MIND MAP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS | 2016 GOALS

Happy 2016! Now is the time of year that we reflect on the old year behind us and look forward to what is in front of us. Goal setting is so important in focusing on the things that you really want to achieve for the year ahead. One of my goals for 2016 is to release a new blog post every Wednesday, so to keep me focused I have utilised a few well known methods to keep me on track. 

Check out some ways I have displayed some of my goals for 2016. Because I am dyslexic I use weekly planners, vision boards and mind maps. To me they are the best tools to use because you can easily access the information on them in just one glance, without any fuss. Using vision boards and mind maps with children, is also a great way to get them involved and its amazing to see how they take ownership over their own goals and dreams. 

                                                                     IDEA 1-Mind map

                              

                                                                    


                                                                      IDEA 2-Weekly Planner

                                                

                                                                     

                                                                IDEA 3- Vision Boards

    

                                   Happy Goal Setting! Let’s make 2016 the best one yet. 

An Elephant Never Forgets...But What About a Tiger?

“Right now I’m having amnesia and déjà vu at the same time. I think I’ve forgotten this before.”-Steven Wright 

The truth is that we all have moments of forgetfulness; that can be potentially embarrassing or just plain inconvenient, thats just a part of life and most of us have learned to deal with it. But for a child who has dyslexia it can be the bane of their life as they struggle to recall their times tables under pressure, or repeatedly forget when their homework is due in. Many dyslexic children suffer with poor working memory, which could lead to struggles in and outside of the classroom. Whether your child is dyslexic or not, all children could benefit with some memory improvement. Recently I’ve been on the hunt for some of the best memory activities to do with your child! One of my favourite ways for children to learn is to play multi sensory games, i.e. games that excite and engage all 5 of their senses. These types of games will ensure that your child retains the most information. Just a few focused minutes per day every day, and you could see an improvement in your child’s memory, and subsequently their school work will also improve.

There are several types of memory games available and it is up to you which one you choose to play with your child. The games need not be expensive, in fact if you have the time you can make a DIY version from scratch yourself. Sometimes these are the best ones! Over the years in my work with children, I have made and played many memory and attention games. These are especially fun when the games are tailor made. If little Jonny’s main interest is rainbow coloured parrots, then a game designed with parrots will be of most interest to little Johnny. He will take pride in his game and be excited to play it more often.  

If you don’t have time to make your own memory games why not think about buying one? One of my absolute favourite shops is Tiger. It is a fantastic place to pick up anything that you think you need, from quirky cooking utensils to stationery and games for the kids, all at a reasonable price. Recently I purchased two memory games from there, and I think they are two of the best off-the-shelf games on a budget available at the moment,One of the games consists of colourful card faces, with amusing expressions. This is a great game to play with the kids as it is colourful and fun to look at. The second game is basically the same format, but your child can draw on the cards to create their own personalised cards. I drew mine with a black sharpie to make it stand out, but you could use any kind of material, try paint or glitter for a more christmassy effect!

4 Surefire Ways to Nurture and Discover Your Child’s Strengths.

This blog post has been motivated by a few recent events in my life, specifically, the discrimination that adults and children with learning disabilities still face in 2015. I was deeply saddened to find out that discrimination of this nature still happens in schools and in the work place. This fact really disturbed me, and I came to realise that children’s strengths need to be emphasised foremost, because society focuses on their weaknesses. As I came to this realisation I started to wonder what my strengths, as a dyslexic adult are. I’ve always known what weaknesses I have as a dyslexic adult, and any body who asked me, I’ve always been able to tell them straight away… I have weak working memory, I have trouble finding my words in conversation etc. However, why is it always so much more difficult to think about what we are good at?! And of course the more poignant question what strengths have my disabilities given me?! After a few days of soul searching, reading and researching I have been able to identify my strengths and as a result has greatly improved my confidence. 

How much more important is it for children with learning disabilities to know what they are good at, helping them to increase their self worth and esteem from a young age and decreasing the amount of negativity that they have to go through around their self image. As a child they are likely to need help in identifying and owning their strengths, here is where you come in as a parent.  

1. Take the focus off of academics success. 

 Yes, academic performance is important, around UK 700,000 students sat their GCSE’s this summer. The pressure is immense and many 16-18 year old complain of stress, fatigue and mental health disorders under the strain to make the grade. But for a child with learning disabilities it may seem like an unwelcome demand to perform in something they have either no interest in and may never use agin. At this stage you may want to reevaluate slightly and think, is academic success the most important thing, or is my child’s wellbeing. 

Questions such as: 

• will my child be successful without academia? 
• Are they creative? 
• Do they have good spatial memory? 
• Are they good at sports? 

Should be asked in order to gain a greater insight into your child’s natural inclinations. Then you can begin shaping your child’s natural talents by initiating more activities with them that support their gifts. 

2. Research.

Time is definitely limited as a parent and you barely get time for a cup of tea, as you juggle work and children. However, if you do have a child with a learning disability an important part of nurturing your child’s strengths, will be to conduct your own research. Reading books, and internet articles are an important way to expand your knowledge about your child, what obstacles they will face and what their potential abilities are. 

3. Ask their teachers/TA’s 

You know your child best in the home environment, but those that work closely with your child at school often will often have quite a different perspective. They will also have good insight into what your child is good at, not so good at and how they interact with others. However! do not fall into the trap by leaving all the responsibility to the school. Whilst schools have their place in your child’s development they also have limited time and resources, and other children that  need help and support. If you view your child’s progress as your responsibility you are likely to get a more fulfilling

view the school as one branch to your child’s success rather than the whole tree. 

4.Doing regular activities with your child that they enjoy

Bonding with your child over the activities they enjoy; will lead to a more positive perception of your child. Seeing the joy on their face, knowing that they are happy and not constrained by the rigours to squeeze into the box that school or society demands. The freedom that doing an activity they enjoy will begin to support their social development. Whilst the child is does the activity they are learning, it builds their imagination, social skills and even emotions. 

Following these four steps should support you in beginning to understand your child’s needs, and ultimately empower you to empower them.