Connecting For Kids

 Is sleep an issue in your home? Do you want some tips so everyone can get a better night’s rest? Join Bridget Bowling and Lauren Fegely, certified Family Sleep Institute Pediatric Sleep Consultants from Little Snoozers. The two discuss bedtimes, nap times and nap transitions as well as what sleep should look like from birth to school age. They also talk about the importance of a calming routine before bedtime, the room environment and various methods for helping children achieve healthy sleep. 

Is your child showing signs of anxiety, depression or another mental health concern? Do you need help finding a local mental health care provider? Join Karla Fitch, SWT, as she introduces CFK's tools for finding a mental health provider. Topics include identifying preferences, comparing specialties and understanding treatment options. 

 Does your child have a negative self-image? Do you want to find ways to build self-confidence? Low self-esteem is common in children who are diagnosed with ADHD. Many times, these children are punished, teased and corrected on a daily basis. Dr. Cate Brandon, of Kenneth DeLuca & Associates, will discuss common causes of negative self-talk in those with ADHD as well as strategies that parents and caregivers can use to recognize their child’s strengths and build positivity. 

 Has your child asked to go by new pronouns, but you're not sure what that means? Are you unsure of the difference between gender identity and gender expression? Join this interactive presentation with Kristen Pepera, MEd, LPCC-S, and Lisa Pepera, MEd, LPCC-S, of Colors+, where you’ll learn how to be an affirming caregiver if your child is exploring their gender expression or identity. 

 Does your child struggle to make friends or engage in social activities? Do lunch, gym and recess create more anxiety than fun in your child’s school day? If so, join Amy L. Lee, PhD, and Rebekah Bryson, LISW, of Cleveland Clinic Children’s, as they provide tips for caregivers to help ease a child’s anxiety and boost social skills. You will learn tools to support your child such as body calming, coping thoughts and facing challenges in smaller steps. 

 Have you wondered about the “right way” to talk about your child’s disability? Do you want to learn ways to affirm your disabled child’s identity? Join Karla Fitch, MTSC, for a conversation about things you can do and language to avoid when teaching our children about disability. Connect with other families who have a child with a disability and learn how we can come together to support our children. 

 Do you feel like you are always in crisis mode? Are you dealing with chronic stress, hypervigilance or burnout? All of these may be signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Parents and caregivers of medically complex children are four times more likely to develop PTSD. Amy Dillon Cody, MSW, LISW, of Amy Dillon Cody LLC, will discuss the symptoms of PTSD and available therapies. Come and connect with other families of children with complex needs. 

 Is your child ahead of peers academically but struggling to control impulses? Are you looking to connect with families of other gifted or 2e students? Join Christine Chambers, MEd, OTR/L, of Abilities First LLC, as she provides 10 tips to help high achieving students learn how to regulate their behavior and manage emotions. Find out why high cognitive skills do not necessarily equate to high emotional regulation skills. 

Does your child get an upset stomach the morning of a big test? Does the thought of being called on to read aloud in class terrify your child? Are math struggles causing worry? Join John Zbornik, PhD, of Kenneth A. De Luca, PhD and Associates Inc., for a group discussion about academic anxiety disorders including test, reading and math anxiety. Attendees will learn how to spot these disorders and ways to ease a child’s fears. 

 Does your child have a difficult time attending holiday functions? Could you use some tips to make the upcoming holiday season better for your child? The holidays are a fun and exciting time but can also become overwhelming and confusing for those who struggle with social skills. This program, led by Ellen Spear, MA, CCC-SLP, of Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC., is designed to help navigate the many social situations, hidden rules and potential problems related to the holidays. Join us as we discuss how to make conversation with relatives and friends, tips for handling holiday parties and appropriate ways to give and receive gifts. 

 How can you help your young child become a better listener and make sense of what they are hearing? Children may hear us, but are they really listening to and understanding what we are saying? Join CFK Early Intervention professionals Neysa McKenney, MA, CCC-SLP, and Paula C. Papp, MAEd, as they share ideas about how to foster effective listening behaviors and support a child’s understanding. 

 Do you want to learn some fun "hands-on" activities to help your child master the use of scissors and pencils? Do you want to learn how hands and eyes work together to build fine motor skills necessary for school? Join CFK Early Intervention professionals Neysa McKenney, MA, CCC-SLP, and Paula C. Papp, MAEd, as they teach you engaging experiences to help your child develop hand skills using inexpensive sensory, art, and play activities. 

Do you have a beautiful family that was formed through transracial adoption? Are you looking for ways for your child to form a strong racial identity as well as a strong family bond? Join Krysia Orlowski, Volunteer Parent Coordinator, and Donikea Austin, Program Manager of Adoption Network Cleveland as they walk us through tips that families formed by transracial adoption need to thrive.

Do you wish you had a kit filled with “tools” you could use to stop meltdowns before they start? Do you want strategies to motivate your child toward positive behavior? Join us each month to learn how to use one of the tools in our Tantrum Tamer Toolbox to help your child aged 18 months – 6 years control behavior and manage emotions. This program is designed for children with or without identified development concerns.Join Ochanya Wells, M.Ed., as she leads you through another tool in the Tantrum Tamer Toolbox. She will explore visual schedules including the first, then chart to manage behavior as we transition into summer and need tools to structure the day.

Has this pandemic increased the anxiety level of your child? Is mask wearing, social distancing and all of the new restrictions creating stress? Or has your child always been anxious and you are eager to learn some new strategies to help? Tierney Payne, LPCC, manager of Africancentric Services at The Nord Center, will talk about practical things families can do to help a child who struggles with anxiety. Learn how creating structure, providing coping skills and developing an action plan to overcome fear can lead to a calmer and happier child. Join the community of families with an elementary-aged child who struggles with attention and anxiety.

Long summer days, no homework and a break from the routine. Even though your elementary-aged child may be looking forward to summer, the transition from the structure of school can be a rocky one. Join Rob Adams, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist at Meghan Barlow and Associates, as he provides practical strategies to make the end of the year a positive, stress-free time for your child. Join the community of families with an elementary-aged child who struggles with attention and anxiety.

Is your child struggling with pandemic-related anxiety? Is time at home during quarantine increasing your child’s impulsivity? Join Dr. Kimberly Burkhart of Rainbow Babies and Children Hospital as she teaches behavior management strategies. In addition, parents and caregivers will learn ways to teach children to monitor and modify their own behavior.

Racism has a negative effect on the well-being of non-white children and their caregivers. To help protect your child from the harmful effects of racial trauma, you must know what the roadblocks are and how to work through them. Join CFK's Family Education Research Analyst Nikki Montgomery, M.A., M.Ed, GPAC to learn five ways to effectively work towards solutions.

All parents worry about their children’s friendships. But for parents of children who lack social skills the concerns are especially pressing. Making and keeping friends requires hundreds of skills and it is easy for a child who struggles to fall behind. Ellen Spear, MA, CCC-SLP, of Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC, will teach parents and caregivers strategies to help their child develop and maintain friendships. She will discuss the complicated nature of social skills as it relates to a variety of diagnoses.

Do you wish you had a kit filled with “tools” you could use to stop meltdowns before they start? Do you want strategies to motivate your child toward positive behavior? Join us each month to learn how to use one of the tools in our Tantrum Tamer Toolbox to help your child aged 18 months – 6 years control behavior and manage emotions. This program is designed for children with or without identified development concerns.Join Ochanya Wells, M.Ed., as she leads you through another tool in the Tantrum Tamer Toolbox. She will explore emotional regulation tools including a calming social story as well promote strategies to help your child cope with anger.