The sketch that helped me understand my child

Wendy Bertagnole webinar about difficult sensory behaviour

I have to share this here. There are definitely other parents who also struggle with the same. I wish I had know about this much earlier. I have felt in my gut that there is more to the behaviour, and that it is not a lack of discipline or a lack of respect. The reason for the continuing melt-downs! The better we understand our child, the better she will be able to understand herself. The better we will also be able to work on the skills necessary to handle her world.

Where will our Bubblegummers take us? - Review and WIN

Bubblegummers shoes

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2019 starts off with a Bang! With shoes! What better way than with brand new shoes that's awesome to look at, but that's also super comfortable? Miss Fine had the absolute pleasure to unbox Bubblegummers shoes, and she has been wearing them non-stop. Check out her unboxing video below. There is also one pair of Bubblegummers shoes to win for one lucky reader...

I tell her it's a bit of OCD and sensory issues

Little Miss 

The carversations! Even tough traffic is hectic, and we would like to spend much less time in a car... But there is a positive note to it! A car is one of the best places to catch up on each other and hear the daily news.

Little Miss has always used the car as her after-school melt-down safe place. It is the safe place to whine, and melt down and complain about her day.

This past week she has been complaining/crying that she thinks she is different than the rest of her peers in class. There is stuff that bothers her in class which makes it very difficult to concentrate.

Winter does not work well with SPD

Getting out of the house in the mornings is already a battle. We are all night owls and early mornings does not work well in our family. Little Miss sleeps to 9 am when left to her own devices. But if we don't leave early in the mornings, we get stuck in traffic, and... (fill in the dots!)

But winter is just so much worse. Little Miss  struggles with everything! *SPD does not work well in winter!

- It's cold. She can't get up! Her dad helps her get into a gown and slippers.
- She sits in front of the heater, struggling to put on a next layer of clothing.
- The winter clothes are all uncomfortable. From the vests to the socks and the shoes! We know why it is a fight to get her to put on her shoes, but it makes it soo difficult! It takes ages for her to get all her clothes on that it feels somewhat comfortable. And we have to convince her about each layer of extra clothing.
- Saying it is going to be cold does not help!

We are late each morning!
Sorry, Little Miss! Winter does not work on you!

We try our utmost to be patient and to help you with the clothes. We are not always succeeding and sorry for not always being patient!

It helps to be aware of it!


How do you help your little one with SPD getting dressed with all the layers of clothing?

*Sensory processing disorder

Little Miss slaying the dragons

Transformers Animatronics at Emperor's Palace

The second quarter of the year is already full steam ahead. It seems Little Miss has settled nicely in at school. She is a Little Miss Independent because we drop her off and there she goes!

All the worries about friends and fitting in have been resolved. She's got friends, and she was even invited to her first party this weekend from a child at the new school. I was told that she has a nickname of "Cutie" (behind her back), but she has heard it and has told me previously that she does not like being called cute! (We think that "Cutie" is not so bad, and it could have been a lot worse! Now only to convince her!)

Revue outfit at school

We had a hectic week last week! The school put out seven concerts in five days! It meant driving up and down to school and getting dressed and prepped for Revue seven times. (Not even counting the practice runs the previous week!) I have a lot more respect for teachers everywhere! They worked their arses off very hard and they were still smiling at the end! We had to laugh when Little Miss told us she had a job of keeping her teacher awake in class, and another boy had to wipe the spit from her mouth when she fell asleep. They found that quite hilarious, but I am sure that is how the teacher really felt each day! School had to go on!

We are still struggling with clothes and melt-downs. Winter has started a a week ago, and Little Miss has had to adapt to her new winter clothes. Of course everything about the winter outfits are bothering her, and the shoes are too tight or too loose. We know why it is a fight to get her to put on her shoes (SPD), but unfortunately we have to find a way for her to handle it better! We are at least 20 minutes to half an hour later getting out of the house in the mornings.

I am contemplating of getting some help with the SPD? If only for us and how to help her?
Should we see an occupational therapist?

For the record! She is very opinionated! I always say that she has been born with all the wisdom on earth. She already KNOWS, when she sometimes most of the times does not know! Head-banging happens a lot! (Saying it with trepidation when thinking about the teenage years?)

Little Miss making flapjacks

Little Miss loves helping with baking and cooking, and I think we should definitely involve her more. She is always willing to lend us a hand in the kitchen! Thanks, Little Miss! I am looking forward to your gourmet dishes in future!

I am writing this down, Little Miss! Even looking back on the previous post, I can see how much you have changed and developed! We like you, and we love you!

It is great to have you in our lives! And we will slay the SPD dragons together!

I know WHY it's a fight to get her to put on shoes - SPD

But how do we get her to put on shoes when she flatly refuses?
Each day we have to ask politely for her to put on her shoes! Then it escalates pretty soon into not so nice, arguing and bullying her to get on her shoes.
I know its because of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)! The older she gets, the more I understand the underlying sensory issues. But it is still very difficult! And we do not always handle it correctly! (Sorry, Miss!)

I listened to a Sensory Solutions webinar yesterday, and it just ticked all the boxes again! If you do not have a child with sensory issues, you are quick to label the child as being difficult and naughty and of course bad parenting! (As parent you judge yourself!)

Little Miss is the same with clothes. Some clothes gets worn, because it's comfortable, but some does not! Ever! Most of the time the shoes and jackets get a ride in the car to school, and still do not get onto her feet and body!

And then we say: "Sure! You go cold! We don't care!" (But we do!)

Because she just says "NO!"

Winter is here, Little Miss!
Tomorrow we will try again to get on your shoes. Today was a good day, because you kept on your comfy boots when we got to school (although you wanted to take it off).  (High five to us!)


How do you handle sensory issues and clothes?
Are there more children nowadays with sensory issues, or we we now more aware of it?

It's a Monday face

Life is difficult!

- She has to wear her pajamas for first day of vacation school during the holidays! (We had to assure her countless times that everybody is going to wear their pajamas!)
- She can't wear her slippers on it's own, because it scratches her!
- It was difficult to find the right socks to wear with the slippers, because most of her socks scratches her!
- When asked to smile at the camera, she told us that she does not feel very well!
- We could not get all her stuff in one bag to take to school. She is adamant that this bag should not be a school bag.
- When asked about what character she wants to be on Wednesday, we had a whole flood gate of tears, because her princess dress is too tight around the arms. We should go to the shops to get her a new outfit before Wednesday! (Most unlikely that that is going to happen!)
- The swim cap does not fit (it does!), and she is taking her toddler swimming cap today. (Luckily sorted yesterday already)


Mondays are difficult for a little girl!
Mondays are difficult for Mom and Dad with a little girl that struggles with a Monday!