Behaviors are clues. No behavior exists “just because he doesnt feel like,” or “he just doesnt like….”, etc. Behaviors give us clues to what a childs weaker areas may be, areas that need support or development. If someone is shiveving, it is most likely that they are cold or possibly scared. Holding them down, rarely fixes that. A warmer sweater, enviornment or a warm , reassuring voice in a scary situation, may bring the person back to a regulated state, where the shivering calms.
Sometimes, when we ask a child to do something , where the challenge is TOO big, there are smaller steps they need to get there. We, most liekely, can see behaviors when this happens. If we ask a child”Which one do you want, the dark, bumpy one with all the angles, or do you want the light, white smooth one that your sister likes?…..There may be way too much language in that question, cognitive overlad. Then instead of making a choice, the child starts throwing items in the room. Solution? Show the child both items and ask”which one?”. The pointing to the one they want, may be the greatest means of answering that intentionally that the child has. The motor planning and intentional gesturing that the childs needs to develop before language anyways.
So as parents, therapists, teachers, take a lookk at the “why”. Back Mountain Music Therapy is ALWAYS chasing the why. At Back Mountain Music Therapy, we know that the answer is within the child.
Leave a Reply