Welcome back to Chelsea’s story. Last week I introduced you to a 5-year-old with some social anxieties and emotional dysregulation leading to meltdowns and challenges transitioning between activities in her day.
[Click here to read last week’s newsletter]
Today’s focus is on understanding why social activities and participation cause so much stress for Chelsea and how we can help her feel more confident and supported. Remember, my main role and focus when working with families is to help them get to the root of each behavior and find creative, practical solutions to help support the child’s success. My goal is not to find ways to change their brain or help them act more neurotypical.
Participation at school
Chelsea’s kindergarten teachers raised concerns to her parents about her shyness and lack of participation in group settings. Specifically, they noted that she often doesn’t raise her hand to contribute to group discussions and that she seems shy and reserved when there are classroom volunteers and visitors. Her teacher brought this up to Chelsea’s parents to see if there was a way to encourage Chelsea to become more confident in these interactions.
On a positive note, the other teacher in the classroom mentioned that Chelsea is now able to ask for help when she needs it and was seemingly able to navigate peer relationships and conflicts well (this was an area of need they had been working on).
My immediate thoughts that I shared with the parents:
Why is it a requirement for Chelsea to raise her hand and contribute to the group discussion?
Is this the only way for her to participate in the group?
Why is it important that she speak to and engage with other adults who visit the classroom?
