Behavior Management

Embracing the “Different”

This little 3.5 year old has been on quite the journey…and taken my husband and I on quite the journey as well. đź’—

From an EXTREMELY young age (like 3 months) I knew Delise was unique and different from the “norm” (whatever the heck that means 🤷🏻‍♀️). Little did I know that she would transform my heart 💗 and help me to embrace her way of thinking, seeing the world, and loving life.

It took about 3 years for the two of us to truly “get” one another. I’m not speaking about loving one another…that came naturally for me as she is my precious gift from God. No, It was just, well…where I saw black and white, she sees a thousand different shades of gray.

By Mary Bockert, ago

My Top 3 Toys for my Child With Sensory Processing Disorder

The day I found out my child had a sensory processing disorder (SPD) was the end of our search for answers to her strange and “different” behavior. The silver lining was that we FINALLY had an answer for her terrible tantrums, her OCD tendencies, and her “clingy” personality. Sensory processing disorder is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. … Some people with sensory processing disorder are oversensitive to things in their environment. Common sounds may be painful or overwhelming.

Oh Boy!!!! “Now What?” How could I possibly help my child overcome some of her obstacles when the world was telling me to go in a thousand different directions? After much research and trial and error, I had my go-to toys that truly helped her overcome her SPD obstacles.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Raising Three Girls to Love One Another

Sibling rivalry…UGH!

It amazes me how much I was wrong. Wrong about how parenting really went, wrong about how simple I believed parenting to be, wrong that I thought our girls would just “get along” without my husband and I intervening….LOTS of wrongs to try to make RIGHT with trial and error. To this day, we are still learning and adapting to a new way of life with 3 girls. Our oldest two are so different…complete opposites. Honestly, I LOVE the fact that they are different from one another and have different interests. That being said, I was unaware of how difficult it would be to mesh the two personalities together and have them get along. For some reason I assumed that the two lovely ladies would magically understand each others differences, love one another and want to spend every waking moment together…BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Being naive as a parent can be one the most beautiful things or, in my case, one of the most detrimental things.

By Mary Bockert, ago

The Art of Saying “NO!”

The title of this blog is The Art of Saying “NO!” It makes me laugh because saying NO to your kids can be just that…an art!

Will they throw a temper tantrum in public if I don’t buy them this…?
What will the family think of my “oh so sweet child” if I allow the tantrum to escalate?
It can get pretty hairy with kids when they are learning what they can and cannot get away with. I would love to say that it only lasts toddler-hood but that would be a complete lie as I am still practicing this art with my 6 year old and I am guessing it will continue until they are ready to sail on their own and leave the home for their own adventure.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Cabin Fever Musts

When it comes to cold weather, staying inside seems like the best option when littles are present…especially newborns. The weather has been unbelievably cold in Ohio this winter and leaving the house just isn’t doable…nor am I excited to do so. I would have to get 3 kids bundled tightly, spend 30 minutes loading them into the car and getting them buckled into their carseats, etc. In other words, no thank you! LOL

By Mary Bockert, ago

The Facts On Becoming Babywise

I know for me and my household, getting the baby to sleep through the night as early as possible is KEY to everyone being happy and content on a daily basis. That being said, I have incorporated the book On Becoming Babywise into my parenting style. For the first 2 kiddos, it worked like a charm and they were both sleeping through the night no later than 9 weeks. You heard me right…no later than 9 weeks!!! It was FANTASTIC! It takes work and dedication but by following the “rules” laid out for you, you too can have a sleeping baby in no time. With my third, we are starting the implementation process this week and I plan on documenting how it goes throughout the sleeping journey.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Sensory for the Sensory Kid

I have written it before and if you have followed along with my family’s story, you know that we have a 3 year old daughter who struggles with a sensory processing disorder. We have spent HOURS figuring out her quirks, what works for her, how to best support her and what to do next to continue her “therapy” at home.

By Mary Bockert, ago

How Much to Allow a Child to Dictate the Day

Who is in the driver’s seat in the house? Is it you? Your child(ren)? Sometimes balance can be tricky…especially when it comes to a child with disabilities. Balance is one thing every parent strives to conquer and usually fails before getting it right.

As parents, we tell our children what to do. It is our job to set limits and boundaries, and teach them how to behave and be respectful. I would imagine I bark orders at my kids at least 20 times a day: “Be nice to your sister.” “Get dressed.” “Sit up.” “Chew with your mouth closed.” “Clean up your toys.” These are just a few of the everyday utterances that leave my mouth.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Sibling Rivalry

The excitement when I found out our youngest was a girl and would be the little sister to our sweet 2.5 year old daughter was just overwhelming. I was excited for them to be the best of friends like my sister and I. They would play dolls together, have sweet tea parties, run around together, etc. Life would be grand as sisters.

Then reality set in about 12 months in. Our girls are complete opposites and getting them to play together is like oil and water. NOT the vision I had in my mind the day our second was born. In fact, it has been a struggle to teach them how to get along and understand each others’ differences since pretty much day one.

By Mary Bockert, ago