TheraTree Pediatric Therapy - TheraTree Blog #winterTheraTree Pediatric Therapy - TheraTree Blog #winterhttps://www.theratreepeds.com/blogs/tag/winterWed, 12 Nov 2025 18:52:44 -0800http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[New Year's Resolutions and How to Actually Achieve Them]]>https://www.theratreepeds.com/blogs/post/new-years  The most common resolutions people typically make are to lose weight, to save money, to learn a something new, to become more organized, to stop ]]>

 The most common resolutions people typically make are to lose weight, to save money, to learn a something new, to become more organized, to stop smoking/drinking, and to become overall healthier (eating homecooked meals versus fast food, buying a gym membership, going to bed earlier, finding a new, less stressful job, etc.). One on-line poll in 2020 showed that by about 68% of people give up on their goals after approximately 32 days. The most common reason: lack of discipline. Other factors for abandoning these resolutions included busy schedules, not having “enough time,” and even peer pressure. So the question is: How does one make a New Year’s Resolution and actually follow through with it? Generic answer: Hard work and commitment. 

Don't Think it - ink it!

Every New Year’s Resolution that a person makes is an attempt to fulfill something within their basic needs; To satisfy quality world pictures. Something to make their lives a little bit better. No one ever makes a resolution to make things worse. However, having another commitment to fulfill is often times very stressful and ultimately discarded because one already has “too many irons in the fire.” But these Resolutions should be viewed as a form of self-care and most people tend to put taking care of themselves at the bottom of that list. As this list continues to grow with other obligations, eventually, the resolutions are taken off the list. In order for these resolutions to be achieved, resolutions must become a priority! (Using concepts of Dr. William Glasser’s Reality Therapy and Dr. Robert Wubbolding’s WDEP system, this is where I tell you how!)

By Jacob L. Wright, M.Ed., LPCC-S, NCC

Reviewed and Edited by Michael Fulkerson, LPCC-S and author of Treatment Planning from a Choice Theory Perspective



Well, it’s that time of year again. The Time of year people start thinking about those promises to themselves that they’re not really going to keep. Every year, many people create a New Year’s Resolution with good intentions of keeping them, but soon throw them out along with all the boxes and wrappings of the holidays. In the beginning, these people are very determined and motivated to make changes in their lives. Why? By the end of the year, most people are stressed and overwhelmed and tired of being stuck in a rut. Tired of being broke. Tired of being stressed. Tired of being fat. Tired of being… tired. I know this all too well. I have been one of those people!

Take a few minutes to think about what your resolution would be for the new year. What is something that you feel would improve your outlook on your life? Or improve the quality of your life? Write it down. Don’t’ just think it, INK IT! Chances are, this is something you’ve wanted for a long time. It may also be a resolution you’ve tried to achieve before and didn’t follow through with. Now think about the impact this would have if you were to achieve this. Can you describe it? How would you feel if you could make this happen? Now ask yourself how badly do you want it? Do you just kind of want it? Or do you really want it? There is a big difference in your motivation depending on how you answer this question!

Overcome Past Efforts

Once you know what you want and how badly you want it, think about what you’ve tried in the past to achieve this goal. Write it down! If this is a brand-new want, you may not have tried anything before. And that’s ok! If this is something you’ve wanted before, and did not follow through with, that is okay, too! If this is something you’ve wanted for a long time and have tried many things, how well did it work out? What are some of the things that did work and what are the efforts that did not? Again, write this down. 


By now, you know what you want and how badly you want it. You are also aware of your past efforts, what has worked and what did not. Now ask yourself “What can I do differently and what am I willing to do to make sure this works this time.” This is your plan of action. Be as detailed as possible. If your resolution is to lose weight, write down how you’re going to do this. Example: 

  • I will commit to exercise 3 days a week for 1 hour (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
  • I will cut down to only having fast food 1 day per week and eat home cooked meals the rest of the week
  • I will drink 72 oz water per day. (Break this down into how many ounces per hour.)
  • I will cut down on sodas to 1 per week and replace with water or unsweet tea.


Dr. Robert Wubbolding, author of Reality Therapy for the 21st Century, attests that for a plan to be effective, it must be “Simple, Attainable, Measurable, Immediate and Controlled by the planner (SAMIC).”


It can be whatever steps you feel you need to take to make this happen. If you find yourself not knowing what steps need to be taken, make a step to include researching or talking to someone who knows more about what it is that you want.  Again, be specific and realistic. Don’t set standards too high. Committing to working out 3 hours a day 7 days a week can be overwhelming and set someone up to fail. If you can do more on certain days than usual, do it. But only write down what is manageable and what you’re willing to commit to. 

Commitment

If you’ve gone this far, why not go ahead and sign it. Put your signature and date somewhere on this as a written contract to yourself. Now take it a step further and post it somewhere where you will see it every day, or maybe several times a day. Put it on the fridge if you have to. This can help you hold yourself accountable for your goals. 


My personal recommendation is to document your progress once a month until you’ve reached your goal. Review your contract. Are you still reaching for the same goal? What have you been doing to make this happen? Is it working? Why or why not? And if it’s not working as well as you’d like, are there modifications to make to your plan? If so, write it down. Sign it. Date it. And keep going!! If you say you can, or say you can’t, you’re right!! You are in control! You are the only one that can make this happen for yourself. You’re worth it!! If you want it, go for it! You got this!! 

Cheers!

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]]>Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:42:20 -0600<![CDATA[Tips for Supporting Children and Teens during this Holiday Season]]>https://www.theratreepeds.com/blogs/post/Holiday-2020Links from article:  Check out CDC guidance to make holiday gather ings safer. Understanding & Coping with Reactions in a Pandemic ]]>

Links from article: 

]]>Thu, 10 Dec 2020 12:56:22 -0600<![CDATA[Winter Holiday Tips & Tricks for Children with Challenges]]>https://www.theratreepeds.com/blogs/post/Winter-Holiday-Tips-Tricks-for-Children-with-Challenges

The most wonderful time of the year can be a whirlwind of time sensitive planning, traditions, and emotions for both children and parents. At the root of it all is an opportunity to celebrate your culture and be with the people you love. Let's plan for success for all the season may bring.

Preparation

Talk to your Occupational & Speech Therapists for tips specific to your child.

Schedules
  • Countdown timeline: Use a calendar or visual schedule to highlight important happenings and count down the days.
    • This may include family coming to visit, decorations coming out / going away, traditions, holiday millstones, and school break beginning / ending.
    • Advent calendars can be a great facilitator of counting down. 
    • Spread out the joy by making it a holiday week or even month by spreading out traditions.
    • Include the whole family as part of the schedule/plan. If you have multiple children, take time to ensure their favorite parts of the holiday are included in your plans.
  • Create a visual schedule for the day of the holiday.
    • Work with a Speech Language Pathologist to expand their vocabulary and picture boards for the season.
  • Keep the schedule / calendar easily accessible to the child.
  • Use "First _____, then ______" language to reinforce your schedule.
  • Schedule your child's usual activities throughout the season as well to maintain some normalcy.
    • Examples: Going to the library, therapy appointments, swimming at the gym etc.
  • Emphasize the activities that will be remaining the same vs only the changes. This can decrease anxiety around changes.
    • Examples: Your friends/family might be dressed in bright festive clothes but they're still the same people you love.
    • You can even create a game about what's staying the same to shift their focus on consistency.
  • Explain the reason for routine changes and traditions. Some traditions or decorations can seem bizarre to someone who doesn't understand the purpose behind them.
    • Examples: What are the religious reasons behind certain traditions, music, or events? Why is there a tree inside the house and why is it decorated? "Fir trees are green all year round and remind us that even in winter, things are alive and growing."
    • Practice certain traditions ahead of time.
    • Adapt traditions to make them your own and easier for the whole family to participate in.

Social Stories

Decorations
  • Revisit pictures from previous holidays to show your home decorated.
  • Gradually decorate the house/tree so that change is not sudden. Take decorations down in stages as well.
  • Have your child help you decorate within their skill level (make ornaments, hang garland).
  • Set rules for all decorations; what they can touch and what is off limits.
  • Consider the placement of sentimental, valuable, or breakable ornaments/decorations. Keep them out of reach, out of shared areas of the house, under your direct supervision only, or don't put them out if damage would cause an emotional upset to anyone.
  • Create a decoration free zone in the house. This could be your child's room or another room that's free from change and can function as a "safe-zone".

Presents


Shopping
  • Call ahead and ask when stores are the least busy.
  • Find stores that offer sensory-friendly shopping days. Toys 'R' Us and Target have been known to offer quiet shopping hours at different location across the country.
  • Select gifts that are both fun and learning opportunities.
  • Have your child help pick out their presents.
    • Give them a budget to help teach math skills.
  • If your child obsesses over a particular gift, be specific and direct about the number of times they can mention the gift each day.
    • You can give them tokens or pictures of the gift you take each time they mention the gift.
    • If you have no intention to get that gift for them, be direct with them and tell them that they will not receive that gift instead of saying maybe. Not being direct about your intentions can effect your child's trust in you.

Wrapping Gifts

  • If your child has fine motor difficulties, set them up for success:
    • Create easy to open wrapping by make the overlaps loose where the wrapping paper edges meet and pull tabs with tape and bow.
    • Remove difficult packaging, such as zip ties, before wrapping. If getting to the toy is frustrating, the child may reject the gift.
  • The inability to see the present can contribute to unpredictability and create anxiety. 
    • Cellophane see-through wrapping paper can give your child the fun of unwrapping a gift and relieve the anxiety of uncertainty for whats inside. 
    • Label each wrapped gift with a picture of what is inside. Similarly build these pictures into the social social of what they're gifted for the holiday.
  • Put pictures of the gift recipient on the gift instead of names to easily direct your child to who it belongs to.
  • Prepare the gift for immediate play!
    • If a present needs to be built, put together, or batteries installed, do this before wrapping the present.
    • Also consider if building the gift is part of the fun or a learning tool for them - careful not to stifle a learning opportunity by doing it all for them.
  • Wrap up a preferred familiar toy to set up positive engagement from your child. 

  • Structure
    • Establish rules ahead of time. This is another opportunity to incorporate into the schedule / calendar you create and into social stories.
      • Gifts aren't to be opened without the rest of the family there. 
      • Gifts are to be opened at a specific date and time.
      • Explain what is socially appropriate for gift giving and receiving.
        • Address that sometimes your child might receive a gift they don't like and we still thank the person it's from. 
        • Role play appropriate social interactions.
    • Give your child one gift at a time to avoid overwhelm.
    • Spread the gift giving over a few days to spread out the joy and reduce overwhelm.
    • Use a visual symbol that its time or someone's turn to open their gift. Example: The person wearing the Santa hat gets to open their gift. 
    • Assign your child to "Play Santa" and distribute the presents to each family member. This allows them to have some control among the unpredictability. 


    Sensory Overload & Safety

    • Teach them an appropriate way to leave a situation or access support when they become overwhelmed. These self management skills will serve them well into adulthood.
    • Help them understand the signs they need a break before they start showing those signs. Example: When they want to yell, tummy hurts, hands tighten into fists, face feels red.
    • Identify their signs of heightened state as well. Be proactive with calming supports to prevent a melt down. 
    • Create a safe zone. Including calming toys, sounds and lighting. 
    • Plan for events such as concerts and church that can be sensory overwhelming.
      • Sit on the ends of rows.
      • Offer ear plugs, headphones, or earmuffs to decrease sound.
      • Have an exit strategy.
    • Plan to arrive early at your destination. This allows your child to transition, explore new surroundings and become comfortable before sounds and crowds increase.
    • Take measures to prevent wandering and elopement.
      • Take turns with a trusted family member to keep an eye on your child.
      • Consider having your child wear an ID bracelet or tracking device. 
      • Have a progressive and multifaceted safety plan in place if you're unable to locate you child.
    • Choose Sensory Sensitive Events when possible, such as our Sensitive Santa Event.
    • Schedule some respite time for yourself to avoid caregiver burnout. Although it can be trying to find help over the holidays, utilize university students home for the winter break.

    Most importantly, enjoy the memories you'll make with your family this year!

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