making him concentrate at an early hour. Before I realized that was a problem, he had tantrums almost every day. When we stick with the schedule, though, he rests better and he behaves better.

What does NOT work: Beginning school at a different time each morning

Keep right on teaching. This one is probably the most important. No matter what you do, continue with your lesson plan to the extent you possibly can. Naturally, if you have a kicking and screaming child in your school room, you may have to stop to remove him or her to a safe place. (I’ve had to do that on occasion.) But, if you drop your lesson plan completely, you’ve just told your child that he or she can make school “stop” by throwing a fit. Once you send that message, you’ll have a hard time teaching every day afterward.

What does NOT work: Stopping your lesson for that day

When I follow these three tips, temper tantrums in our family become minor hiccups instead of major obstacles. How do you handle homeschool tantrums? Do you have any suggestions for how to manage temper tantrums while homeschooling? Let us know in the comments!

Don’t miss these other parenting and homeschooling posts!

Get more parenting tips on my Parenting with Joy board on Pinterest!

Why Homeschooling Little Ones is Easier Than Homeschooling Teens

September 8, 2014 by Selena Robinson 7 Comments

We’ve got four learners in our house under the age of 10, so we’re right in the middle of homeschooling little ones. As all of my mama readers know, when you have kids, there are lots of great days, a good amount of okay days, and a fair amount of rough days.

It’s important that we take a break to focus on what we have so we can appreciate it before it’s gone. I know that these days with my kids won’t last forever, so it’s up to me to value them NOW, rather than later.

Keep Reading…

5 Pieces of Homeschooling Advice for the First Year

August 20, 2014 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

When I first began homeschooling Tigger six years ago, I felt that I had a pretty good understanding of homeschooling. After all, I’m a homeschooling graduate myself.

I quickly found, though, that being a homeschool student and being a homeschool parent are two very different things indeed. Now I was responsible for providing a quality education to my little preschooler and I wasn’t even sure I knew what preschoolers needed to learn!

Keep Reading…

Sensory Processing Disorder Parenting: Showing Empathy

August 5, 2014 by Selena Robinson 6 Comments

Last week, I shared the beginning stages of our journey toward an official sensory processing disorder diagnosis. Today I’m passing along four sensory processing disorder parenting tips that are helping me relate to my children.

Empathy is an important part of positive parenting. When we identify with our kids’ feelings, we can adjust our parenting approach to help them sort through their emotions and follow our directions.

Even though I don’t necessarily have SPD (that I know of), I have found that I do have a few sensory issues. So, I’ve been trying to tap into those feelings to empathize with my children.

Sensory Processing Disorder Parenting Tips for Showing Empathy

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Think about how you feel when you’re overwhelmed. What sensory moments set you off or irritate you? For me, it’s lots of loud noise. When all of the kids are talking at once, I literally feel like my brain is short-circuiting. So I know that sensory overload is damaging.

Magnify your own feelings by 10 to get a sense of your child’s emotions. Even though I get irritated when my senses are overwhelmed, I can (usually) stay in control because I know what I’m doing next or because I know I have an action plan. My kids, though, don’t have that option. Naturally, their own response is not going to be as measured as mine. So why would I expect them to behave the way I do?

Accept that your children have the right to feel. This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s something we often overlook as parents. Our children are entitled to their feelings. They really are. Their feelings don’t have to make sense or meet some kind of standard for normality. We shouldn’t ever criticize or belittle what they feel, even if we don’t understand why they are reacting to something so strongly. Since kids with SPD tend to have stronger emotional responses, we need to be prepared to help them manage those feelings, not deny them.

Acknowledge your kids’ feelings before giving instructions or discipline. To help our children show obedience, we need to deal with their feelings first. Personally, I know that if I’m angry or sad, I find it very hard to follow instructions (even if they’re good for me!). My feelings are so strong that they basically block out my good sense. My kids are the same way. If they’re consumed with their feelings or sensory responses, they’re not going to be able to follow my instructions. I have to acknowledge their feelings and help them work through them before I can expect them to cooperate with direction.

Other Parenting with Empathy Resources:

Have you tried parenting with empathy? Does showing empathy make it easier for you to handle sensory processing disorder parenting struggles? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Accepting the Reality of Sensory Processing Disorder

July 31, 2014 by Selena Robinson 27 Comments

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is a somewhat controversial topic in the medical community. Some physicians, including my children’s primary physician, either do not believe that it is a real condition or they feel that it is simply a symptom of another issue.

For a while, I tended to agree with these “experts”. I had noticed a few unusual quirks in some of my kids, such as constant chewing, intentionally crashing into the floor, and seeking out upside down positions, but I felt that these were effects of their ADHD.

Because I didn’t look at SPD as a real, standalone condition, I wasn’t sensitive to the special needs of children who have it, including my own. Over the past few weeks, though, I’ve come to think differently about SPD. I’m slowly accepting the reality of sensory processing disorder and what it means for our family.

What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

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SPD is a complex condition. It generally manifests itself in either underresponsiveness (child feels too little) or overresponsiveness (child feels too much).

Kids who are underresponsive may seek out sensory input through rough play, touching everything in sight, shouting, and chewing on inedible objects. My kids fall into this category.

Kids who are overresponsive may avoid or run away from regular activities because the sound, feel, or taste of something is too strong for them to handle.

Interestingly, SPD is not a straight-line condition. Kids may be overresponsive in some areas and underresponsive in others. You can have a child who shouts at the top of his lungs all day just to get some auditory stimulation, but cries after tasting a pretzel because the texture is too hard for his mouth.

How I Knew Something Was Wrong

Now that I’m back at home with the kids on a full-time basis, some of their behaviors seem a bit more blatant than they did before. Tigger, for example, chews ALL DAY LONG. She’s chewed her fingers quite a lot over the years.

When we started helping her take care of her nails, she switched to chewing on her hair. She was even sucking her locks. I’d never seen anything like that before. We worked with her on that habit and we thought things had improved.

Then, one day after naptime, we noticed these large circular bruises on both of her arms. We were horrified. “What did you do???!!” She had been sucking on her arms before falling asleep. It seemed like when we helped her stop using one object for oral sensory input, she’d simply switch to another and another. That was when I realized we were dealing with more than just a bad habit.

I’ve read quite a few books on SPD recently and I’ll share my insights from those in an upcoming post. But, noticing that my kids were not “getting better” made me realize that SPD wasn’t going anywhere and that we’d have to deal with it in order to help our kids thrive.

Other Sensory Processing Disorder Resources

Books about Sensory Processing Disorder

Are any of you dealing with sensory processing disorder with your kids? What challenges have you faced so far? Have you had any trouble getting support from your physician or your family? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments.