Hoping with this post to share some real life examples of the kids at New Hope (names are changed) and how we see the first signs of dysregulation and the regulation strategies to help them.
Remember, some of these are not huge deals, but if we catch it at the first or second sign, we are often able to avoid the big escalations. So, these are the first small signs. This is a list one of our newer workers has on his desk to help him remember. You might like to do something similar at home as you are learning to catch things right in the beginning.
Leo
- Calling out
- Out of boundary
- Struggling with transitions
- Defiant
- Rude
- Destructive
Strategies
- Trampoline
- Breathing
- Art
- Puzzle
- Building
Liam
- Calling out
- Bathroom emergencies
- Staring out
- Declining work
- Not getting through routine
- Requests to change routine
Strategies
- Puzzle
- Art
- Trampoline
- Jump Rope
- Building Activity
Alexander
- Requests to change routine
- Not engaging - trading out quickly
- Struggling with transitions
- Asking for extras
- Rude
Strategies
- Breathing
- Hugging stuffed animal from home
- Trampoline
- Jump Rope
James
- Struggling with transitions
- Calling out
- Not doing resets
- Focused on distractions
- Complaints about routine
Strategies
- Origami
- Puzzle
- Trampoline
- Paper art
Sebastian
- Crying
- Whining
- Complaining
- Needing extra prompts or reminders
- Not resetting on her own for needs
- Pushing boundary physically or with noise
Strategies
- Trampoline
- Paper Art
- Activity with animals
- Coloring
- Clay - make 5 things you are grateful for
Michael
- Trying to change routine
- Staring out into the room - zoned out
- Not willing to move on with his day
- So focused on future events, he’s not present
Strategies
- Trampoline
- Building Activity
- Art
- Puzzle
Lucas
- Demanding
- Arguing
- Repeatedly asking the same questions over and over again
Strategies
- Trampoline
- Silent kick ball back and forth with missionary
- Create a pattern
- Have a snack
- Coloring
*One thing to note: As we do this with our newer kids - and especially our new to regulation and ‘feeling’ feeling’s kids, we let them choose their strategies, but rarely are they the strategies that actually work for them. Most likely they are strategies that will actually dysregulate them further. But we still let them choose, and as they are getting more dysregulated - let’s say they chose trampoline, but are jumping crazy, or getting on and off, or super loud, obviously that is not working to regulate - so we just say ‘let’s try a new strategy'. This one is fun, but I don’t think it’s working for regulation. Then we try another one. Eventually we actually just start rotating through things they might connect with, just to ‘see’ what might work. As we see strategies consistently unsuccessful, we take them off of their list and add in the others that we are seeing them be successful with. We do this until we get a solid list that consistently sets them up for success to regulate.
Kids that are more established at New Hope, been here longer, feel safe, and have connections with workers, tend to be more settled and able to connect with their feelings and share what they are stressed about. But newer kids, it just takes more time. Patience, Patience, Patience…. Don’t give up!
Watch next week, for the things we have learned and the wins we have seen since starting this at New Hope!
