I've been watching a nest of baby birds in the burning bush next to my house. At first, it was the momma sitting on her nest, day after day until eventually, the babies arrived.

Did you know that there is such as thing as "Container Baby Syndrome"? Simply put, it's when babies spend too much time in "containers" which can cause a variety of movement, behavior, and other difficulties as a result.

When we're babies, do our caregivers need to ask us to move in certain ways? Do we say to our 4 or 5 month old:

"Ok honey, it's time to practice rolling over. Just move your legs like this, and your shoulders like this...."

You can't reason with fear.

Fear doesn't care that it appears mean when it throw objects at people.

Fear doesn't know that calling names is disrespectful.

Fear doesn't understand when you tell it that it's not okay to destroy other people's belongings.

Fear is FEAR!

"I can't believe he likes that!"

This was what the mom of a new client said to me.

One of the difficult things about this job is that people don't know about the work that I do. When you're in need of someone to fix your pipes, you look up a plumber. When you need a therapist, you look for a therapist.

It’s story time!

Once upon a time, there was a teacher named Amy. Amy was a good teacher. She loved working with her second grade classes and she loved helping each of the children grow and succeed in her class.

Have you heard of the "Cats vs. Pickles" line of children's toys? They are one of those trends that has popped up in certain circles of "kid life". Basically, they are little stuffed animals that are either a "cat" or a "pickle". The intention of the manufacturer is to get kids to "collect all" and you can buy them blind- in a sealed package where you don't know which one you got until you open it.

I'll admit it. I like to think outside of the box.

I'm not really exactly sure when that started, because to be honest, I was a traditional "rule follower" for a long time. And I still like rules- I do, and if you ask anyone who knows me well, they will agree to that statement!

"I feel safe in here", stated my 8 year old client.

She had just finished wrapping herself up in blankets and sheets that were in the space where we were working.

If you are in the United States, then you will know that today is Mother's Day. It's a day to honor mothers and all that they do for their families and their children.

In this post, I speak for me (both from the past and in the present) but I also speak for others with whom this resonates. Often, it seems like the only people who understand what having a child with special needs is like- are those who also have a child with special needs.

I see you. I hear you. I'm on the journey along side you.

In a previous post titled "Out of the Loop", I talked about "The Learning Loop" and how it relates to us and our children. If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you read that post now in order to fully understand what I'm about to say.

The other day, I posted this picture on my Brain FUNdamentals Facebook page. I've been thinking about this quote ever since then and about what it really means to be a "real" parent.

The other night, my friend and I were creating vision boards. In case you aren't familiar, a vision board is a collage of pictures, words, sayings, etc. that people usually create at the beginning of a new year. It's a visual way of reminding yourself what you want for the upcoming year and helping to bring it to fruition.

"Did you ever wonder....?" That is what the famous TV presenter Andy Rooney would often say during his few minute snippets at the end of the TV show "60 Minutes".

The names are getting better. The names of all the balls I carry around with me, that is. If you follow my blog, you will already know about "The Big Green Ball", and about "Heavy Pink Ball".

When you think about the phrase "sense of self", what image does that conjure up for you? Maybe you think about yourself, and what your place is in the world. Maybe you think about your child and about how they see themselves. Or maybe you're like me and think of someone going off to "find themselves".

Remember that saying- "The man behind the mask" ? Of course, with Covid-19 that has probably taken on a whole new meaning for all of us. But anyway- I've been thinking about that saying a lot since I started the facebook page for Brain FUNdamentals.

Each new year can bring with it hope, optimism, and a chance to start over. Do you think?