Managing strong emotions can be extremely difficult for adults.  Just imagine how difficult it is for a child.  And then when you have a child with special needs...  The task seems like an impossible feat.

The behaviors that result can be terrifying and debilitating for both parents and child.  If a child with special needs is to be successful in life he must learn how to manage strong emotions on a daily basis.

My husband and I are constantly working with our children to help them do just that.  In the process we have developed 5 ways to help kids manage strong emotions every day.  When our four children with special needs choose to use these tips, they are successful at managing their emotions on a daily basis.  As a result everyone is healthy and functioning at their best.

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5 Ways to Help Kids Manage Strong Emotions Every Day

1. Express emotions in the moment

There are many times during the day when a child may become mad, sad, lonely, scared or happy.  In these moments it's important for the child to be able to express his emotions verbally using the phrase, "I feel ____ when ____."  There may not be anything that can be done at the time to make things better, but the expression of the feelings can make a world of difference, especially when an adult acknowledges them.

Sometimes in our home, I may need to remind the child to talk about feelings, but usually it only takes a single prompt if anything at all.

2. Exercise for at least 30 minutes each day

Exercise is a proven way to help adults work through strong emotions.  It also works for children.  If a child is feeling emotions that are too strong to express calmly, exercise can help.  While exercising the child is encouraging:

•  Good blood circulation
• Deep breathing
• Release of endorphins

All of these things can help him function better.  Once the child has finished exercising the emotions will not be as strong, making them easier to talk about.

Our favorite children's workout videos for days when it's not possible to go outside include:

• DanceX
• Kick to Get Fit Jr. for Kids
• Kids World Yoga

3. Drink 8 cups of water a day

At times we forget how important drinking water can be for our bodies.  The benefits are endless.  When it comes to managing strong emotions, drinking water is extremely important.  Just the act of drinking water can calm a person down. Our bodies work so much better when we're well hydrated.  If a child is drinking 8 cups of water a day, his ability to function and manage strong emotions will improve.

Each of our children have water bottles that they use throughout the day at home to better keep track of their water intake.

4. Express and work through feelings at a designated time every day

When a child expresses his feelings and works through them on a daily basis there is much less of a chance that emotions become too strong to manage.  Set aside a specific time of day to discuss feelings and work through them with your child.  Eventually this will become a routine that the child can look forward to, especially if he's expressed emotions earlier in the day that you haven't been able to address.

The best time of day for us to help our children work through emotions is during dinner prep.  We will check in with each of them.  If any of them need to work through anything, it's the perfect time to do so.

5.  Express happy emotions about the day at bedtime 

It's always best to end the day on a positive note.  Encourage your child to express happy moments from the day right before bed.  Ending the day discussing the highlights can be very soothing and lead to sweet dreams.  If the child sleeps well, emotions will be easier to handle the next day.

This is my favorite part of the day.  I love hearing about happy moments, especially when it's been particularly difficult for me.

The five ways to help kids manage strong emotions every day have made such a difference in our home with all of our kiddos, especially those with emotional disabilities.  It takes a lot of hard work and consistent effort to push through each day but the rewards are so great for everyone.  I challenge you to try it out and see how it goes.

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We have had so much fun learning about the digestive system and nutrition this week.  My body units are always such a success with the kiddos.  When activities are combined with free printables, everyone wins!

In this unit you will find activities and printables for every main subject area and then some.  My husband and I worked extremely hard to create a well-balanced unit study that will work for typical children and also those with special needs, including special dietary needs.

Here's what we've been up to!

My Body: Digestive System and Nutrition Unit with Free Printables

Food Consonant Blends

A nutrition unit is the perfect opportunity to study food.  These cards include names of foods that include the blends: ch, sh, th, and qu.  I specifically chose some foods that were a little different to develop vocabulary at the same time.

Source: I created the printable for this activity. Nutrition Printable Pack 1 is a free printable. For your copy, click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Food Compound Words

Many foods have names that are compound words.  In this activity the kiddos will match up word strips to create the compound words on the control cards.

Source: I created the printable for this activity. Nutrition Printable Pack 1 is a free printable. For your copy, follow the directions at the bottom of this post.

Digestive System and Nutrition Etiquette

This activity is a cross between a language and grace and courtesy lesson, as it requires reading skills and focuses on etiquette related to bodily functions and mealtime.  There are four title cards:

• Things I Can Say When I Need to Go to the Bathroom
• Things I Can Say When I Don't Like Something
• Things I Can Say if I Fart or Burp in Front of Others
• Things I Can Say During Meals

The kiddos sort the phrase cards and put them under the proper title card.  Everyone has enjoyed this activity and are applying the phrases to everyday situations which is great.

Source: The printable for this activity can be purchased from And Next Comes L, as part of a Social Scripts Mini Flip Book Bundle.  This bundle consists of 16 title cards with multiple phrase cards for each scenario.  These are a perfect addition to a Montessori Grace and Courtesy Lesson, or used as an aid to those with autism or other special needs.

Grocery Shopping Addition

The kiddos do so well at addition now, whether it's simple or there is carry over.  However, until this week, they haven't worked with dollar signs and decimals.  Thankfully the symbols didn't scare them off.  They did a fabulous job and are now confident adding money.

Source: I created the printable for this activity. Nutrition Printable Pack 1 is a free printable. For your copy, click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Finding Equal Fractions

This is the favorite activity on the shelves this week. Who knew fractions could be so fun?  In this activity the kiddos are trying to find equal fractions using the fraction tower cubes provided.  They really have had such a blast with this!

Source: I created the printable for this activity. The Nutrition Printable Pack 1 is a free printable. For your free copy, click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Weighing Beans

Does one cup of dried beans weigh the same amount as a bag of kidney beans, lentils, or split peas?  This is what the kiddos are finding out using our balance scale.  I love this activity because it is a math and Practical Life activity combined.

Food Group Sort

In this activity the kiddos sort food items by food group.  There are also informational cards for each food group.  All of kiddos had a very enjoyable time with this activity and sincerely showed such a desire to learn.  I loved watching them talk about each food card.

Source: I created the printable for this activity. Nutrition Printable Pack 1 is a free printable. For your copy, follow the directions at the bottom of this post.

Parts of Digestive System Match Up

Nutrition and digestion go hand in hand, hence why we're studying them at the same time.  The kiddos have matched up body part cards with description cards.  They really have enjoyed learning about what each part of the body does to help with digestion.

Source: I created the printable for this activity. Digestive System Printable Pack 1 is a free printable. For your free copy, click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Digestive System Cutting Activity

Besides using the cards above, I wanted the kiddos to understand where each part of the digestive system is in the body.  In this activity, the kiddos cut out the strips of paper at the bottom of the page and glue them in the correct spots. I printed out an answer sheet as a control.  I love that this activity teaches science and practical life skills at the same time.

Source:  This free printable can be found at Living Life and Learning.

My Plate Placemat Coloring Activity

As the kiddos learned about each of the food groups, we decided to put our new found knowledge to use.  Each kiddo drew pictures of meals they would eat using the template print out.  They had so much fun, and felt so confident after knowing that they could eat a healthy meal (if they wanted).

Source: The free printable for this activity can be found here.  

I Spy:  Vegetables

Over the summer my kiddos, particularly Bulldozer and Princess expressed an interest in I Spy activities.  This inspired me to do some digging. I found this one which is absolutely perfect for our nutrition unit.

Source:  The free printable for this activity can be found at And Next Comes L.

Transferring Fruit

The kiddos had fun with this transfer activity.  It was far more difficult than they expected due to the shape of the jars and the size of the tweezers.  Still, they practiced every day.  Fruits for this activity are from our Super Sorting Pie.

Making Healthy Choices

Charts vary as one child has only filled in breakfast items and the others have filled in lunch choices as well.

Now I must confess after you've seen all of our fun and fabulous activities that I was petrified about this unit.  And after the first day, I was even more worried.  I had no idea how the kiddos would respond to the information with all of the food issues related to sensory sensitivities and other special dietary needs.  Sure enough they surprised me.

After teaching about all of the food groups and daily requirements, I introduced this Making Healthy Choices daily checklist along with the most recent food pyramid.  Everyone "practiced" with their own checklist for a couple days to observe their habits.  The results were quite surprising.

Then, after a couple of days we went to the grocery store and picked up everything we would need to help the kiddos be successful with their charts.  It's been a week now and the kiddos are still using them.  They're not freaking out if they go over daily limits or if they don't get enough, but they're striving to follow the guidelines as closely as they can.

Even Jason and I are using the sheets as they're perfect for helping us with weight loss goals.

We have had so much fun learning about the digestive system and nutrition.  The experience was much more pleasant than I thought it would be.  I'm so impressed with how receptive the kiddos have been to it all.  Learning about this stuff can be fun!

For those who would like more Montessori activity ideas and free printables, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter by clicking the link below.

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Nutrition Unit Printable Pack 1

Digestive System Unit Printable Pack 1

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I received a message from my best friend this week.

"There have been several times when I've wanted to help your family, but didn't know how."

So many times people wish they could help a family with special needs, but have no clue what to do. 

It's a complicated subject.  

There may be special dietary needs.  

Behaviors may be extreme.  

What can one do that will actually help and not hinder things?

I used to have a list on hand in case someone asked, but times changed and it no longer fit the needs of our family.  

After the conversation with my best friend I realized that it's time for me to make a new list.  

There are people out there looking for ways to help, and quite honestly, I would be lying to say I don't need it from time to time.

Today, I share with you my list.  Here are 10 ways to help a family with special needs.  

Your list may be completely different than mine based on the needs of your family and what you feel comfortable with.  

It's my hope, that by sharing mine, you will be inspired to make your own.  

Because let's face it, we can't do what we do, day in and day out, on our own.  We need help.

10 Ways to Help a Family with Special Needs

1.  Meals & Groceries

When our kiddos are raging or having meltdowns, there's a good chance that a meal is going to be really late, which in turn causes more behavioral issues.  

Gift cards to restaurants that everyone, including Sunshine, can eat at are so helpful.  Currently everyone in the family loves Panera Bread, Chilis, Applebees and Wendy's.  

Drop off or send paper plates, bowls, cups, and silverware. You will be considered a best friend for life.  No one has to worry about cooking or doing dishes.

An order of groceries is also so incredibly helpful. I keep an Eddy Family Grocery List on Amazon for anyone who wants to help with nonperishables. All of the items on this list are Sunshine diet friendly.

2.  Gas Card

We drive around a 12 passenger van in order to keep all of our children safe while traveling. A 12 passenger van allows Sunshine to have her own row.

Gas is expensive. Appointments and therapies are endless.

Gas cards are always helpful, as they help lighten the load.

3.  Outdoor Chores

It's hard enough to stay on top of in-house chores, but outdoor chores are neglected more than I'd like to admit, especially when more than one of the kiddos is having a hard day and it takes both parents to keep things going.

If we just happened to look outside and see someone mowing our lawn, raking leaves, or tending to other outdoor tasks, we would probably cry tears of joy, because it meant one less thing we had to fit into our day.

4.  A Stay-at-Home Date Night Care Package

We don't get out much. Finding babysitters that are familiar with and can handle Sunshine's needs is incredibly difficult. She can not be left home with siblings without two adults at home to supervise due to safety. 

Still we do try to have a weekly date night at home once the kiddos go to bed, especially after an incredibly difficult day when our brains just can't function anymore.

It's those occasions that we're always looking for a new movie to watch.  Pair it with yummy snacks and we're sure to get in couple's time and a little self-care.

The best way to go about this where we live is to combine a Red Box Gift Card to rent a movie and a Food Lion gift card for treats. 

5.  Support Our Business

When times are tough, getting work done is pretty much impossible.  

Even if we have time, our brains just aren't functioning enough to be productive.  

It's during these times that our business suffers and we beat ourselves up for not being able to be consistent.  

You see, blogging is all about how many page views you have each day, how many products you sell, and how many comments and shares you receive on posts that you write. So if you have a moment, it means more than you could imagine if you:

• Share a blog post I've written on social media
• Leave a comment on a blog post on social media
• Pin a post to one of your personal Pinterest boards
• Buy a product (My Shop)
• Leave an amazing product review on TpT or the blog.

All of these gestures help keep us afloat when we don't have the time or energy to work due to issues related to special needs at home.  

It gives us a peace of mind knowing that behaviors won't interfere with our income.

6.  Gift Cards for Family Fun

Sunshine does best when she has something to look forward to. I do best when I can be spontaneous and shake things up a bit. The other kids LOVE it when we get to go and do something fun.

Gift cards to our local movie theater or drive-in, tickets to a local theater show or musical, or gift cards to local restaurants are so helpful.

Creating positive family memories, in the midst of chaos and madness helps to save everyone's sanity.

7.  Home Repair

My husband and I are not blessed with talents or knowledge in the areas of carpentry, plumbing, electrical, or any other home repair specialty.  

And even if we were, tending to Sunshine's needs takes all the time we have and home projects rarely ever are finished 100% of the way. 

There is always a home repair project left undone in this house.  Help with these tasks from a skilled worker who knows what they're doing is so wonderful.  

8.  Amazon Wish List Items

There is never a time when I'm not adding items to my wish list to help Sunshine and/or the other kids. 

Sunshine especially needs a lot of supports throughout her day, along with countless kits to use in different situations such as Dinomite's football games, stormy weather, long car trips, etc.

All of these expenses add up. We always welcome help in obtaining items that we're finding necessary to help Sunshine (and other siblings) be as successful and independent as possible.

We keep an Eddy Family Special Needs Wish List on Amazon to share when others offer to help.

9.  Sewing Projects

Confession:  I do not sew.  And even if I did, it's one of those tasks I never get to.  Ask my husband.  

If someone enjoyed sewing and wanted to volunteer to sew to take on a few sewing projects I need done,  I would probably kiss them.

10.  Bouquet of Flowers

There's just something about a bouquet of fresh flowers that can brighten up any day, especially if it includes red roses (my favorite).  

Live flowers change the energy in the house.  They're fragrant and beautiful to look at.  When I need to take a deep breath, what better way to do so than to take time and smell the roses.

The reason for having a list like this, is that those who want to help and can help in the ways you need, are able to do so.  And let's face it, parents of children with special needs do need help, especially when times are extremely difficult.

Some may think a list like this is silly or perhaps even selfish.  Don't listen to them!  

If you mention ideas from your list when asked, and people can't help or don't want to help in the ways you need, that's okay.  It doesn't mean they love you any less.  Don't be discouraged.  You've done your part.

It can be so hard to ask for help and at times even harder to receive it.  This may be the time when you need the service.  But know, there will be a time later, when circumstances are different.  You will be able to help others and pay it forward.

After my best friend talked about how she had been wanting to help but didn't know how. She asked me three questions.

1.  Where does my family like to eat?
2.  What do we order?
3.  What time do we eat dinner?

She had finally come up with a way to help and was so excited about it.  I began to cry.  To her it was a simple thing, but to me...  It was such an incredible gift.  

Dinner for one night means I don't have to worry about managing behaviors AND fixing dinner at the same time.  

On one of those days when I'm beyond exhausted, it means that I can rest, even if for just a little bit.

You have no idea how much helping a family with special needs can make a difference.  You will forever be considered an angel.

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Charting The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis (Free Printable)

We have found that charting the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis is very beneficial when helping our children with special needs or disabilities at home and in the classroom.  

It's been such a sanity saver.  

I love how it the process goes along with the Montessori Method of observing the child.

When a parent can understand the why behind the behaviors and respond appropriately it makes such a difference in daily functioning for all.

If you are not familiar with the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis, be sure to visit the post below to read excerpts from my new book explaining what it is and how to implement it.

The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis in the Montessori Classroom

If you are familiar with the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis and are looking for a printable to chart behaviors and patterns, look no further!  

Charting the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis

Download the free ABCs of Behavioral analysis printable and print out as many as you'd like. You can do so by clicking on the link at the bottom of this post.

Store all copies in a binder and use them to find patterns in your child's behavior. 

Information recorded can also be used for documentation when working with doctors, specialists, therapists, etc.

This free printable is being given in conjunction with the release of my new book, The ABCs of Montessori and Special Needs.  The book is available now in ebook and paperback forms.  Just click the link below to purchase your copy today.

The ABCs of Montessori and Special Needs

When we understand the behaviors of our child with special needs and respond appropriately, we can help our child succeed in ways that were never possible before.

For those who are looking for more resources to help in understanding a child's behavior, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter by clicking the link below.

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The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis

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