Blog
EAGALA Conference Report
This year’s EAGALA conference was recently held in Franklin,TN. Thankfully, it was close to home this year! The conference included EAGALA members from 44 countries, coming from as far as Tasmania. I love being around people who understand and share my passion for Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. The food was great, but the networking experience was even better! Through my experiences in the arena with an amazing black horse, I was able talk about the Papillion Center’s passion for helping families and children in hard places. I would like to add a special thanks to Amy Free who opened her home [...]
Read more2013 Conference
Last Friday was the Papillion Center’s annual conference. As a staff member I am prepared to go and do my part, help set up, serve and network. What I wasn’t prepared for was the gift I would come away with. Knowledge was respectfully traded back and fourth, compassion and understand was handed out equally, and hope was once again instilled. Professionals and parents were taken back to the very root of who we are, who our kids are, and what they need! Even though I work in this field, I left rejuvenated! I saw the same sparkle in the eyes of each person and it was [...]
Read moreNutrition Matters
All of us hear about the importance of a healthy lifestyle including good nutrition and exercise. While it is a simple concept, it is usually challenging to implement. However, for children from hard places, it is critical for their well-being that we are mindful of their nutrition and opportunities for sensory input. Let’s take a moment to focus on nutritional needs of our kids. Our rule of thumb is that our kids need nutrition and hydration EVERY 2-3 HOURS. We stress this timeframe because our kids are often very sensitive to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Missing these opportunities for [...]
Read moreHow Drinking Changes Lives Forever
This article was written in Canada, but applies to the US as well. Many women do not understand the dangers of drinking while pregnant and many children are labeled as “bad” when in reality they are dealing with organic brain damage. Chris Troutt, LMFT Email ———————————————————— From the Globe and Mail, Canada Crystal Piquette is 31 and ripped, her biceps and flat tummy a testament to the rigours of her factory job. Her life seems ordinary – she has a boyfriend and five cats, does handicrafts and dreams of buying a home – but it’s a quantum leap for [...]
Read moreReflections On Sandy Hook
by Johanna Powell As we are all grieving in our own ways over the loss of life at Sandy Hook last week, I am struck by so many different reactions. I have seen tears in the eyes of parents as they imagine what the victims may have experienced, feel the loss that the many Sandy Hook parents are experiencing, and face the more than overwhelming reality that safety is not something that can be taken for granted. I have also heard of children’s responses that range from fear to relatively numb with a sort of matter of fact response alluding to [...]
Read more100+ Holiday Strategies for FASD
Holidays are a tough time for our kids. We may place pressure on ourselves to try to make holidays perfect. What matters is family and love and learning to live and appreciate each other for our unique gifts. Our kids do the best they can and if other people (aka, family) can’t understand that and you have tried to explain numerous times, just ignore them. Cut yourself and your kids some slack-scale back, stay home and enjoy the moments whenever you can get them. Holidays are meant to be joyful, happy occasions.Do the best that you can. You do not [...]
Read moreGood Reminder from the Psalms
Monday morning devotion is not only a time to reflect and worship, but a time to get to know my colleagues. In that I am grateful for those early Monday meetings! This week I chose the devotion from Psalms 121. For me it is a reminder that the Lord is my creator, leader, keeper, hands and feet, and preserver. This time of year, I think that is a good reminder! Read Psalm 121 >>> Blessings, Gidget Leonard ES
Read moreChristmas Ideas
With Christmas quickly approaching, take a few moments to think through how you can tweak your favorite Christmas traditions to better suit the needs of your special needs child. This article can get you started: http://specialchildren.about.com/od/christmastips/tp/Tweak-Your-Traditions.htm Advanced thought and planning can sometimes avert a meltdown and provide relief for your entire family! Sheryl Findley, MS
Read more30 Sensory Activities
by Arlee, from mysmallpotatoes.com The smalls love sensory play. It’s a fact. And why not? Through their senses, is how they learn. If children can see, touch, smell, listen, and sometimes even taste their play activities, just think of the information they will process. Experimenting, thinking, practicing small-motor and cognitive skills, learning cause and effect, honing their imaginations…all of this is done during sensory play. All of these reasons, plus the fun factor, is why we love sensory play so much here at Small Potatoes. I decided it was time to put all our sensory activities in one place so [...]
Read moreWelcome Stormy!
We want to introduce you to our newest part-time team member Stormy! Stormy is part of our equine therapy program headed by Gidget Leonard.
Read more
