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Money Matters

Banking

What is Money?

Money is what you use to buy things. Over time we, as a society, have agreed on how many “dollars” are needed to buy each item. We know it works because we have used it over and over for all kinds of things. It is by learning these concepts and gaining experience with making transactions that we begin to learn skills that will support independence in the future. Read more >>

Money Master

How good are your money handling skills? How fast can you give change?
http://www.mathsisfun.com/money/money-master.html (Click on “Canada”)

Peter Pig’s Money Counter

Practice identifying, counting and saving money while learning facts about Canadian currency with this innovative and engaging game.
https://www.practicalmoneyskills.ca/games/peterpigs/

Knowing where you spend your money

Whether you have a disability pension (for example, Ontario Disability Support Pension – ODSP) or you receive a pay cheque from employment, the money you have available to use is likely limited. Before you can set up a budget, you need to know where you are spending your money. Most people do not have a good idea of what they are spending their money on. Read more >>

Simple Strategies to Help Save Your Money

After paying for the basics – rent, food, transportation, personal needs and clothing, there is usually not much left over. Here are some strategies that could help you save money for that trip or the new TV that you have always wanted.

Read more >>
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Additional Resources:

  1. Daily Money Log
  2. Expense and Income Summary Form

 

How to budget your money to cover all your expenses

When you only have so much money, it is important to ensure that you are able to pay for your basic needs, your fixed costs and still have money to save or spend on entertainment. Here are some strategies to figure out where you are spending your money, how to create a budget and how to keep on budget.

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Creating a Budget

Budgeting your money is important because it is a way to make sure that you have enough money for your basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. It will help you to avoid owing money to friends, credit card companies, or banks. It can allow you to put money away for a big purchase like a vacation, a piece of furniture, or something else that you want or need. Read more >>

Additional Resources:

  1. Personal Budget Plan
  2. Download: Monthly Budget Calculator (MS Excel)
  3. www.free-financial-advice.net

Personal Banking

Personal Banking

Here are some strategies to use to be smart and safe in your personal banking including why you should have a bank account, how to choose a bank and the type of account, how to use a debit card safely, how to cash a cheque, how to be safe using online banking, and choosing a good PIN number and online password.

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Why Everyone Should Have a Personal Bank Account

While having someone else have control over your finances might seem to make your life easier, there are some important benefits to having your own bank account. These reasons include employment, cashing cheques, reputation, safety and accessibility. Each of these reasons is explained in more detail below. Read more >>

How To Open a Bank Account

The first thing to consider when opening a bank account is which bank you will choose. Think about what is important for you. It is important to consider how you get your money and your daily schedule and routines. Read More >>

Debit Cards, Online Banking and other Bank Account Information

When you open a bank account, you will be given a bank card that you can use to access your money. This is also called a “debit card”. When you receive the card, you will be asked to choose a four digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) that you will key in whenever you use your debit card. Protect your PIN number by not writing it down. Be sure to memorize the number and remember to never share it with anyone else. Read More >>

Making a withdrawal at the bank machine (ATM)

Bank machines make it easy to take money out of your bank account. Here are step by step instructions on how to withdrawal money from an ATM. All of these steps will be required to take money out of the ATM. However, the order you do the steps may be different depending on the ATM you are using. It is important to follow the instructions provided on the screen of the ATM each time.

 

Making a deposit at the bank machine (ATM)

Bank machines make it easy to deposit cash or cheques into your bank account. Here are step by step instructions on how to deposit money into your bank account using an ATM. All of these steps will be required to deposit money using the ATM. However, the order you do the steps may be different depending on the ATM you are using. It is important to follow the instructions provided on the screen of the ATM each time.

 

 

How to Get an Ontario Photo Card

Ontario photo card

Ontario introduced a new photo card that will provide government-issued identification to more than 1.5 million Ontarians who do not drive. The Ontario photo card makes it easier for non-drivers to perform everyday activities such as cashing a cheque or returning items and goods to a store. Read More >>

How to Cash a Cheque

When you receive a cheque, you need to cash it. The best way to do this is through your own bank account. If you do not yet have a bank account, see the article titled “How to open a bank account” for instructions. Depending on the account you have, cashing cheques will not cost you additional money. You can cash the cheque at either the teller at your bank branch or by using an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) at your bank. When cashing a cheque you need two things: 1. Your bank card 2. Identification. Read More >>

 

Spending Strategies

Spending

Spending money is something everyone does. Here are some strategies to help you be smart when you buy things and some ideas of what you can do if you find out that you have spent more money than what you have available.

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Different Ways to Buy Things like Goods and Services

In today’s world we have many different choices on how we can pay for something we want to buy. This section will explain many of the options people have to do this. Read More >>

Purchasing Smart

Spending money is something everyone does. Spending is a combination of things we have to pay for and things we want. Every month we have to make sure we leave enough for necessities. Making your budget is the easy part. The harder part is sticking to your budget. There are many stores and places you can spend money. Read More >>

What Happens When Everything Goes Wrong With Your Spending

Sometimes, your financial situation gets so out of hand that you don’t know what to do. You have not been watching your spending and it creeps up on you.

You might realize that there is a problem only when you get a letter from the phone company, the bank or the collection agency. In one situation, for example, a problem with unpaid taxes was only noticed when the property bills were found in the person’s drawer while she was in the hospital. Read More >>

Additional Resources

Money Matters by ABC Life Literacy Canada

Money Matters is a free, introductory financial literacy program designed for adult learners. We work with organizations like learning centres, libraries, settlement agencies and so many more, all across Canada that run Money Matters workshops in their community. https://abcmoneymatters.ca/

Simple Strategies to Help You Save Your Money

How often have you wanted something but did not have the money to purchase it? If you are receiving a disability pension or are employed in a low wage job, this probably happens quite often. After paying for the basics – rent, food, transportation, personal needs and clothing, there is usually not much left over.

Here are some strategies that could help you save money for that trip or the new TV that you have always wanted.

  • Keep a savings jar or a Piggy Bank available for your savings. You can even take a picture of an item that you are saving up for and tape it to the outside of the piggy bank to remind you why you are dropping money into the bank instead of spending it.
  • Open a savings account and deposit a set amount each month or whenever you have extra money. Some banks offer a savings account that requires you to transfer the money to a chequing account in order to take it out. This makes it more difficult for you to spend it on short notice.
  • Link your saving to the goals you have set out for yourself in your Person Directed Plan. This will help you achieve your goals as well as making sure that YOUR money is working for YOU.
  • Pay yourself first. Make it a habit to always put away a little of your income whenever you get it. Add this item to your weekly budget. This could be a percentage of your income or a flat amount – say $2.00. Put the money in a jar or a piggy bank for a rainy day. If you put away $2.00 each week, you will have $104 in one year.

    Simple savings calculator

    Tip for Staff/ Caregiver: It is never too early to start using this strategy. Over time, this becomes a habit that will serve the person well all their life.

  • Save with coupons. When you redeem coupons or purchase items on sale, don’t spend what you save – save it. Put the amount you saved into your savings jar or piggy bank.
  • If you get $20 for your birthday, save $10 and spend $10. If you have two extra loonies, save one loonie and spend the other.
  • Every evening when you come home, put any coins or change you have in the savings jar.
  • Take a look at your daily expenses. That coffee at Tim Horton’s cost you $1.50. Decide how important that coffee is to you. Would you rather have that new flat screen TV? If you put that $1.50 into your savings jar each day you would have $540 in just 1 year.
  • Check out this Spend-o-meter to see how much these habits cost you

How to be watchful and save money

  1. Instead of buying your lunch each day, bring your lunch to school, work or day activity. Put the money you save into your savings jar.
  2. It is much cheaper to make your own coffee or tea at home and use that money for something else.
  3. Take a look at your regular monthly expenses for cable or phone. Do you watch all the channels you are paying for or could a lower cost cable package be okay?
  4. Instead of buying newspapers and magazines, you can read them on the internet or if you don’t have a computer, you can go to the library and read them for free. At the library, you can also take out C.D.’s, D.V.D.’s and videos to watch and listen to.
  5. Going out to a movie can be expensive. Plan your own movie night at home with friends by getting a video from the library or renting one. If you have cable television, you can record movies shown early in the week to watch on the weekends. Make some popcorn and enjoy!
  6. Board games and card games are an inexpensive form of entertainment.
  7. Garage sales and thrift stores are good places to find bargains like board games, clothes, household items, etc. Make sure you check out the items very carefully to ensure that they are not broken or just junk.
  8. In the summer, local parks often have free entertainment like concerts and festivals.
  9. Check with your local community swimming pools and skating rinks and find out if they have free swimming or free skating at special times of the year like Christmas and March Break. Community centres may also offer free activities.
  10. Libraries, museums and galleries sometimes have exhibits that are free. Even if you have to pay for a special exhibit, there are often tickets offered at a cheaper price. Always look for discounts. For example, movie theatres may offer lower ticket prices before noon or on certain days.
  11. Dollar stores offer a large variety of items at a low cost. Make sure you check the quality of the item before you buy it. Some things may not be made very well and will fall apart quickly once you use them.

Saving Money When Grocery Shopping

  • Do not go to the grocery store when you are feeling hungry because you may buy things you don’t need.
  • Try not to buy groceries from a corner (convenience) store because they are more expensive than a regular grocery store.
  • Look for weekly specials in the grocery store. Go through grocery flyers to see which stores have deals on the items you need.
  • Make a list when you go grocery shopping and only buy the items on that list.
  • Coupons can save you money or get you items for free. Purchase items when they are on sale and have a coupon for that item to save even more money. There are many websites on the internet where you can print coupons for food as well as other things. Here are two websites:
  • Do not buy more food than you can eat, even if it is a good price. No one likes to throw food away.
  • Try generic brands of food such as “No Name”, “Equality”, “Selection” or “Our Compliments”. They are often just as tasty as name brands and are often cheaper.
  • Look at other brands for the same product. They are often the same quality but cheaper than the most popular brand.
  • Look for items on clearance that have been marked down in price. These may be located in a shopping buggy or on a shelf with a sign that says “Marked Down” or “Clearance”. On groceries or food, be sure to check the Best Before Date so that you are not buying spoiled food.
  • Buy frozen vegetables. That way, food won’t go bad if it isn’t eaten fast enough after you buy it.
  • Most products identify the cost per unit of product (e.g. per 100 grams). This is usually located on the shelf below the product. Use this to compare the cost of different brands of the product.
  • In the summer and fall, buy fruits and vegetables from the farmer’s market. They are cheaper and fresher than buying them at a grocery store.
  • Shop at a bread outlet if possible for bread, baking etc.
  • Use reusable cloth grocery bags when shopping so you don’t have to pay for plastic bags. It is better for the environment.

Creating a Budget

To budget your money means to plan out how much money you have and how much of your money you spend on certain things.

If we have money, why can’t we spend it until we run out and then wait for more?

Budgeting your money is important because it is a way to make sure that you have enough money for your basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. It will help you to avoid owing money to friends, credit card companies, or banks. It can allow you to put money away for a big purchase like a vacation, a piece of furniture, or something else that you want or need.

In order to do this, you have to “live within your means” which means you have to make decisions about where to live and where to shop based on how much money you have. You can not spend more money than you have.

Let’s talk first about basic needs and what that means in your life:

  • Food → groceries from the store. You need a variety of food types to help you stay healthy.
  • Clothing → clothing that is suitable for the weather, your job, etc.
  • Shelter → this usually means paying rent. This is something that is very important to maintain and to pay every month. Unless you find a different living situation you cannot adjust this on a daily basis. With food and clothing, you can often shop at a cheaper grocery store, shop for things on sale or buy second-hand clothing to reduce your costs. Not paying your rent can get you evicted and you will have no where to live.

Before anything else, you need to put aside money to cover these costs.

Creating a Budget

Now that we have talked about why it is important to budget your money, let’s look at how you create a budget.

A budget is a document that lists what your income is every month, and what you spend your money on each month. Ask someone you trust to help you plan your budget. You can use the Personal Budget Plan template provided. Your monthly budget should be updated at least once a year or as changes occur.

It is simple, so keep it simple.

  1. First, at the top of the page write down all the money you bring home each month. This could be from:
    • A job
    • A disability pension (ODSP in Ontario)
    • An inheritance
    • Help or support from a family member
  2. Then, write down everything you spend money on each month. See the article “Knowing where you are spending your money” for easy instructions on how to do this.

    These include both fixed costs (things that cost the same each month, such as cable, rent and phone) and variable costs (costs that will change constantly such as food, going out). Most people remember their rent payment but often forget the newspaper they buy on their way to work each morning.

    Record how much you need for your basic needs. These include rent or other housing costs, food, transportation, clothes and phone. This can be a little more complicated than it sounds. Your basic needs are necessary for survival but how much you spend on those will determine how much money you will have left for everything else:

    • Going out – entertainment, special events
    • Hobbies/sports
    • Special items (household, personal)
    • Hygiene items – toiletries
    • Gifts for loved ones
    • Saving
    • Anything else

    Let’s apply what we know so far to an example:

    Susan has $1500.00 of regular income every month. If Susan found a place to live that cost $1200.00 in rent every month, would that be “living within her means”?

    Let’s calculate to find out: $1500.00 – $1200.00 = $300.00 – that takes care of one basic need – shelter. This would mean Susan would have $300.00/month for everything else.

    So after paying her rent, Susan needs to grocery shop and spends $150.00 at the store on food for herself for the month – this covers a 2nd basic need: food $300.00 – $150.00 = $150.00

    Susan also likes to have lunch with her friend every Saturday at the diner and spends about $60.00 a month from the remaining $150.00 – $60.00 = $90.00

    Winter is coming and Susan needs a new winter jacket and clothes so she spends her last $90.00 on that. This covered her third basic need: clothing $90.00 – $90.00 = 0

    It is now October 5th and Susan has NO more money to spend for the month.

So sometimes, you need to go over these steps again and again until you come to amounts that you are comfortable with. The exercise in step 3 of “Knowing where you are spending your money” might be helpful in figuring out how much to set aside for each of the spending areas of your budget.

The budget of a person who is living on their own or sharing an apartment and is receiving a disability pension (ODSP in Ontario) could look like this:
$20 to $30 per week in personal spending
$75 per week for groceries
$30 per month for laundry
$110 Bus metro pass per month
$30 phone bill per month
$40 cable bill per month
The remaining money is for rent, clothing and savings

Strategies to keep on Budget

Once you have your budget in writing, it is important to put it into action and make it work for you. Here are some strategies to keep you on your budget:

  • If you have problems living within your budget, ask for help from someone you trust. Money smarts is a learned skill and there are many ways you can learn how to manage your money. A trusted staff, family member, friend or the Public Guardian would be good choices.
  • Even if you can manage your budgeting yourself, it is always good to have someone take a look at your money situation every once in awhile (monthly or every 6 months) just to make sure that everything is going ok.
  • Use a ledger or note book daily to record the amounts you spend and the amount of money you have left. This makes you aware of how your daily / weekly money is being spent.
  • Be on the lookout for ways to reduce your monthly fixed costs.
    • You can bundle your cable/home phone/cell phone/internet with one provider
    • Look at your package with the provider. Do you need all the services such as call display, call waiting, or all the channels that you subscribe to on your cable?
    • Compare prices with other providers and services. Shop around for the best competitive prices in regards to interest rates and between different cable and phone companies.
  • Look for ways to save money on things you are buying. See the article “Simple Strategies to Help You Save Your Money” for ideas you could make use of.
  • Take a look at your personal spending. Is something really necessary or is it just a habit? For example: An individual shares a 2 bedroom apartment with another person. For years, both individuals would buy the same newspaper on a daily basis. After this was pointed out to them, they decided to share the cost of buying one newspaper and put the money they saved away for something else.
  • Some people need and appreciate a little more structure and help to enable them to save. Perhaps, lock up money in a box for major expenses (i.e. clothing, apartment needs, gifts, vacation) and give the key to a person you trust.
  • An option many people use to ensure that their rent is paid is to set up the rent to be paid directly to your landlord from your pension allocation.
  • Open 2 bank accounts. On one account (a co-signed account) your staff / parent would also need to sign for money to be taken out. On the other account, a personal spending account, you would be the only person who could take out money. For example, let’s say you have calculated a 4 week supply of spending money to be placed in the personal spending account. After each 4 weeks, the money would be transferred from the co-signed account into the personal spending account. This really encourages you to learn how to budget, but does not put at risk the ability to pay for basic needs such as rent and food.
  • If you make bill payments by cheque and have difficulty remembering how to complete the cheque, have someone you trust fill out a sample cheque. You can copy from it each time you need to complete a cheque. If your writing skills are poor, have your trusted helper complete the cheque each time and you can sign it.
  • Some stores and credit card companies provide an option to use a pre-paid card. You can only purchase up to the dollar amount that has been pre-loaded onto the card. This could help ensure that the needed purchase is made and the money is not spent elsewhere. A grocery store is a good place to use this.
  • Motivate yourself to spend less than the amount you have put into your budget to spend. You want to be happy about how you spend your money. Include in your budget an amount you want to save for the month. Remember to reward yourself each month you achieve your saving goal. Go out for dinner or buy a shirt that you have been looking at.
  • Some people find it helpful to use envelopes with different amounts of money that are set aside for different purposes. For example an envelope for groceries, one for clothing and another for entertainment.
  • You could buy money orders payable to yourself for your weekly expenses and you could cash one each week. That way you would not have the cash easily available. However, you will need to pay extra money to get a money order.
  • You could give your ATM card to a trusted person, without sharing the PIN number and only have access to the card once a week to do your banking.
  • Consider opening a savings account that is difficult to access such as an account where you would need to first transfer the money into your chequing account in order to take it out.
  • If you have a tendency to spend whatever you have quickly, you could divide your weekly spending money into two or more envelopes so that you are not tempted to spend it all at once. Doing this could give you money to spend throughout the week.

Whatever strategies you decide to use, they need to work for you. Everyone has different habits and ways of doing things. You need to believe that you can change that habit and that you will be better off by changing it.

Knowing where you are spending your money

Whether you have a disability pension (for example, Ontario Disability Support Pension – ODSP) or you receive a pay cheque from employment, the money you have available to use is likely limited. When you do not have access to unlimited funds, it is important to ensure that your basic needs (e.g. rent) and fixed costs (e.g. cable) are met as well as being able to put some money aside for your dreams, your goals and for emergencies. This requires that you set up a budget to plan out the money you have available and how you are going to spend it.

However, before you can set up a budget, you need to know where you are spending your money. Most people do not have a good idea of what they are spending their money on. We usually don’t remember what we have bought. We just know that we had more money in our pocket than we do now. Much of this spending is for small knick-knacks or snack food that we regularly buy without really thinking about it. The total spent can add up very quickly. This effect has been called the ‘latte factor’. If you buy one coffee per day at Tim Horton’s costing $1.50, this will add up to $10.50 in a week, $45 in a month or $540 in a year – enough to buy a good TV or take a summer vacation.

5 easy steps to taking control of your spending rather than your spending controlling you.

It would be a good idea to get some help with this from someone you trust. This could be a parent, other family member, a staff, a friend or a volunteer.

  1. For a week or two keep track of everything that you buy. Keep all of your receipts and use a notebook or the attached daily log to record daily expenditure amounts and the amounts earned.

    Sample Daily Log

  2. At the end of the week, group together all similar expenses i.e. food/ entertainment/ personal needs/ transportation/ snacks/ coffee. This lets you know how your money is spent. Use the attached Expense and Income Summary form
  3. For each of the groupings, decide whether it was money worth spending. Record yes or no on the last line of the Expense and Income tabulation form.

    For example, if you spent $50 on food, were you okay with the amount and type of food you had? Did it meet your needs for meals? If it did not, then you should decide if you require more money for food or if you can change the type of food you are buying.

    For another example, let’s say that on the way home each day you stop at the corner store to buy a bottle of coke and some chips. At the end of the week you have spent $40 on these. Rate how much satisfaction you got from eating the snacks each day. Do you even remember? Was it just something you do out of habit? If so, then you may want to think about what else you could have spent the money on that would mean more to you. Do you have a goal in mind? Maybe it would be better to save this money for that.

  4. Now that you know what you presently spend your money on and whether it is money well spent, let’s look at what you want to spend your money on in the future. Make 2 lists. Title the first list ‘Basic Needs and Fixed Costs’ and include your expenses that you need to pay, such as rent, food, clothing, transportation, phone, cable. For each of these expenses decide whether the amount you spend (step 2) is okay or do you want to spend more or less money.
  5. The second list titled, ‘Goals and Wish List Spending’, includes any goals, activities or purchases that you are planning in the next year that require money. For each of these items decide how much money you need. Then rate them according to how important each one is for you to achieve (with 1 being the most important).

You are now ready to create your budget using the new information you have gathered from completing the five steps above. Take a look at the ‘Budgeting 101 – Creating a Budget’ article for more details on how to create a budget.

What is Money


Money is what you use to buy things. Over time we, as a society, have agreed on how many “dollars” are needed to buy each item. We know it works because we have used it over and over for all kinds of things.

We learn from an early age by watching our parents, brothers, sisters or others that if we give a certain amount of money, we will get in return that toy, snack or candy that we want.

For the inexperienced, “value” is often assigned to the BIG money, the SHINY money or the PRETTY money. Families must teach that sometimes, the small coins have more value than the larger ones and sometimes, you need to hand over several coins to get what you want!

We added paper because it was lighter to carry. Now, we have added plastic cards that allow remote access to “money” we have stored in an “account” of some kind. These are all very abstract concepts.

It is by learning these concepts and gaining experience with making transactions that we begin to learn skills that will support independence in the future.

People with disabilities, like the rest of us, have a right to control their own money and make choices on what to spend it on and save it for. They too, need to understand the responsibilities that come with their right. It is never too early or too late to start learning about money!

How to help someone gain experience with money (from idea to reality)

  • Provide the opportunity to count and handle coins. They can practice counting by fives and tens with pennies, nickels and dimes. Make coin rubbings to get familiar with the size and look of different coins. Also, group quarters to make “dollars” and have a collection of different coins available.
  • Provide props, such as (play or real) money, a cash register or calculator, and items suitable for using to play “store” in a role play. This will give an opportunity to work with money in a non-threatening setting. Start with sales that allow handing over “even” amounts, then change prices to force concepts like: determining what bills/change to hand over, waiting for change, checking your change, and not having enough money.
  • Money Magic is an online arcade game that the individual can play to learn Canadian coin recognition and making change
  • Games like Payday and Monopoly could be useful. Play as a family on a regular basis.
  • Provide the individual with an “allowance”. Discuss the types of items they can purchase in different stores and take them to a store where they can choose and pay for an item. This is a great time to discuss concepts such as the price tag on the item, the specific coins/bills needed to purchase it, how much the individual actually has and what they could purchase “now” compared to what they need to “save” for.
  • Have the individual pay the cashier when shopping for household items, such as bread and milk. It creates the “habit” of paying for items, introduces the concept of handing over “enough” money and introduces getting “change” back. It starts to introduce the concept of how we can pay for things with paper bills and coins.
  • Introduce the idea that television commercials/ store flyers/catalogues are designed to sell products. Have the learner view several commercials or compare flyers and have them determine what would be the best buy for their money. Have them think about the usefulness/healthiness of the product, price and need/want for the product. Use grocery flyers to plan the weekly meals. Introduce the concepts of choosing sale items and working the meal plan around them. Grocery checklists can be used to introduce approaches to making the actual grocery list. Tell them about coupons and how they can save money by using them.
  • Discuss and define money terms. Save, spend, earn, and borrow are all important money terms that individuals can understand and use.
  • When shopping, have the individual seek any information needed from sales staff. Have them complete the transaction by paying. Insist that the sales staff address their customer, not you (the support person).
  • Provide opportunities to earn money. Identify some chores as simply a part of domestic life, and offer an allowance or a chance to earn money for other activities. This way, the individual sees that not all chores carry a money reward with them. Rather the reward is for a job well done. (Don’t forget to praise!)
  • Open a bank account for the individual and have them make regular deposits. If needed, set a limit on how much can be taken out so he or she can learn that just because there is money in the bank, that doesn’t mean it should be spent. This is a good time to introduce the concept of budgets: what expenses does the individual have that are not optional? What income can the individual count on? Are there items/services the individual would like? Do they need to save money for things?
  • Talk about money as a family. People will understand how to use and view money better if they are included in some discussions or decisions. If you buy something on credit, explain that you are still responsible for paying the full price. Let the individual know why you can’t or won’t buy certain items, or that you are saving up for a vacation, car, etc. Talk about paying the monthly bills and how your pay cheque gets divided up.

Understanding How and Why Your Child Communicates

Communication is an active partnership between people that involves more than words. We communicate with each other using speech, gestures, touch, and facial expressions. Successful communication involves both understanding and being understood by others.

A child with special needs may communicate in ways that are difficult for other people to understand. Your child may not be using any words, but when she takes you to the cupboard you know that she wants a cookie.

Understanding how your child communicates and the reasons why she is communicating can help you to develop her strengths and teach other ways of communicating.

How a child communicates:

We’ve already mentioned that there are various ways to communicate such as using gestures (e.g., pointing, reaching), words and facial expressions. Here are some examples of ways your child may communicate:

  • looking at, reaching for, or pointing to an object, activity, person or picture
  • pulling another person toward an object
  • moving closer to an item
  • facial expression
  • eye contact
  • imitating sounds or actions
  • using words
  • screaming or tantruming
  • displaying behaviours such as running away, hitting, or biting
  • using hand signs (sign language)

Your child may use the same way of communicating for a variety of reasons. For example, she might scream when excited or when trying to avoid eating certain foods.

Why a child communicates:

There are many reasons that we communicate with each other. Some of the reasons your child may communicate include:

  • to ask for something or for an activity
  • to ask for comfort
  • to ask for information
  • to protest (showing what she does not want)
  • to greet
  • to share an interest
  • to express her feelings

Helping your child understand language

A child’s first learning takes place through experiences involving seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling. Usually children understand many words before they start to say their first words. Providing your child with opportunities to hear the same words associated with the same situations over and over will help to develop that understanding. Your child may look at, or reach for, an item that you name before she is able to say the word. For example, when you say “milk” to your child, she may look at her bottle because she associates it with the word. This demonstrates her understanding of the word.

You can help your child understand you by:

  • Being face to face with your child when talking to her.
  • Using gestures, objects, or pictures with your words (e.g., pat a chair when saying “Sit down” to clarify what you want her to do).
  • Naming what she is doing or interested in (e.g., say “Jessica is painting” while she is doing this).
  • Giving her a related word (e.g., “Up, up” when your child is building a tower with blocks).
  • Speaking slowly and clearly using a few consistent words (e.g., “Eyes in” when you or your child places the eyes into a Potato Head toy).
  • Emphasizing the important words (e.g., “want juice”).
  • Telling her what is in the environment (e.g., saying “bus” when she is looking at a bus going by).

Helping your child communicate

Once your child starts using words, she may imitate what you say or use independently. At first, the pronunciation (the way she says the word) may be incorrect. Remember that it takes time to learn to communicate and it can be frustrating for parents and children.

You can help your child express herself by:

  • Giving her time to respond to you – ask once and wait.
  • Copying her words and actions.
  • Interpreting what she is trying to say (e.g., if she says “oh-oh” pointing to something that fell, tell her “Fall down”).
  • Encouraging your child to finish your sentence by leaving out the last word (e.g., “The wheels on the bus go _____”).
  • Responding to her attempts to communicate – comment on what she says.
  • Offering choices (e.g., “Do you want milk or juice?”).
  • Adding to what she says to you (e.g., if she says “dog”, you say “big dog”).

Communication Development

Simple ways to encourage language development

  1. Get down to the child’s physical level and gain his/her attention. (i.e. Kneel down in front of your child and touch his/her face.)
  2. Talk to your child.
    • Describe objects in your child’s environment. (Use props when they are available). i.e. “Red ball” (hold up ball), “Zawar’s truck” (hold up truck)
    • Describe what is happening. i.e. “Daddy’s cooking”, “Dog barking”
    • Describe what you or your child is doing. i.e. “Pouring juice”, “Change Sumaya’s diaper”
  3. Use short simple sentences. i.e. “Jacket on”. “Arms in”. “Zipper up”.
  4. Use lots of repetition. Stress important words. Use the same words each time to represent an object/activity. i.e. “There’s a dog. Big dog. Dog says woof woof.”
  5. Exaggerate your gestures and facial expressions. i.e. “Oh (raise eyebrows and open mouth) see dog!” (point to dog).
  6. Repeat your child’s sounds or words. i.e. child:”ba”, adult:”ba”, child:”wa wa”, adult:”wa wa”
  7. Model and expand your child’s attempts at words. i.e. child: “cah”, adult: “car” (model), adult: “car go” (expand)
  8. Avoid yes/no questions. A child will use one word to respond. i.e. adult: “Do you want more milk?”-child responds: “yes”, ld: “What do you want?”-child responds:”more milk”
  9. If your child is not verbal, interpret his/her gestures. Give your child the words to use in the future. i.e. When she wants you to come and pulls at your arm, say: “Come? You want me to come? Okay, I will come. Come”

Note: Remember, when you expect your child to use a word or gesture, pause. i.e. adult: “What do you want” (count to 5 silently), adult: “What do you want” (count to 5 silently). If there is no response the adult says: “milk”.

What are Tube Feedings?

Some children cannot meet their nutritional needs by oral feedings alone. Due to medical complications or growth difficulties, these children are unable to take in enough calories by mouth for proper growth, nutrition, and development. Tube feeding supplements are often required.

There are several types of tube feedings that can be used to supplement nutrition. A doctor will recommend one that is specific to the child’s needs.

Nasogastric Tube

The nasogastric tube or NG tube is a soft tube that runs through the nose and into the stomach. Surgery is not required for placement. This tube is designed to be used for several months to provide the child with extra nutrition and calories. The NG tube still allows the child to eat by mouth. Therefore, oral eating skills can continue to develop and prepare the child to eventually eat without the tube.

The NG tube is considered a short-term help for babies with poor growth. It is generally not used when babies have long-term feeding difficulties.

Orogastric Tube

The orogastric or gavage tube is run from the mouth to the stomach using a tube similar to a NG tube. Surgery is not required for placement. The orogastric tube is usually pulled out immediately after each feeding and replaced before the next one. This irritates the throat and makes swallowing difficult. It is only used, therefore, on a short-term basis in very young infants as it is difficult to eat by mouth with the tube in place.

Gastronomy Tube

A gastronomy tube infuses food directly into the stomach. A surgical procedure or a special procedure called endoscopy (PEG) is required for placement and daily skin care is necessary. Children are at risk of developing reflux of stomach contents with this tube.

Some advantages to this tube are that it is placed directly through the abdominal wall and is not seen most of the time as is the NG tube. When the tube is no longer necessary, it can easily be removed. Because the tube bypasses the mouth completely, irritation to the throat does not occur and food can be taken orally if the child is medically able to eat. This type of tube can be used on a long-term basis and due to its larger size, thicker formulas can be used.

Jejunostomy Tube

The jejunostomy tube is placed surgically through the abdominal wall into the jejunum (the beginning of the small intestine past the duodenum). It bypasses the stomach and helps stop the risk of reflux feedings. If permitted by the doctor, the child may still eat by mouth. Care for this tube is similar to the gastronomy tube. This tube requires a continuous drip feeding, meaning the child is connected to a feeding pump most of the time. Special predigested formulas may also be required.

How is it diagnosed or detected?

Children that require tube feedings usually have a pre-existing condition or disability such as Failure to Thrive, Down Syndrome, Cleft Palate, Cancer and/or other disabilities that may present the child with severe oral-motor difficulties.

In infants and young children, common signs that tube feedings are necessary are:

  • lack of, or very little, weight gain
  • weight loss
  • slow growth
  • severe crying during feedings/refusing to feed
  • inability to swallow
  • evidence of aspiration

The goals of nutritional intervention are to prevent or reverse nutritional deficits, to promote normal growth and development, and to maximize quality of life.

The information on the specific types of tubes has been adapted from, Therapy Skill Builders, a Division of Communication Skill Builders; Feeding and Nutrition for the Child with Special Needs, Klein and Delany.

Additional Resources:

THE HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN www.sickkids.ca/dietitians/
The Department of Clinical Dieticians is composed of 33 registered dieticians and four breastfeeding Support Nurses. Each dietitian works within their respective program to assess the nutritional status and needs of paediatric patients at risk of less than optimal nutrition to support their growth and well-being. They develop, implement, monitor and adjust nutritional care plans based on this assessment and each child’s on-going medical condition.

THE OLEY FOUNDATION www.oley.org
The Oley Foundation is a national, independent, non-profit organization that provides up-to-date information, outreach services, conference activities, and emotional support for consumers, their families, caregivers and professionals.

Toy Shop

Photo parent and child paintingCreating and using powerful teaching tools for the development of language, social, motor, sensory, and cognitive skills.

Every Toy Has A Number of Teaching Tips, in Five Distinct Areas

Language

Language development has two main parts: receptive and expressive

Receptive language is the understanding of language. Example: If you ask your child “Where’s the ball?” and she looks at the ball. She has received and understood your message.

Expressive language is communication, using language to express thoughts. Most people use a combination of speech, written symbols or pictures and gestures for communicating.

Social

Social skills are life long “people skills” that focus on learning appropriate ways to interact with, and to respond to, others.

Before being able to do this, children must learn to view themselves as individuals who are separate from others.

Motor

Motor skills fall into two basic groups: fine and gross motor.

They allow children to explore and manipulate their environments.

Gross motor involves large muscles such as those in your arms, legs and stomach.

Fine motor skills use smaller muscles such as those in your eyes, mouth, hands and face.

Cognitive

Cognitive refers to the ability to understand concepts, pay attention, reason and remember. These skills help your child to understand and organize the world.

Sensory

Our senses include vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell.
These are used to give information about our bodies and the environment.

The largest sensory system, touch (tactile), is responsible for receiving critical information about texture, temperature, touch pressure as well as pain.

Toys

Bowling top

photo of bowling set made from plastic bottles

This is a great way to teach turn taking, and it sure can promote physical activity!

Materials

  • One litre clear plastic bottles, coloured plastic tape.
  • If you want to make a ball, you’ll need a sock, some lentils, and a needle and thread.

Step-by-Step

  1. Ring 5-10 clear plastic bottles with coloured plastic (PCV) tape.
  2. Pour one cup of lentils into the sock. Shake lentils to the bottom. Twist sock tightly just above the lentils.
  3. Holding the twist, sheath the top back over the filled portion of the sock. Repeat twist and sheath until ball is formed. Sew top closed.

Teaching Tips

Motor:

Bowling activity will help develop your child’s large motor skills as she learns to throw the ball to knock down the bottles, and then to pick them up to repeat the process.

Learning to aim also promotes hand/eye coordination.

Social:

This is a great opportunity to learn turn taking.

Start by having your child assist you in setting up the bottles. Indicate you will begin by taking your turn. “Model” by tapping your chest, stating “my turn” before you throw the ball. Set up again, and repeat for “your turn”.

Encourage other kids to join in, observing the “taking turn” rule.

To help your child be as successful as possible.
Accomplishment builds self-confidence.

  • Use a bigger ball
  • Add bottles
  • Get closer

Cognitive:

The concepts of “spatial relationships” is advanced as a child throws the ball and monitors where it lands.

Concentrationtop

Photo of lids with pictures on them

You’ll be surprised at how many times you come back to this game. It fits a wide range of purposes, and its as challenging as you want to make it!

Materials

  • Lids from frozen juice containers
  • Stickers
  • magazine photos
  • colouring book shapes
  • textured materials
  • glue

Success is in gathering the pictures.

Draw and glue letters for letter recognition.

Photo of magazines and lids

Step-by-Step

Grab your camera (make two prints of great photos) and teach toilet training (pictures of toilet, paper, flush, etc.) or use photos of facial expressions to teach emotions (happy, sad, mad, frightened).

Teaching Tips

Language:

To help develop vocabulary, always verbally “label” pictures for your child. When you’re ready, add written labels to picture disks. Finally try losing the pictures!

Social:

Model how to play the game by taking turns with your child. If your child has difficulties waiting for a turn gently hold her hand while quickly taking your turn. This game, in all its variations, can really help increase a child’s attention span.

Cognitive:

To develop matching skills place two different pictures on the table. Present your child a picture identical to one on the table. Help your child to make a match. Increase the number of pictures on the table as your child’s skill level grows.

For simple “concentration”, begin with 2 pair pictures face down on the table. Encourage your child to make matches by turning pictures over one at a time. Increase the number of hidden pairs as skill level improves.

To develop visual memory, sow your child two different pictures. Remove one picture, and ask your child to describe it. Increase the number of pictures.

Drums!top

photo of tin can drums and wooden spoon

Improve your child’s sense of rhythm, increase appreciation of movement and music, enhance language and social skills.

Materials

  • coffee tins or metal cans
  • shiny wrapping paper
  • construction paper
  • tape or glue
  • scissors

Step-by-step

  1. Decorate drums using shiny paper or coloured plastic (PVC) tape.
  2. Glue different materials around some drums to provide tactile stimulation (sandpaper, bubble-wrap, corrugated cardboard).

Tips for Teaching

Language:

  • Use this activity to help your child understand simple directions such as “slow”, “fast”, “brush”, “hit softly”, “beat loudly”.
  • Give clear directions. Use simple language. Position yourself in front of your child at eye level.
  • Provide hand over hand assistance to help your child follow through.
  • Encourage your child to imitate you with her own drum.
  • Sing a familiar melody, chant or song to the beat of the drum.
  • Sing slowly. Using clear language. Be at eye level.
  • Later, pause between lines to encourage her to initiate the next line.

Motor:

  • Let your child watch your hand movements as you play the drum. Give her the drum and encourage her to imitate the same hand movements.
  • Model more than once or provide physical assistance if needed.
  • The drum will help your child develop strength and endurance through her hands and arms.
  • This activity will also enhance hand/eye coordination.
  • The drum will help improve both large and small muscle control depending on how it is used.
  • Encourage your child to use it in different ways and incorporate it into various daily routines. For example – outdoor play – bring the large drum and sticks to be played loud – indoor – set up a small drum for tapping on with hands.

Sensory:

  • Drums stimulate the sense through touch and hearing.
  • Beating on the drum with both hands will help develop body awareness and promote freedom of expression. This will also encourage creativity and spontaneity.
  • Use drums to help your child learn to discriminate sounds and tempos.
  • Use various sizes or materials (a tin can or plastic container).
  • Beat on one drum then the other. Allow her to imitate you and repeat until she’s able to take notice of the different sounds they make.
  • Establish a beat pattern (two fast beats, on slow beat or loud beat, soft beat). Encourage your child to imitate you or develop a pattern between the two of you. (For example, a small soft drum for her and a loud big drum for you).
  • Take turns beating to produce loud and soft pattern sounds. Use other materials to beat on the drum producing different sounds (a brush, a pencil, a small rolling pin).

Social:

  • Take turns beating on one drum. Indicate whose turn it is by tapping your chest and saying “my turn” or “your turn”.
  • Initially your turn should be very brief so the waiting time for your child is not so frustrating.
  • Using two drums, take turns playing your own and developing a rhythmic pattern together.

Feed the Clowntop

Photo of clown and balls

Learning to aim and throw.

Materials

  • Large box
  • White shelf paper (similar)
  • Markers/crayons/paint
  • Exacto-knife
  • Masking tape
  • Glue

Step-by-step

  1. Draw a face on the paper to fit the box. Tape it to the box with masking tape.
  2. Using the knife cut the opening for the mouth. Tape around the mouth to reinforce the opening.
  3. Decorate with markers/crayons/paint

Tips for Teaching

Language:

Teach names of facial features. Reinforce concepts “in” and “out”.

Motor:

Throwing activities can be great for kids who are learning to stand on their own.

Position your child with her back against the wall.

The act of throwing will encourage her to move away from the wall briefly, and to balance in the standing position.

Gradually, move farther away from the wall.

Feed the Clown will help your child learn to throw with more control and direction and to coordinate hand and eye movements.

Cognitive:

Be creative! Give your clown a name. Make up stories about feeding your clown favourite food (and not so favourite, too).

Guitartop

photo of homemade guitar

Strumming on the guitar stimulates the senses, refines fine motor skills, and builds appreciation for music.

Materials

  • Kleenex box
  • paper towel roll
  • Elastic bands
  • Exacto-knife
  • Tape

Step-by-step

photo of cutting the box to insert the paper towl roll

  1. On one end of the Kleenex box, trace around the end of the empty paper towel roll.
  2. Cut a hole in the box
  3. Inert the towel tube into the opening. Stretch elastics. Tape elastics at bottom of the box.

Tips for Teaching

Language:

Using this instrument to accompany a familiar song that incorporates words and actions will promote both receptive and expressive language skills. Encourage your child to imitate you as you sing or have her strum the guitar according to your tempo. This will improve listening skills. Learning the words to simple songs helps to enhance language skills and concepts especially when the words relate to specific movements.

Motor:

If your child has difficulty, adapt this activity by using fewer rubber bands or thicker ones.

Have your child play her instrument in front of the mirror so she can have a different view of herself strumming.

Sensory:

Playing the guitar and dancing or singing to the rhythm, your child’s senses will be stimulated in many ways. This exposure will increase body awareness as well as sense of rhythm.

When first introducing this toy, show your child how to hold it and play it. Sing a familiar simple song as you play and move your body to the rhythm. As your child takes her turn, sing along to her sounds or dance making it a fun and enjoyable experience for both of you.

Juice Lid Gamestop

Photo of Juice Lid games

Simple to make, simple to use, juice lid games are as powerful as they are simple.

Materials

  • Lids from frozen juice containers
  • Containers with lids
  • Stickers
  • Magazine photos
  • Photos
  • Colouring book shapes
  • “Mactac”
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Exacto-knife

Step-by-step

  1. Cut out slits in container covers wide for beginners.
  2. What do you want to work on? Glue pictures, drawings, shapes on each lid.
  3. Use clear adhesive shelf liner over pictures for durability.

Teaching Tips

Language:

  • This toy can be used to help your child understand simple directions such as “put in”, “take out”, “open” and “give me”. Give directions once using clear, simple language. Provide hand over hand assistance, if necessary, to help your child to follow through. Reduce assistance as your child learns to understand the instruction.
  • For the beginner, use this activity without the lid on the container to practice “in” and “out” concepts.
  • You can teach picture names as your child places the lids in the container.
  • Use single words and keep them consistent each time you do the activity.
  • The juice lid game can also be used to teach shape, colour and/or names of animals.

Motor:

  • For children who are learning to grasp and release, this is a good activity.
  • Using hand over hand assistance grasp the juice lid and assist your child to release into the container.
  • Larger openings in the lid will make this easier. Later you can reduce the size of the hole.
  • Wrist rotation is taught by helping your child to fit the lid into the opening.
  • This toy promotes hand/eye coordination as your child learns to grasp and move the juice lid towards, and into, the opening.

Social:

  • This activity is great for teaching turn-taking.
  • Initially, keep all the lids.
  • Hand your child one lid at a time.
  • After she has put the lid in, take a turn. Say “My turn”, and gesture to indicate when it is your child’s turn.
  • Later share turns by dividing the juice lids into a pile for each of you.
  • Once mastered, include other children and be certain to enforce the “my turn” rule!

Cognitive:

  • For the beginner, use this activity without any pictures on the lids to make it solely a “drop-in” game.
  • Focus on placing the lids through, and listening to the sounds they make when they hit the bottom.
  • Here’s a chance for your child to problem solve.
  • Use juice lids with pictures or drawings of animals, people, fruit, numbers, transportation, etc.
  • Provide containers with pictures of the categories you decided to use. Have your child sort lids into the appropriate containers.
  • Name the pictures on the juice lid as your child puts them in.
  • To work on learning number concepts, count as your child inserts items. You can also ask her to “put one more in” or “give one more”.

Lacing Arttop

photo of noodles colored and used as beads

A simple game that requires your child to use both hands cooperatively, encouraging good hand/eye coordination.

Materials

  • Noodles
  • Spools
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Yarn
  • Shoe laces
  • String
  • Food colouring
  • Masking tape

Step-by-step

  1. Place slightly damp noodles into a zip lock bag add food colouring and shake.
  2. Wrap end with masking tape.

Teaching Tips

Language:

Your child will learn to understand simple directions such as “in” and “pull”. Give these directions once using clear, simple language.

Provide hand over hand assistance, if necessary, to help your child to follow through. Reduce assistance as your child learns.

Motor:

  • Stiffen the end of the lace or string with tape.
  • At first, you may have your child practice putting beads on a thin dowel, pencil or pipe cleaner.
  • To start with, choose a small number of thin “beads” with large holes. Noodles are good.
  • Increase the number of beads and decrease the size of the hole as your child becomes more skilled.
  • Demonstrate how to pull the tip of the lace out of the bead before sliding the bead down the string.
  • Provide assistance if necessary.

Cognitive:

Lacing art can be used to extend attention span and to teach the concept of finishing a specific piece of work before moving on to the next activity.

Start with a small number of “beads”. This will depend on your child’s attention span and the difficulty of the task. Add more as your child learns to sit for longer periods of time.

Lacing Boardtop

photo of lacing board

Fun to do, and a powerful tool to teach the concept of “finishing” before moving on the next activity.

Materials

  • Construction paper
  • Marker
  • Crayons
  • Hole punch
  • Scissors
  • Mactac
  • Shoelaces or pipe cleaners or yarn

Step-by-step

photo of punching holes in board

  1. Draw a character or use large photos or colouring book art cut out. Apply “mactac” to both sides. Cut out.
  2. Punch holes around the edge.

Teaching Tips

Language:

Lacing boards can provide a focus for talking with your child. Comment on the character on the board as well as what your child is doing.

Your child will learn to understand simple directions such as “in” and “pull”. Give these directions once using simple language.

Provide hand over hand assistance, if necessary, to help your child to follow through. Reduce assistance as your child learns.

Motor:

For children who are just learning to hold the lace, choose fatter or stiffer materials. You may even want to wrap the end with masking tape, to make it easier to grasp.

Assist your child to grasp the lace, insert it into the hole and pull through the hole.
The process is actually harder than it seems. For some children it may be helpful to have them practice one step at a time, like just pulling the lace through the board. This allows them to feel successful rather than being overwhelmed by the complexity of the task.

Try using simpler designs for your board, spaced further to start with.

Add more holes closer together as your child gains confidence.

Cognitive:

Start with a small number of holes on the lacing board. Make sure the number in manageable for your child. This will depend on your child’s attention span and the difficulty of the lacing task. You want your child to enjoy and come back to it. Add more holes as your child learns to sit for longer periods of time.

My Housetop

photo of house made from box

A fun way to help children understand daily routines and situations.

Materials

  • Large box
  • Paint
  • Exacto-knife
  • Brushes
  • Sponge blocks
  • Masking Tape
  • Marker

Step-by-step

  1. Draw arch shaped doors on two sides of the box. Cut the openings for doors using an exacto-knife. Draw a window on one side and cut out.
  2. Tape around the openings. Decorate using paints with brushes and sponge blocks.

Teaching Tips

Language:

Each week, choose a different set of household items (sleep-time pillow and blanket, meal-time small table, chairs and kitchen utensils) to play different scenarios.

Each scenario, introduce new words or concepts.

During kitchen activity, label “stirring, pouring, mixing”. Encourage your child to request items by with holding props. Give simple directions while playing (e.g., “pour tea”, “put the baby in bed”)

Social:

When playing with your child make the play as realistic as possible by using all the necessary props. For “sleep time”, use your child’s favourite blanket, pillow, pajamas, teddy bear and book.

It is lots of fun to change roles with your child. You be the baby and your child can pretend to be the parent.

If your child has difficulty with a daily routine (e.g., meal time) use the appropriate props to play out a positive scenario. Pretend to feed each other, or feed a doll.

Cognitive:

This activity may enhance children’s understanding of daily routines. First we cook, then we wash dishes. It’s also a fun way to practice self-help skills (e.g., dressing and undressing with play clothes).

My House may be used to help children understand different people and situations in the community and to anticipate upcoming event.

Set up a “Doctor’s Office” to help your child feel comfortable. Use a “play” doctor kit, and a white shirt as a lab coat.

Peg Boardtop

photo of pegboard

Making a Peg Board is an hour invested in lifelong motor and cognitive skills.

Materials

  • Cardboard
  • Coloured tape
  • Round clothes pins
  • Pick up a new Styrofoam meat tray in various sizes from your supermarket.

Step-by-step

photo of making holes in pegboard

  1. Pressure mark lines of holes on the tray with the top of a marker pen. Cut out with an exacto-knife.
  2. Place the tray over a larger piece of cardboard. Tape lightly at corners to hold in place. Trace lines of holes onto cardboard. Trace tray shape onto cardboard and cut out.
  3. Cover lines or holes drawn on cardboard with strips of coloured tape. Secure tray to cardboard with tape around edges and decorate.
  4. Add colour to the tops of clothes pegs matching the tape used on the cardboard.

Teaching Tips

Language:

Help your child understand simple directions such as “put in”, “take out”, and “give me”.

Give directions once using clear, simple language. Provide hand over hand assistance to help. Reduce assistance as your child learns.

Say the word “more” as you hand the peg to your child. As the routine becomes established pause to allow your child to gesture for more, or to request more using a sound or word.

Motor:

Peg Board can improve hand/eye coordination as your child learns to grasp and move the peg towards, and into, the opening.

If your child has difficulty grasping small objects you may choose to enlarge the peg by wrapping it with tape, or adding foam tubing. The kind used for plumbing insulation is very handy and cheap. Just cut it to size.

Using hand over hand assistance grasp a peg together.

Assist your child to release it into the matching hole.

You may wish to make a Peg Board with spacing for the holes further apart.

Social:

Take turns placing pegs. Indicate ‘turn’ by chest tapping saying “My turn” or “Your turn”.

Initially, your turn should be very brief so the waiting time for your child is not too frustrating.

Cognitive:

Teach colour matching with Peg Board. Starting out, use two colours to match. Make sure that the colours you choose are different enough from each other (yellow and blue rather than orange and red).

Label colours of pegs using single words. Ask your child to give you a specific colour. To make this a little easier, you might start with tow colour options. Place the correct peg closer to your child. As your child becomes successful with this task place the two colour choices the same distance from your child.

When you are confident that she knows one colour introduce the second colour in the same way and then alternate requests for specific colours.

To work on learning number concepts count as your child inserts pegs. You can also ask her to “put one more in” or “give one more”.

Photo Cubetop

photo of photosubes

This is a wonderful toy, and a powerful teaching tool. It can be used to increase language skills, encourage communication and socialization, and develop cognitive abilities.

Materials

  • Cube box (3” to 4”)
  • Photos of familiar people, food, events
  • Labels
  • Mactac, glue

Step-by-step

photo of putiting photo on cube

  1. Glue top and bottom of the box together if necessary. Glue photos to all sides.
  2. Label photos using lower case letters.
  3. Cut and apply mactac to all sides.

Tips for Teaching

Language:

If you’re working on increasing your child’s vocabulary this toy can help!

Place simple, clear pictures of different objects on each side of the cube.

Name the pictures for your child. Encourage her to imitate your words. Place the picture cube close to your face as you say the word.

Discuss and describe each picture.

For example, an apply is “A shiny, red apply! Mmm! Crunchy and Juicy!” If she’s able, let her tell you about the pictures, too. Ask questions and comment to elicit communication.

Use the cube to expand your child’s receptive language by asking questions. “where is the dog?” or “Show me the cat”. You can also use this activity to teach body parts. Use pictures of different body parts (from magazine pictures or drawings) on each side of the cube.

As your child, “Where is the nose?” or “Show me the eyes”.

If your child has difficulty expressing what she wants, this activity can help address this concern.

Use real photos, magazine pictures, and drawings of things you want your child to communicate to you. Stick them on the sides of the cube. For example, food items (she can tell you what she wants to eat or drink), or home routines (she can let you know if she needs to use the toilet or id she’s tired and wants to go to sleep).

Initially show the cube photo and point out how it will be used. Choose one of the pictures e.g., juice (when you know she may be thirsty). Point and label “juice” using clear, simple language with animated voice tone and expression to attract her attention. Go get the juice and say “juice!” and “You want juice!” Show her the juice cup beside the picture on the cube then give her the juice and repeat the naming.

Social:

To promote elf-awareness and self-confidence make your child’s hand print and foot print (by painting and stamping, or tracing).

Take a photo of your child. Have her draw a picture on a 4’x4’ sheet of paper. Take a photo of your house, and a family photo. Glue and mactac each item onto the cube. Point, name, and discuss each item with your child as you play with cube.

You can use the cube to teach your child about different emotions and feelings.

Make drawings of faces depicting various emotions to place around the cube. Label and discuss each. Encourage her to point to, or label, feelings when asked. You can make it a game by taking turns tossing the cube and imitating the expression of whatever comes up.

If your child has difficulty with transitions (moving from one activity or routine to another) you can use the cube to help her understand daily routines and smooth transitions.

Use photos, drawings or magazine pictures representing your child’s daily routines.

Place on each side of the cube.

Initially you will need to show her how the cube will be used. Before each transition, show your child the photo of what he or she will be doing next.

Label the photo using clear, simple language. Be at eye level. Move on to that routine promptly so he can learn to associate the photo with the activity.

To promote social interaction, use the cube to help your child learn turn taking during a game of “toss the cube.

Take turns tossing the cube and naming the picture that faces up when the cube lands.

If you have several cubes take turns stacking them to make a tower.

Cognitive:

The photo cube can be used to teach numbers, colours, shapes, letters, words, size and names of objects, people and places.

Use photos, drawings, magazine pictures or computer drawings that depict concepts.

Cut out the different coloured shapes to place on the sides of the cube. Label and name the colours and shapes.

Ask your child to find certain shapes and encourage her to name them. If she’s not able to, encourage her to imitate you.

You can make two identical cubes and use this as a matching game, too.

Play Doughtop

photo of playdough

Making play cookies and pizza promotes fine motor skills.

Materials

  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 7/8 cup of boiling water
  • 4 teaspoons of vegetable oil
  • Food colouring
  • Add something smelly, like vanilla or coffee
  • Add some glitter

Step-by-step

  1. Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar. Gradually add boiling water and add food colouring and oil.
  2. Knead the dough until smooth. Add water or flour for consistency. Store in an air tight container.

Tips for Teaching

Language:

Help your child to understand words such as “squeeze”, “poke”, “push”, “touch” and “roll”.

Comment on what your child is doing, using clear, simple language.

Motor:

Play dough promotes fine motor skills in activities like rolling, patting, poking, grasping, squeezing, and pinching.

Sensory:

photo of playdough and various cutters

Play Dough stimulates the sense through touch and smell. To add to the texture, bury objects in the dough or use scented variations. Start with familiar scents and work towards using stronger smells.

If your child has difficulty tolerating different textures Play Dough can be used in plastic bags.

Later it may be explored with the feet or on other parts of the body.

Social:

Develop turn-taking routines by sharing cookie cutters and rolling pins. Work cooperatively to make shapes such as pizzas or stacked birthday cakes.

Encourage other family members or friends to participate.

Cognitive:

Play Dough may be used to develop imaginative play skills. Your child will love to make cookies birthday cakes, hot dogs, pizza and more. Use cookie cutters, rolling pins, plastic knives and plates to add to the experience.

A variety of shaped cutters can be used to teach shape concepts.

Scarf-in-a-Bottletop

photo of scraf ina bottle

If refining your child’s fine motor skills is a high priority, this is a wonderful activity.

Materials

  • A scarf
  • A clear plastic water bottle
  • Beads with large holes OR if your child puts things in their mouth use clothes pegs or spools.

Step-by-step

It’s important to remember for some children beads are a choking hazard.

Instead of beads, you can clip a clothespin on the end of the scarf.

It works the same way.

Tips for Teaching

Language:

Help your child understand and follow simple directions such as “put in”, “take out”, “poke”, “pull up”.

Give directions once using clear, simple language. Provide hand over hand assistance.

Reduce assistance as your child learns.

Help develop vocabulary by talking about the details of the scarf (Long, red, shiny, soft).

Motor:

Help your child to practice proper grasping and releasing techniques.

Provide hand over hand assistance as she grasps the toy to place it into the bottle, and then grasping the end of the scarf to remove it.

As your child places the scarf into the bottle mouth she is expected to poke continuously until it is fully inserted.

In doing this, she is learning to poke and point using her index finger. Encourage her to continue this task until the end.

Help your child to use both hands in midline (in the centre of her body).

Encourage her to hold the bottle with one hand and poke the scarf into the bottle with the other.

Social:

This can be a great “turn taking” activity.

Take turns poking the scarf into the bottle and then pulling out.

Provide a lot of praise and encouragement as your child cooperates and complete this task.

Cognitive:

Here’s a great opportunity for your child to problem-solve.

They’ll need to figure out how to place the entire scarf in the bottle (perhaps using another tool instead of her finger). Once it’s in, she may invert the bottle expecting the scarf to fall out.

Provide assistance if she appears frustrated in her attempts.

Sensory Blockstop

photo of sensory blocks

Increase sensory awareness develop fine motor skills.

Materials

  • Foam blocks
  • All purpose glue
  • Lots of textured stuff:
    • Foil paper
    • Scouring pads
    • Pasta
    • Sandpaper
    • Bubble wrap
    • Fur fabric
    • Beans
    • Cotton balls
    • Pipe cleaners
    • Non-slip pads

Step-by-step

  1. Trace around blocks on textured materials and cut to size.
  2. Apply glue to blocks.
  3. Press materials onto surface set aside to dry.

Tips for Teaching

Language:

Label the texture and feel of the blocks using single words (rough, soft, furry).

Blocks can be used to help your child understand directions such as “put on”, “pick up” and “give me”.

Give directions once using clear, simple language. Provide hand over hand assistance. Reduce assistance as your child learns.

Motor:

This is a good activity for children who are learning to grasp and stack. Initially, you may need to help. Reduce assistance as your child gets better.

Grasping and moving the blocks towards the tower promotes hand/eye coordination.

Sensory:

Sensory blocks stimulate the sense through touch.

In addition to fingers and hands let your child experience textures on an arm or leg or foot.

Social:

Take turns building block towers.

Hands your child one block. After she has put the block on top, take a turn. Say “My turn” and gesture to indicate when it is your child’s turn.

Take turns knocking down the block towers.

Cognitive:

Have your child copy block towers that you’ve made.

To work on number concepts, count as your child piles blocks. You can also ask her to put on “one more” or “give one more”.

Sensory Boxtop

photo of sensory box

Stimulate the senses. Promote hand/eye coordination. Fun to make!

Materials

  • Empty Kleenex box
  • Textured materials
    • Brush
    • Feather
    • Sponge
    • Fur fabric

Step-by-step

You’ll want to reinforce the opening of the box with masking tape.

Cut textured materials into pieces of various sizes and shapes.

Be on the lookout for new materials.

Tips for Teaching

Language:

Name the textures, colours and shapes of the materials. Use single words to describe each texture such as “soft” and “rough”. Comment on what your child is doing (scratching, patting).

Help your child understand simple directions such as “put in”, “take out”, and “give me”. Give directions once using clear, simple language.

Provide hand over hand assistance to help your child follow through. Reduce assistance as your child learns to understand the instruction.

Motor:

For children who are learning to grasp and release toys, this is a good activity.

Using hand over hand assistance grasp the textured materials and assist the child to release into the hole.

Also assist the child to retrieve the pieces from the box.

This toy promotes hand/eye coordination as your child learns to grasp and move materials towards, and into, the opening of the box.

Sensory:

Sensory Box provides an excellent opportunity to stimulate the sense through touch.

Cognitive:

This activity will help to teach the concept of textures, size and colours. Use single words to describe each texture (soft, rough).

To work on learning number concepts count as your child puts-in and takes-out items. You can also ask her to “put one more in” or “take one more out”.

Allow your child to classify textures such as soft/hard, rough/smooth.

Have your child close her eyes and identify textured materials by feeling them.

Shape Sortertop

photo of shapesorter

Encourage socialization.

Promote motor and cognitive skills.

Materials

  • Container
  • Knife
  • Marker
  • Decoration items
  • Sorting “shapes” form around the house

Step-by-step

  1. Trace shapes gathered from around the house on lid.
  2. Cut and outline.
  3. Decorating Tips.

Teaching Tips

Cognitive:

Help your child understand simple directions like “put in”, “take out”, “open” and “give me”.

Give directions once using clear, simple language. Provide hand over hand assistance to help your child follow through. Reduce assistance as your child learns.

To encourage your child to request more keep all the shapes out of your child’s reach. Say “more” as your hand a shape to your child. Gradually, hold the shape a little longer and wait for your child to gesture, attempt to say the word and, eventually, say the word.

You can teach object names as your child places the shapes in the sorter. Use single words and keep them consistent.

The shape sorter can also be used to teach shape and colour names.

Motor:

For children who are learning to grasp and release this is a good activity. Using hand over hand assistance grasp a shape and assist your child to release into the matching hole.

Larger openings in the lid will make this easier to begin with. Later you can add more shapes.

Wrist rotation is taught by helping your child to fit the shape in the opening.

This toy promotes hand/eye coordination as your child learns to grasp and move the shape towards, and into, the opening.

Social:

The shape sorter is great for teaching your child turn taking.

Initially, keep all the shapes. Hand your child one item at a time. After she has put a shape in, take a turn. Say “My turn” and gesture. Indicate when it is your child’s turn.

Later, share turns by dividing the shapes into piles for each player.

Try to include other children at this point and help them to understand whose turn it is.

Cognitive:

Help your child problem solve.

Initially, she’ll use a trial and error approach, trying to put shapes into any opening. Later she will learn to scan openings and choose the appropriate one.

Name the properties of the shape as your child puts them in (“blue square”).

To work on number concepts, count as your child inserts items. You can also ask her to “put one more in” or “give one more”.

Smelly Jarstop

photo of smelly jars

Enhancing sense of smell.

Materials

  • Plastic jars with lids,
  • Film canisters
  • Stuff that smells
    • Coffee
    • Jell-o powder
    • Pot pourri
    • Cinnamon sticks
    • Lemon grass
    • Vanilla beans
    • Cardamom pods
    • Chocolate
    • Hay

Step-by-step

Punch holes in the lids. Use coarse smelly materials to prevent leaking.

Teaching Tips

Language:

Name the scented materials using single words such as “vanilla”, “lemon”. Ask your child which one she would like to smell as your hold two jars with different scents. Name the colour of the jar.

Sensory:

This activity will enhance a child’s sense of smell especially children who have difficulty tolerating certain smells. At the beginning, offer your child a jar that contains a scented material that your child likes. Then introduce additional scent. Place the jars on a tray so your child can easily reach and smell each of the contents of the jars.

Cognitive:

After your child is familiar with a variety of scents, make a duplicate set of smelling jars and put them on a tray. Let your child pair the matching jars.

Squeeze Bagtop

photo of squeeze bag

Simple sensory experience.

Materials

  • Duct tape
  • Heavy-duty freezer bag
  • Hair gel OR
    • Jello
    • Play dough
    • Shaving cream
    • Whipped cream
    • Cornstarch and water
    • Pudding

Step-by-step

Fill heavy-duty freezer bag with gel, close the bag and seal with duct tape.

Teaching Tips

Language:

Help your child understand simple directions such as “squeeze”, “poke”, “push”, “touch” and “roll”.

Give directions once. Provide hand over hand assistance to help your child to follow through. Reduce assistance as your child learns.

Name the texture and “feel” of the bag using single words such as “cold”, “soft”, “gooey”.

Motor:

Grasping and squeezing the bag increases strength in the hands.

Sensory:

Squeeze bag stimulates the sense through touch and smell, and enhances body awareness.

Encourage your child to place the bag on different parts of her body.

Use the bag to play hiding games.

Squeeze bag can be used at a variety of temperatures, but be careful not to make it too hot.

Stacking Ringtop

photo of homemade stacking ring

Hand/eye coordination motor development and problem solving.

Materials

  • Paint (and paint brush)
  • Small, sturdy box
  • Paper towel roll
  • Rings from sponges
  • Empty masking tape rolls
  • Cut-out container lids
  • Preserving jar lids

Step-by-step

photo of homemade stacking ring

  1. Trace around the paper towel roll in the middle of the top of the box.
  2. Cut out the hole and tape the box top to the box. Insert the paper towel roll.
  3. Decorate if you wish.

Teaching Tips

Language

Encourage your child to request more. Keep all the rings out of your child’s reach. Say “more” as you hand a ring to your child. Gradually, hold the ring a little longer and wait for your child to gesture, attempt to say the word and, eventually, to say the word.

You can teach object names as your child stacks the rings. Use single words and keep them consistent.

The stacking ring can also be used to teach size and colour names.

Motor:

For children who are learning to grasp and release this is a good activity.

Using hand over hand assistance, grasp a ring and assist your child to release it onto the pole. Wrist rotation is taught by helping your child to place the ring on the pole.

This toy promotes hand/eye coordination as your child learns to grasp and move the ring towards, and onto, the pole.

Social:

Teach your child turn-taking.

Initially, keep all the rings. Hand your child one item at a time. After she has put a ring on, take a turn.

Say “my turn” and gesture. Do “your turn” and gesture.

Later, share turns by dividing the rings between the players. Try to include other children at this point and help them understand “whose turn” it is.

Cognitive:

Initially, your child will stack the rings in any order. Later, teach her to scan the rings and choose the appropriate size starting with the largest and stacking the smallest last.

Teach your child about colour and size as she plays with this toy. Name the properties of the rings as your child stacks them (“large yellow ring”).

To work on concepts count as your child stacks items. You can also ask her to “stack one more” or “give one more”.

Stacking Toystop

photo of stacking toys

Powerful problem solving.

Materials

  • Plastic containers of various sizes (with lids)
  • Boxes
  • Wrapping paper paints to decorate

Step-by-step

The secret is being always on the lookout for a wide variety of container sizes, and keeping the toy together in a box.

Teaching Tips

Language:

To encourage your child to request “more” keep all the containers out of your child’s reach.

Say the word “more” as your hand the container to your child. Gradually, hold the container a little longer and wait for your child gesture, attempt to say the word and, eventually, to say the word.

Use words and phrases such as “put in”, “put on”, “take out”, “take off”.

Teach size and colour names (“small”, “big” or “small blue box”).

Motor:

To strengthen your child’s grasp encourage her to take the lid off and put it on again…

This activity will enhance your child’s hand/eye coordination as she stacks containers.

Social:

Take turns nesting or stacking containers.

Take turns knocking down stacks.

Cognitive:

Have your child stack the boxes or containers 9with lids on) in any order, to see the consequences. If a small box is on the bottom the stack will fall over.

Assist your child to stack with the largest container or box on the bottom.

Allow your child to attempt to nest containers (fitting one into another without the lids) through trial and error.

If the child is having difficulty give hand over hand assistance. Reduce assistance as your child understands the nesting concept.

Tactile Booktop

photo of tactile book

Lots of sensory stimulation

Materials

  • Photo album
  • Textured stuff
    • Fur fabric
    • Cotton balls
    • Sponges
    • Scouring pads
    • Non-slip pads
    • Foil
    • Sand paper
    • Bubble wrap

Step-by-step

  1. Cut textured materials to fit pages and insert.
  2. Place cardboard between material and plastic. Cut opening to allow material to be touched.

Teaching Tips

Language:

When “reading” this book name the textures, colours and shapes.

Use single words to describe each page (soft, rough). Comment on what your child is doing (scratching, patting, turning pages).

Motor:

The tactile book is great for children who are just learning to turn pages. The stiffness of the pages helps.

To make page turning even easier you can use “page fluffers”. These can be made from a small block of foam ½ to 1 cm thick. Stick to the upper right hand corner of the pages using two-sided tape.

Sensory:

As we promised, lots of sensory experiences are in the book.

Remember to experiment with “how things feel” on arms, legs, cheeks and even feet.

Cognitive:

Teach textures, colours and shapes. Use single words to describe each page such as soft, rough, rougher.

Talking Sockstop

photo of sock puppets

Puppets teach creative and imaginative play.

Materials

  • You’ll need some glue
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Needles and thread
  • Socks
  • Buttons (don’t use buttons if your child “mouths” things)

Step-by-step

  1. Draw facial features on the sock.
  2. Glue or sew yarn as hair. Sew pipe cleaners as nose and mouth. Sew (strongly attach) buttons as eyes.

Teaching Tips

Language:

Help your child learn words of songs and body parts (eyes, nose, mouth).

Puppets can also help your child to express moods (happy, sad).

Cognitive:

Be creative. Give your puppets names.

Bring them to life. Give them personalities. Pretend to feed the puppet. Comb its hair.

Allow your child to experiment with putting the puppet on his hand. You can use the puppet to explain concepts such as “above” and “below”.

Using puppets with mood features can help your child to express how he feels.

3-D Puzzletop

photo of 3-d puzzle

Powerful problem solving!

Materials

  • Styrofoam meat tray (new from grocery store)
  • Hard sponges
  • Coloured paper
  • Cardboard
  • Marker (pen)
  • Knife
  • Scissors
  • Glue

Step-by-step

  1. Draw and cut out sponge shapes.
  2. Trace and cut out shapes in tray.
  3. Trace tray on cardboard, cut out glue coloured paper to cardboard and tape cardboard backing to tray.

Teaching Tips

Language

Help your child to understand simple directions such as “put in”, “take out”, “open” and “give me”.

Give directions once using clear, simple language. Provide hand over hand assistance to help your child to follow through. Reduce assistance as your child learns.

To encourage your child to request “more” keep all the containers out of your child’s reach. Say the word “more” as your hand the container to your child. Gradually, hold the container a little longer and wait for your child gesture, attempt to say the word and, eventually, to say the word.

Use single words to name each shape and keep them consistent.

Motor:

Puzzles promote eye-hand coordination as your child learns to grasp and move the shape towards and into the opening.

For children who are learning to grasp and release, this is a good activity. Using hand over hand assistance grasp the shape and assist your child to release into the matching hole.

Social:

Puzzles are great for teaching turn taking.

Initially, keep all the shapes. Hand your child one item at a time. After she has put a shape in, take a turn. Say “my turn” and gesture. Repeat for “your turn”.

Cognitive:

The 3-D Puzzle will help your child to learn the concept of matching.

Allow your child time to explore each shape and then provide assistance to place the objects in the corresponding openings.

Initially, your child is likely to use the trial and error method to find the correct opening. With time, your child will learn to look at the shape of the object and to scan the board to find the corresponding opening. You may wish to prompt correct responses by pointing to or tapping the correct opening.

The circle is usually the first and easiest shape to learn since it will fit no matter which way it is turned.

The square is usually taught second and the triangle third. You can make this activity a little more challenging by turning the tray so that the shapes are in different places.

Thunder Rolltop

photo of thunder roll

How a plastic bottle and coloured water can help teach language, motor coordination and cognitive skills. Neat.

Materials

  • Large plastic bottle
  • Sparkles
  • Marbles
  • Beads
  • Soap
  • Oil
  • Ribbon
  • Food colouring

Step-by-step

Fill 2-litre bottle 2/3 with water. Add food colouring. Add marbles. Blue the top of the bottle to prevent spilling.

Teaching Tips

Language:

This activity will help expressive and receptive language skills. As you and your child roll the bottle back and forth, talk about what’s happening (“catch the bottle!”, “here it comes!”).

Help your child understand simple directions. State directions clearly, using simple language such as “roll bottle”, “pick it up”, “give it to me”, “faster”, “slower”.

If your child requires support in rolling the bottle, provide hand over hand assistance.

Make one goal of this game to direct the bottle to another person. Involve a third person and help facilitate the rolling as needed.

Reduce the assistance as your child learns.

Motor:

This activity is a great way to improve hand/eye coordination.

As your child rolls the large bottle using both hands, encourage her to follow the bottle with her eyes as it rolls.

When it tops encourage her to go get it and try again.

Make it a turn taking game, rolling it back and forth. This will give her a specific target to aim for.

Playing with this toy will help build strength and endurance. This will improve both small and large muscle groups.

Social:

Encourage interactive play between you and your child. She will learn to follow simple rules (waiting her turn, or staying between boundaries). She will learn how to play cooperatively and share one toy.

Help facilitate play with another child by stating and modeling the rules of the game and providing hand-over-hand assistance if needed. dxEncourage turn-taking by clearly stating and gesturing whose turn it is.

Toy Shop as written and produced by Fatima Kediye, Raffi Marinuzzo and Margaret Howard of the Early Childhood Services Team at Community Living Toronto.

Talking To The Family About Your Concerns

Developing a partnership with the family is very important when we share the care of their child. We communicate with parents on a daily basis. We often talk about their child’s achievements, friends, or the things he particularly enjoyed doing. We talk about how their child is settling in, our program, and the philosophy and goals of our service.

But, how do we tell the family about our perception that their child may be experiencing difficulties with their behaviour or development?

Remember, what we see as a problem may not be viewed this way by the family. This has significant implications for:

  • what concerns we raise
  • when we raise concerns
  • how we raise concerns with the family

Once a concern has been identified, it is important to consider both the needs of the family and all the members of the teaching team, including yourself. It is possible that neither party may want to talk about the concern – both staff and family can be reluctant to discuss areas of difficulty.

Understanding the family’s reluctance to hear the message

A family can react quite differently than expected to information about their child.

  • You may have observed your areas of concern for some time, while it may be the first time the family has considered these concerns. The family may not feel “ready” to consider these issues about their child.
  • A family may also go into “threat” mode when approached about their child. The parents may see it as a criticism of their parenting skills.

Understanding staff reluctance to deliver the message

Why is it difficult to move from discussing what the child ate and with whom they played, to raising what you believe is an area of concern? Here are some possible reasons:

  • Staff can feel threatened, too.
  • We may not feel comfortable about the information we are reporting or we may not have had enough time to build a good rapport with the family before we need to raise concerns.
  • We may feel under-resourced and are not sure where to refer the family, or are afraid of a negative reaction from a defensive parent.
  • We may even feel so concerned about the possible feelings of a family that we avoid the issue entirely.

If we really do have concerns about a child, we need to try talking to the family for the benefit of the child.

Raising Concerns

Before you raise concerns with the family, consider the following suggestions:

  • Talk to colleagues about your concerns. You may want to discuss the issue with your Supervisor and/or inform yourself about the centre’s protocol for communicating with parents.
  • Determine who would be the appropriate person to talk with the family – perhaps the Supervisor, another team member, or you.
  • Talk to the family as soon as possible. If there are two parents/guardians, try to see them together.
  • Find a time to discuss your concerns with the family WITHOUT the child being present.
  • Demonstrate an attitude of respect towards the family’s particular culture, religion, socio-economic, and linguistic background.
  • Timing is important:
    • While the child is clinging to his mother’s leg, not wanting her to leave, or as she is hurrying off to work, is not the best time to approach a parent.
    • Likewise, at the end of the day, a few words about how the day went is good, but it may not be the best time for informing a parent about a concern.
    • Allow adequate time for the meeting and provide a location that ensures privacy.

When meeting with a family consider the following suggestions:

  • Be positive, supportive, and honest about the child when raising concerns.
  • Give the family examples of the child’s strengths or areas that have shown improvement. Remember the importance of a positive approach when talking to a family.
  • Plan ahead and think about what you are going to say. You may even wish to write it down before meeting with the family.
  • Acknowledge that your concerns are based on your observations in only one setting and that there are many reasons for behaviour.
  • Be prepared:
    • Have concrete examples of your concerns
    • make sure they are objective.
    • Have a list of different services and appropriate support groups (with the names of relevant people), to which the family can be referred.
    • Develop an action plan with the family about what to do next. Have some ideas ready to suggest to the family.
    • Be prepared to consider what the family suggests, even if it is quite different from what you had in mind.
  • Reassure the family that staff members are happy to work with them to achieve the best outcome for their child.

Though breaking the news can be difficult, it is important that the issue be raised as soon as possible. This may allow for earlier intervention, which could provide the support necessary for their child to reach his/her potential.

References:

Managing Challenging Behaviour (2003). New South Wales Department of Community Services.