"Strategies for Success' Weekly Ideas

Each week I will give you an easy to do "strategy for success". These are sensory based, and will help individuals of all ages. Hope you Enjoy!

Sarah

Strategy for Success #1:“I can do it”!...are common words a person hears as a child with typically developing skills works on dressing.

What if dressing skills are delayed? It is important to identify why those delays happen.
Sensory sensitivity may present and the child’s system may not be able to tolerate input, especially when sensitive areas are involved, like when washing their face, brushing their teeth or hair. Vibration may help these kids.
Some kids seemingly can’t dress in than an hour…EEK! Often, the issue is difficulty focusing, and music for concentration helps. Sometimes the issue is organization and sequencing, and metronomes or drum music may help.
Muscle can have poor endurance, and the hand can have poor touch discrimination, making it difficult to use fasteners. Wake-up hands by clapping and rubbing fingers. Then try for fun by dressing dolls, putting on costumes with fasteners, or playing with toys that work on dressing skills.

An afternoon without electronics(except a camera)

Last Monday, my husband David, and I had a chance to have a little time together without children or work responsibilities. The day was a sparkling winter day, sunshine, and with no wind blowing (that doesn't happen too often during the winter in Michigan).

We enjoyed going to the Fredrick Meijer Gardens, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The gardens were quiet, with not a lot of people around, and may of the exhibits were closed due to construction or changing of displays. That didn't bother us a bit.

David and I took our digital camera in with us. We had a great time taking pictures of each of other posing in front of palm trees, cactus, statues, and in the snow. We even had a person come up and ask us if she could take a picture of us together. I believed that she could feel the fun we were having.

The calmness,quite and beauty of the day helped us to appreciate God's nature. It was great to not answer phones, check the email, work on computers, or other things that distract us from the feeling of peace.

Introducing...SARAH

Hi I’m Sarah, the Manager and the Registered Occupational Therapist here at The Hammock LLC.

Just a little history about me…I fell into the career of OT by accident, I was thinking of pursuing a career as a doctor or nurse, but someone told me a little about OT. I decided that sounded like fun. So here I am with over twenty years of OT experience, which is the coolest job around and still having lots of fun. I have worked many places, enjoyed each one, and have always come out with unique experiences that enrich my OT skills.
I Obtained my degree through Eastern Michigan University with much determination and motivation; as it took me 6 hours on a daily basis to get to the university and back home to Lowell, Michigan on a good day. Plus I needed to study and complete homework, and as well, taking care of family and household duties on top of driving and attending classes.
I have had extensive training outside which include conferences, workshops, and certification trainings, and will continue expand my expertise by participating in the latest and most update education to insure the best of quality.
Some of my credentials and specialties are: Registered Occupational Therapist, Certified Occupational therapy assistant, Certified Basic life support instructor for CPR, First Aid and AED training, Certified HANDLE Screener, Certified yoga instructor, and I am continuing further training in Myofacial release therapy.
So much for the boring stuff, let me tell you the fun stuff about my family and I. First of all, I love to be barefoot and stick my feet in the sand. I also love to be outdoors when the weather is good, but also enjoy life’s little perks like pedicures, massages, and chocolate.
I have a great husband, who is a pilot and rides motorcycles. He also can fix ANYTHING. We enjoy challenging each other to explore new and exciting adventures together like dancing, going flying out to dinner, riding motorcycles; and to be the best that we could be in all that we do.
I totally enjoy both of my 2 teenage children watching them grow, explore, learn and love and even with all the teenage emotions get rolling. I still get hugs and kisses each night from these kids that have managed to fill my heart with joy. What a blessing it is to have such a great family!
We have 2 large dogs, one should have been a rug by the fireplace, and the other one seems to have a thing with carrying my shoes around the house.
When I am stressed or need some down time, I like to exercise, yoga, play racquetball, or even kayak; otherwise I will paint walls, pictures, murals, anything I can get my hands on.
Life is like a book: you know the beginning and the ending, but what is fun is that you get to write what is in-between. I enjoy and celebrate individuality, life experiences, and all that God has given me.