RESET: September 2024
by Sara Erling
Are you a vision board person? A New Year’s Resolution person? A “word” for the year person? I am. There is always something about new beginnings, fresh starts, etc., that gets me excited! My word for the year 2024 was “discipline”. At the time, I felt the need to be more disciplined in my diet, my workouts, my time between work and family, finances, etc. I have a small group of friends who help each other stay accountable to our “word”. We all encourage each other. We forgive when we mess up and we challenge each other to keep going. Guilt is a word we do not use. We give ourselves grace and move on. I think this time of year is like the New Year. For many of us, at least in the Northern Hemispheres, we are sending kids off to school or creating our home education plan, establishing new routines, and getting back into the swing of things after summer fun and indulgences. For me, it is time to reset and re-establish my dedication to my word!
When it comes to a “reset”, I want you to think of how you reset yourself as a person. We want to think of the fundamental things for our bodies and brains to function well, because let’s face it—getting older stinks. As busy parents, it is easy to not prioritize ourselves, but I have learned in my years as a parent and as someone who talks to parents daily, that your health is priority one. Do you get enough quality sleep? Do you prioritize real food that nourishes your body? Do you exercise? Do you provide your spirit with a connection to people that matter to you? If you aren’t doing things to give yourself the attention you need, then RESET.
When it comes to your family, what do you need to do to “reset”? Is it scheduling those regular date nights with your spouse? Is it making sure you have dinner as a family again most nights of the week? I just talked with a family who is having weekly meetings/time with each child of their family to praise and reinforce how that kid is doing as well as to discuss what things they (the child) feel could be improved upon or that they need to work on together. Talk about connection! For me, this past month has been a lot about our kids for various reasons, and not much about me and Scott. And, the next two months are not going to be any better with each of our travel schedules. He and I are scheduling time together—each week. It might just be out on our patio after dinner, but we can feel when we are disconnected, so RESET.
When it comes to your kids—not just your kids on program, but all of your children—how do you help them reset? First and foremost, sleep and nutrition are sooo important. Having consistent sleep schedules—I can’t say enough about the importance of it. Nutrition!!! What are we feeding our kids? Are their diets full of real food – lean proteins, fresh fruit and vegetables, and healthy fats, or are they full of processed food, seed oils, and sugar? We work with kids with many behavior issues and can often correlate it to what they eat. I know that we have some picky eaters and some kids on very limited diets. Keep working, ever so slightly, on improving it. For those of you who have kids at a higher level of function, educate them on food and nutrition and the importance of good sleep and general health. RESET.
Now, when it comes to program, I am always amazed by parents who come to evals around this time of year fearful. Fearful that we are going to judge them. Feeling guilty that they haven’t done much. We are parents too, ya know?! We understand summer schedules. We understand burnout. We also understand reality. As you go into this next season, RESET. Think about priorities and things that really matter to you and that you think your child is on the cusp of and/or needs the most. Is it walking? Is it processing and cognition? Is it reading? Talk with your evaluator as we are looking at your child as a whole and can guide you on those priorities. We see, too often, families taking on too much—not just with program but then also wanting to do all the other therapies, and sports, and dance lessons, etc., etc. Let’s reset, prioritize, and simplify. (I am not surprised why so many of us moms and dads end up with autoimmune stuff and thyroid issues and all other kinds of health-related issues. We simply try to do too much.) So, I would encourage you to look at the schedules, can we decrease what we have going on? Can you enlist older children who drive to take a child places? Can you enlist Grandma to help with program? Instead of spending hours each week grocery shopping and Costco shopping, can you switch to delivery? (I switched to this over the summer and it has been a God-sent AND a money saver!) Are you making all your kids lunches when they could do it themselves? When is the best time for you AND your kid to do program? Look at your schedule and modify it so that it happens. If we only have an hour, then let’s make that the best hour and focus on what matters the most in that hour. RESET. Talk to your evaluator and your coach. Let us help you figure it all out so that we are working together.
How about a RESET challenge? I am going to accept that I may mess up. I do it all the time. But, at the beginning of each day, I try to be a better version of myself than the last. Stop the mom and/or dad guilt. Give yourself grace. Move forward. Let’s RESET together.
Reprinted by permission of The NACD Foundation, Volume 38 No. 5, 2024 ©NACD
