Starting to Make Sense

Now that I have gone back to work and the kids have returned to school, I have been thinking about all the things that I should have done or had planned to do with O this summer. It was going to be a summer of progress, or so I had myself convinced. But, instead of eating more foods, he's actually become more picky - if that's possible! Instead of watching less tv, he has found new shows and a new channel to become obsessed with. Oh, the guilt!

Then, when I couldn't stand feeling guilty anymore, I decided to take a step back, to look to see what we had accomplished.

Not long after starting my blog, I began looking for others who were blogging about raising children with sensory processing difficulties. I found several individual blogs and also a blogger network related to sensory processing disorder. There was one woman from this group that reached out to me and was instrumental in me joining a private group on Facebook dedicated to helping parents live a positive "sensory life." This group is led by an Occupational Therapist with a huge knowledge-base and lots of practical strategies and activities for children with dysfunctional sensory processing.

Although this was not one of the outcomes I had expected from my blog, I was grateful to have found a group of parents (mostly mothers) to support and strategize with about one of the most difficult areas of my life. As a result, we were able to try many new sensory strategies and exercises this summer.

This is O in his "squish box." 

It helps him calm down and generally feel better.

Here is O trying one of his new exercises. 

The "superman" exercise is his favorite, but I didn't have a photo of that one.

Another new favorite, the hippity-hop ball. 

Great for bouncing around the house or balancing on his belly.

We also built an obstacle course in the house, equipped with items to jump on, over and around. Even the girls got into that one. Also new to us...O loves to get "squeezes" on his arms, legs, back and head, which help him feel good on his bad days. (He even requests them sometimes.)

So, although we didn't get to the things I had planned, there are many things that O does that make more sense to me now. And, there were things that we did do that seem to be helping him be a more regulated, happy little boy. A happier boy makes for a happier mama!