All the feels: Why can emotions be so challenging?

Think of your emotions like a car- your feelings are the engine (fast and powerful) and emotional regulation is the brakes and steering wheel. Being able to understand and manage emotions will help you navigate different environments and circumstances. Being able to navigate and control emotions can be a challenging thing for kids (and let’s be honest adults too!) because they are still developing and learning tools that can help their brain regulate and understand what is occurring.

There is so much to be said about the life lessons learned in sports! From being a teammate, and learning how to handle failure and success, to having discipline and resilience, sports can play a fundamental role in teaching these skills. As a coach of middle school kids, I want every single child to be able to participate and have FUN!  

You might ask, where do I even start looking for programs with adaptive sports? While a simple email requesting to make a sport more adaptive might make it further than you would think in your school programs (think: track and field, cross country, + other sports), there are plenty opportunities in our Peoria area community for individuals just like your kiddo! Keep on reading to know all about these resources! 

It’s that time of the year, when the tissues are running out, sniffs and sneezes are all around, and you can tell as soon as someone says a word.. uh oh, they’re getting sick!

But what about those voice changes that stick around… or those voices that have always been hoarse and strained, as long as you can remember? When it is time to start asking some questions? How do you know when it’s time to do something about it - and who do you even go to?

Hearing plays a powerful role in how children connect, learn, and communicate. In this interview-style blog, Lauren sits down with our audiologist, Joanna, to talk through the hearing services we offer—from hearing evaluations and hearing aids to central auditory processing services—and how they support children at every stage.

‘Tis the season… for late nights, extra sugar, and nonstop activities and events.

The holidays can be filled with joyful and fun moments, but they can also feel chaotic and stressful for both you and your child. As excitement builds, daylight gets shorter, and routines unravel, here are a few tools to try to help support regulation around the holidays. 

At Way to Grow, we see firsthand the immense dedication and love you pour into your family every single day. We also know that even the most dedicated "CEOs" face the risk of burnout. When we get so caught up in giving, we can forget to advocate for ourselves. But here's a truth we hold dear: your well-being is not a luxury; it's a vital part of your family’s mission. 

Most of us can think of a time when a song came on the radio and our mood instantly changed. It may have made you smile, start dancing or have a calming effect.  What if I told you music can help your child regulate to grow and reach their goals?  Well, it can with Therapeutic Listening, a unique program developed by Vital Links.  Therapeutic listening isn’t about playing background music to sooth your child.  It is researched based approach that uses carefully altered sound to help children’s brains and bodies work together more smoothly. 

Hours at the spa, 18 holes of golf, five course meal; maybe before PDA... While living in survival mode, finding small, really small things that bring joy but require you to focus is essential.

From a mom of a child with PDA… here are some vital tools in her PDA Toolbox!

Fine motor skills involve the coordinated movement of the small muscles of the hands to carry out such activities as writing, coloring, opening containers, or using scissors.   

Here are some stress-free ways to incorporate fine motor into play..