Monkey-ing Around in Speech!

Here in the northeast we are caught in that cold and blah period of time between Valentine's and the first day of spring.  Since I am not yet in the mood for St. Patty's Day activities and my preschoolers don't care much about college basketball, I was struggling to find a theme for therapy this past week!  I enjoy using weekly themes and feel that it really helps to make planning for all my sessions easier.  Plus, it's fun not only for the kids, but for me as well!

I planned to use the story, Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow, with one of my tots this week.  When I found these cute little story props to print and laminate for story retell on our magnetic board, it hit me.  I found my theme for this third week of February: Monkeys!  They are just so cute and the kids love them.  Fun and silly, monkeys are the perfect subject matter for filling in my blah week in February.

Here's what I did with one of my 3 year olds this week.  You can find the link to the 5 Little Monkeys printable here or use these other cute printables from DLTK.  After reading the book, we took the little monkeys (which are laminated with a piece of magnetic tape stuck to the back) and placed them on the bed.  My little friend then placed the first monkey victim next to the bed upside down because he "Hit his head!"  So excited to hear that pronoun from my little guy!

You can also use the story Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree, (Thanks Serving Pink Lemonade blog!) using the link here to print the tree, monkeys, and alligator.  I plan to use this, too!

Next, we used the iPad to read this short story about monkeys I found on tarheelreader.  We used it to formulate present progressive sentences about what the monkey was doing.  Afterwards, we decided to feed our own monkey some snacks (created with a monkey face I found online, laminated and stuck to a tissue box).  We asked him "Do you like               " and filled in with the name of the food.  We used some laminated pictures of various food items I found here and took turns feeding him when the monkey answered "yes" and wanted the food!  My little guy just loved feeding the monkey.

We also used the game Jumpin' Monkeys. I often play this with my slightly older students who have better coordination.  The idea is to launch the monkey using a miniature catapult onto the tree and make him catch a branch and hang.  This was too much to ask of my little friend so we just practiced some of his target words and he got to place a monkey in the tree when he said the word.  We targeted some nice action words here too, such as flying, swinging, holding, hanging, falling, and jumping.  We also talked about where the monkey was going to land, using the terms in, on, top, bottom, under, over.  You can target many goals with this cute game.

So, my therapist friends, if you are looking to liven up the boring weeks at the end of February, let the monkey business begin!

The Secret of Thieves: Keeping the germs away during flu season

Flu season here in the northeast is especially NOT FUN this year.  While our household hasn't been hit (yet), children and adults are coming down with the flu all around us!  But it's winter and we deal with this every year I suppose!  Here at our house, we've been extra diligent with handwashing and the use of hand sanitizer when a sink is not available.  The kids have the routine down by now; they come in the house, take off their shoes and wash their hands before doing anything else.  We are also trying to make sure we are getting enough sleep, eating lots of healthy foods, taking vitamins, and trying not to overdose on sugar, which I have read can weaken the immune system. 

While searching the internet for natural and alternative ways to stay healthy during flu season, I have discovered something that I wanted to share with you called "Thieves Oil."  Over at Secret of Thieves, they describe the origin of a well known anti-infective essential oil blend which dates back to the Middle Ages:

“Century after century, bubonic plague outbreaks decimated the population of Asia and Europe for the better part of a thousand years. Out of this period emerged a legend of four thieves who were captured and charged with robbing the dead and dying victims. When the thieves were tried, the magistrate offered leniency if they would reveal how they resisted contracting the infection as they performed their gruesome acts. They told of a special concoction of aromatic herbs, including garlic, cloves and rosemary, that they rubbed on themselves before committing their crimes.” 

Is it just a myth?  Who knows!  Studies done on this blend of essential oils, which includes clove, rosemary, cinnamon bark, lemon, and eucalyptus have shown it to have a 99.96% success rate against airborne bacteria.  There is a site Young Living which actually sells many Thieves Oil items, including cleaning products.  Dr. Lawrence Rosen, M.D., a integrative pediatrician and medical advisor to the Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center at Hackensack University Medical Center in NJ, wrote about Thieves Oil Blend and its uses and effectiveness in his blog The Whole Child.  Here he provides scientific research to support the use of the Thieves Oil Blend and also includes a link to a how-to video of a DIY version of the essential oil blend.

So how have I been using Thieves?  First, I got my own supply of these essential oils from Whole Foods, and along with some aloe vera gel and a spray bottle, I have been mixing up batches of my own Thieves Oil.  After doing some research, I found that lavendar is also a good antiseptic, so I substitute it for the rosemary because I do not like the scent (or taste!) of rosemary.  I have been using it as hand sanitizer, counter and tabletop spray, car air freshener (did I mention I love the smell?!) and have also put the oils in a small diffuser to help "clear" the air in rooms throughout the house.  I love it and my daughter has enjoyed making little spray bottles with me for friends and family.  We are hooked!

What about for my therapy room?  Flu season or not, there are precautions that I take after every session for the protection of everyone who comes into the room.  I wipe down the tableop with an all-natural, environmentally safe disinfecting wipe by Seventh Generation.  I might give it a spray with a vinegar and water solution or better yet, the Thieves blend as well.  I do the same with the mirror, chair, and any toys that can be wiped.  Any toys that were mouthed by a child are put in a plastic baggie marked "to be sterilized" and these soak in a solution of 10% bleach/90% water to disinfect, then soak in hot soapy water, and are finally rinsed clean.  The kids are also encouraged to use hand gel sanitizer when they come in, especially during the cold and flu season.  Now, after my discovery of the secret of the thieves, I also like to offer my Thieves blend as an alternative to the alcohol-based sanitizer.  Now that you know the secret, try it for yourself and let me know what you think! 

With Appreciation

Anyone who really knows me will tell you that I am not typically at a loss for words. If you want to know my thoughts, or even if you didn't ask, I won't hesitate to tell you, which may not always work in my favor!  However, I was quite puzzled when trying to decide what I would write about in my first post.  I've been pondering all week.  There are many topics about which I would like to write, mainly on the topic of speech and language, either for the parents of the kiddos I have on my caseload or for fellow professionals.  I would also love to share information that I have found regarding health and wellness, another topic of interest for me.  Then there are all the mommy tips and pointers that I am learning along the way that I plan to share.  Where to begin???  The pressure of the first post...

Well, I decided to speak from the heart and write about what has been on my mind this past week, and that is the importance of appreciating every moment we share with family and friends because, as we all know, it can change in the blink of an eye.  I look at my children each day and am so thankful for their health and happiness, as well as being so appreciative of having a great husband and supportive parents, siblings, in-laws, and friends.  I know this sounds cliche but it is really how I am feeling at this point in time.  Just last week, a young dad in town lost his battle with leukemia after being diagnosed just ten months ago.  How quickly our lives can change course.  We really have no idea what is waiting for us just ahead.  I try to remind myself each day to keep it all in perspective and not to waste too much negative energy on petty nonsense and the "small stuff."  Sometimes this is easier said than done, I know.  We all get wrapped up from time to time and forget to really stop to think about what we have and fully appreciate it.  Perhaps we do feel thankful inside, but I know for me, I don't express my gratitude as much as I should.  Don't know what you've got till it's gone, right?

So then, I want to give a shout out and say, "Thank you," not only to my family and friends and the powers above, but to the parents of my little kiddos in therapy.  I am so thankful that you share your children with me!  I am grateful to have them all in my life.  I truly enjoy working with them and continue to learn and grow as a therapist during our time together.  I happen to have a wonderful group of parents right now who are extremely supportive and active in the therapy process.  Each of your children has his or her own set of gifts and talents and although speech/language might be a challenge for now, they should know that they are special and loved and appreciated for the happiness they bring to our lives.  It is a pleasure to see your children each week and I have so much fun working with them.  Thank you for bringing them into my life!