This Mother’s Day weekend, I kept finding my mind flittering back to our 20 week ultrasound with Lily, and the time before she was born. The ultrasound tech mentioned Lily’s long legs and pointed toes, and my husband made a comment like, “maybe she will be a ballerina!” I remember seeing a look flutter across […]
Posts in the Encourage Movement category:
Ladies & Gentlemen… we’ve gone all terrain!
From the moment my daughter started using her Kaye walker full time at 2 years old, I have had a dream. A dream of an all terrain walker that glides smoothly and easily over grass and dirt and mulch. A walker that doesn’t require muscle and struggle to cross uneven surfaces. Isn’t that a beautiful […]
Crutches & kindness
We met a pretty fantastic milestone last month. In some ways it seems little because we’ve slowly been progressing this direction for a year and a half. But it’s big because… well… we’ve been working towards it for a year and a half!! Are you ready?!? Drum roll please… Lily is using her crutches ALL MORNING […]
5 ways to build hand strength and fine motor skills with everyday objects and activities
When my daughter passed the 6 month mark, I noticed that she kept her left hand in a fist most of the time. All the reading I did told me we should be concerned, so my insides kept knotting up as I obsessively watched her to determine whether her actions were typical or atypical. A few weeks later, […]
Spring opens the door to playing outside – find an accessible playground near you!
This past weekend I sat outside under the bright sun and spring flowers, and drew pictures on the sidewalk with my kids. There is something magical about playing outside in the bright warmth after a long, gray, cold winter. I can’t seem to soak up enough of the sun. When I think about fun outdoor spring […]
Eight Fun Easter “Hacks” for Kids with a Variety of Abilities
Easter egg hunts and traditional egg coloring can be a challenge for kids with differing abilities. However, with a few tweaks, there are many ways to include kids with a variety of ability levels in the fun. Challenges: Wheelchairs & walkers: Difficult to navigate grassy terrain, and often can’t easily bend down and pick up eggs. Blind or low vision: Can’t locate eggs […]
Allowing children to be children, regardless of mobility
I crossed paths with the question “when is the right time for a mobility device?” multiple times today. It’s an interesting question. When really is the right time? Should we follow a “typical” timeline? Should we listen to our mommy gut? Should we be the catalyst for getting new equipment? Should we assume our medical team and therapists […]
Bowling: A surprisingly inclusive sport
On Friday afternoon, Lily and my husband played hooky to celebrate my brother-in-law’s birthday. We went Bowling! Old school. It. Was. Seriously. Awesome. Why? Bowling is actually quite fun. The local place, while a bit run down, was super friendly. They weren’t busy, so they provided an exclusive toddler lane FREE of charge! Everyone could participate.
5 Clever ways to encourage kids to pull up onto their knees
My daughter, Lily, is a pretty determined little kid, but she is also incredibly stubborn. In order for her to do something, she must actually want to do it, or it becomes a battle of wills. Personally, I hate that battle because in the end, everyone loses. What I’ve found, however, is that I can get her to […]
Tip: Sew bells on socks to encourage leg movement
Two big events occurred when my daughter Lily was 4 days old. The first was that we learned she would need a shunt to relieve the pressure in her brain from hydrocephalus. We knew this was likely, but it was still hard to hear. The second was magical. She kicked her legs for the very […]