MindChamps Allied Care Creates Social Awareness for Children with Developmental Delays

MindChamps Allied Care working closely with teachers and families to support a child’s development

Singapore, 6 February 2017 - Figures from the Ministry of Family and Social Development (MSF) show that the number of educators providing learning support to students have increased by three-fold since 2013, thus allowing children with mild developmental needs to seek help. More specialists are working in preschools to help teachers identify developmental delays or needs in children.

MSF stresses the importance of these children benefitting from a mainstream and inclusive learning environment. With early intervention, the child will develop the competencies he or she requires for Primary One.

In most situations, it is beyond a parent’s ability to treat or even detect a child’s developmental delays or needs. MindChamps Allied Care will be organising a series of dedicated events which promote the close working relationship between therapists, teachers and families to support a child’s development.

Early detection is key, for it is the foundation on which therapy can be built upon.

Supporting the capacity of a child to meet the expectations of their school context

School is a context in which children learn how to be strategic learners, treasured friends,  valued community members, creative performers and efficient workers. Being a school student comprises many roles that can be appreciated or challenged by the academic and social expectations of teachers and classmates. In the 21^st century, students need to be discerning in an information-saturated world, rather than reciters of facts.

For some students, the classroom can be ‘hard work’ and the playground can be a lonely or unhappy place because of executive functioning difficulties. Hence, using an occupational therapy perspective, our Guest Speaker Dr Susan Lowe’s talk will outline executive functioning abilities that support readiness for learning, presenting a strategic approach to promote student’s engagement in learning across academic and social domains.

The talk will also focus on the importance of strong partnerships between teachers, parents and allied health professionals and provide opportunities to explore the following:

• How can we identify the strengths and difficulties of a student’s executive functioning abilities during performance in the context of their everyday school activities?


• What are some effective cognitive strategies which can support a student’s increased engagement in learning within academic domains at school and social domains at home?


• How can teachers, parents and allied health professionals collaborate in a meaningful and relevant way?

Table of Events

Guest Speaker’s Background

Dr Susan Lowe, PHD MAppSc(OT) GradCertHlthSc (OT) is the Owner and Principal Occupational Therapist at Skills for Kids (a paediatric occupational therapy and speech language pathology private practice) in NSW, Australia. She is also Visiting Professor of the Bachelor of Science (Honours), Occupational Therapy degree at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).

Dr Lowe positions herself strategically in schools in partnership with teachers to increase their capacity to teach students who have executive functioning difficulties. By doing so, she aims to increase students’ readiness for learning through more efficient thinking strategies to develop resilience in vulnerable students.

To RSVP for the Event(s) by 15 Feb and/or to interview our therapist, please contact

Caroline Chng
Assistant Manager of Communications
D (65) 6841 7085
carolinechng@mindchamps.org

 

About MindChamps Holdings

MindChamps was first launched as an educational research centre in Sydney. The philosophy of the Founder, Chairman and Group CEO of MindChamps, David Chiem, was, and still is, to seek out the gaps that exist in society.

The first gap he identified was in education, while the second major gap that David identified was in health. Specifically, he focused on the mindset that the only time we go to the doctor is when the problem has already risen. In addition to treating conditions, David has always believed that doctors, like teachers, should play a critical role in ‘educating’ society in matters relating to health – nurturing them from young, the mindset that our approach to health should be preventive rather than reactive. MindChamps Medical, a division of MindChamps Holdings, draws together the benefits of education and healthcare to enable families to better understand how to build a healthy overall lifestyle.

The third element that completes the Trinity of the MindChamps vision is its focus on the Arts, the mirror to society.

The MindChamps Trinity of Mind (Education), Body (Medical) and Spirit (Arts) encapsulates the overall vision of MindChamps:

“To foster the power and potential of the human mind, body and spirit for a better tomorrow.”

The Right Dairy for Your Growing Child

There are many benefits of dairy for children that far outweighs our reliance on processed food and sugar, salt and fat, which could lead to obesity and diabetes. Even children without such issues need access to chemical-free, organic and biodynamic foods.

What’s more, as your child is growing right now, it’s important to get them to eat the right foods to support their growing bones and teeth, eyesight and other vital functions. One key area of nutrition lies in the importance of dairy foods in a child’s diet.

Researcher Malcolm Riley from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation(CSIRO) in Australia pointed out that “Dairy foods contain a package of essential nutrients including calcium for strong bones, protein for growth and development, riboflavin for eyesight, iodine for brain function and more”.

The CSIRO research also found that over 60% of children between the ages of two and 16 years did not meet the minimum dietary guidelines for dairy foods in Australia, despite being a country with relatively high dairy consumption (approximately 231 kilograms per person per year). In many Asian countries, including Singapore (whose average annual consumption is only 32 kilograms), the per capita consumption of dairy among children is observably lower.

Give Your Child Quality Dairy Products for Better Health

By giving your child the highest quality milk, yoghurt and low-fat cheese, you are ensuring that he/she gets the best possible start nutritionally.

Not all dairy products are of the same quality. It is important to avoid exposure to chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics and artificially-introduced hormones. It is also advisable to avoid UHT (or long-life) milk, because the ultra-high temperatures used in the UHT process can destroy vitamins and produce a particular taste that your child might dislike.

It is not difficult to source high-quality organic and biodynamic dairy products from a reputable source. There are organic shops totally devoted to such products, or supermarkets that have sections reserved for such products.

If you prefer low fat versions of such foods, do source for them, as this helps in the management of total fat intake which can decrease the risk of associated obesity and chronic health conditions.

As not all school canteens provide such items, be sure to pack it for your child, although some portions may be eaten at dinnertime. Include an ice-pack if you are packing them into your child’s breakfast or lunch in our tropical climate. Know the amount of such dairy foods that children should consume of every day.

 

Article contributed by Brian Caswell, Dean of Research & Programme Development at MindChamps

 

5 Ways to Ease Preschool Separation Anxiety in Your Child

Starting preschool should be a time of immense joy and anticipation as your little child will be beginning school for the first time, forging meaningful relationships with teachers and classmates. However, this could prove a challenging time for both you and your child, with some toddlers even developing separation anxiety. Nonetheless, give your child a boost of courage, as you tread the positive path of having confidence in him. As the saying goes, “70% of success is about turning up”. So go ahead, let your toddler take the first steps to education and lifelong learning.

Check out our five tips for effectively easing your child’s preschool separation anxiety.

1. Attachment Theory

Quite the opposite of separation anxiety is “Attachment Theory”, and according to world-renowned psychologist John Bowlby, children who form a secure attachment with their parents at an early age have the following characteristics in common, among others:

• Higher self-esteem


• Increased ability to manage their impulses


• Increased ability to cope with difficulties


• Positive relationships with parents and other care-givers – and with authority figures

Such kids are less disruptive, less aggressive and more mature. They are better able to concentrate, and therefore learn more effectively and more successfully.

These are all vital aspects inculcated in a toddler who will prove to be a Champion at the start of school, as well as beyond. So what’s their secret?

Bowlby’s extensive research reveals that the best way to achieve a strong attachment with a child is through “bonding experiences”. The acts of holding, rocking, singing, feeding, gazing, kissing and other nurturing behavior involved in caring for infants and young children are all bonding experiences.

In terms of “how much bonding is enough”, authors Brian Caswell and David Chiem says in Talking with the Sky that “different children require different amounts of bonding time, and besides, the quality of the experience is rarely time-related”. They add that precious moments occurring “every half-an-hour a day will make a world of difference to your child, and to you.”

If you want to ease separation anxiety in your child when school starts, start those bonding moments now!

2. Communicate with the Teacher

The central figures in school are certainly the teachers. If you missed MindChamps’ orientation, fret not. You can still get to know your child’s teacher, drawing her attention to your child’s personality and other important information that she should know about. For instance, if your child had recently been ill, inform the teacher so that she can understand your child’s bouts of discomfort or challenges in acclimatising to the new environment.

3. Be Positive About the Time When Your Toddler Gets Home

Perhaps on a given day, the time that you dropped off your kid at preschool coincided with your busy schedule and the episode of separation anxiety, causing some words intended for good to come out the wrong way. For example, when you mean to say, “Don’t worry, it’s all okay. Your teacher and friends will be with you, and Mum will pick you up at the end of the day.” But somehow, at the spur of the moment, you say, “Don’t worry, it’s okay. Think about what a fine time you’ll have at home when Mum picks you up,” in a matter-of-factly tone.

If communication had been unclear, and your toddler is now having separation anxiety with a meltdown, reassure your child immediately.

Time spent at home is meant to be positive and fun, a time for the whole family.

Thus, when referring to time spent at home, keep conversations about it positive, even more so when everything seems to haphazardly happen at once. Rise above it, and set a role model for your child.

4. Don’t Deliberately Leave without Saying Goodbye

Now you see Mum, now you don’t. This may sound a little amusing, but not to your child. She may be shocked at the sudden disappearance of Mum, and separation anxiety is sure to set in. Instead, find a special way to say goodbye to your child, a method that is fun or even better, let her think of one, like “It’s never goodbye but see you later!”

Once she’s done that, let her enjoy the fun yet engaging activities, and that’s a cue for you to leave.

5. Prepare for the Second Week

If the first of school turns out splendid, without any signs of separation anxiety, don’t let your guard down the second week.

As your child is still very young, and small, there is the possibility of separation anxiety setting in even after school has started for a few weeks.

Ease your child out of it with the points mentioned above, and remember that “young people are not built as adults to cope with stress, because the pre-frontal cortex of their brain is still developing. They are more likely to respond with their ‘unthinking’ emotions than with logical faculties when challenges arise,” say authors David Chiem and Brian Caswell in The Art of Communicating with Your Child.

5 Ways to Prepare Your Child for the New School Year

Once, a passenger onboard a plane was greeted by the air-steward who said, “Hi Sir, I served you onboard the last time,” to which the passenger replied, “Holiday’s over. A great year is about to begin!”

Like the passenger, we can certainly look back with pride as we embark on another exciting time for our children, some starting school for the first time, to achieve their milestones in the new year.

Opportunities abound with more to learn, more friendships to forge and greater discoveries to make, all through fun and engaging activities. With the Champion Mindset and the Education and Life philosophy of 100% Respect Zero Fear, coupled with the practical checklist below on how to start the year, the beginning of 2017 will prove a fruitful time for all.

1. Make Use of Your Public Holidays – especially New Year’s Day

It proves great to have New Year’s Day because after all that partying and celebration, we all need a day off to sleep well, wind down and get our children ready for school.

On this day, tell your child about school, explaining that it will be a new place filled with a kind teacher and kids that are his age. Open up his school bag together with him, and delightfully explain to him some fun activities in his text book. Once you see that joy on his face, tell him there are more to come, together with nice, yummy food, a fun time with other children, singing and art.

Remember to let your child know that you will be waiting for him to tell you all about school on the first day when you pick him up. That way, you can gauge your child’s response and experience at school, doing the necessary to balance out the details for him, such as getting him more stationery.

2. Thoughtful Orientation Programmes

As most schools offer orientation programmes, be sure you attend them because they offer you some vital facts surrounding the school, such as information about the school premises, classrooms and gyms. At times, information will be obtained from you and documented on paper or digitally during orientation.

MindChamps’ orientation for parents are superbly thoughtful and exhaustive, applicable not just for the start of Playgroup, Nursery and Kindergarten but for all Champs who are commencing classes basically. What is more, at orientation, Champs meet their teachers, with whom they will be spending a lot of time.

In addition, your child will familiarise himself with the school premises, while you gain an understanding of the key learning outcomes and what to prepare for your child through the curriculum talk/update. This usually occurs at the start of the year. This is applicable to all Champs, whether they are starting school for the first time or otherwise.

3. Play with Your Child, for a Securely-attached Kid

In the book Talking with the Sky, authors Brian Caswell and David Chiem address the secret behind “securely-attached children” who are “able to separate from parent with confidence.” The secret to such children lies in the fact that their parents tend to play more with them.

The book lists the quote from Reverend Jesse Jackson, “Your children need your presence more than your presents.”

Thus, spend quality time in playing and bonding with your child; the benefits could well be seen on the first day of school, when your child is able to enjoy school right from the start, fully aware that Mummy will be there for him when school is over.

The book continues to explore that “bonding with children is different from spoiling them,” and that bonding is “the easiest parenting task of all”, being the “least expensive too”.

And all it takes is a hug. So go ahead, plan for the first day of school with a hug!

4. Make Friends

Another confident booster for your child lies in making friends. When conversing with your child about school, throw light on how interesting it will be for her to find out about the similarities as well as differences there are to the friends around her. Nurture her inquisitive nature as a child to find out about the right things, such as cultural differences and different pets. Before you know it, your child will have good friends so that she will enjoy school in this aspect too.

5. Establish A Sound Sleep Routine

Your child will probably be highly excited with all the occurrences at school, including the new friends he’s made, so understandably, you’d have to introduce a wind down time so that your child can get the necessary sleep he needs.

In Talking with the Sky, Caswell and Chiem write about the importance of sleep, as it affects children’s concentration the following day. Indeed, at the tender age when “three- to 10-year-olds need 10-12 hours [of sleep] a night,” the authors suggest that “children spend 30 minutes unwinding with a quiet activity such as doing a jigsaw puzzle, reading a book or quietly playing with a favourite toy before starting their bedtime routine.”

The bedtime routine takes another 30 minutes and they include wearing pyjamas, brushing teeth, a goodnight hug and then soft music.

“This way, your child will anticipate sleep at a non-conscious level.”

Indeed, that is sound advice, and your child will be ready for school the next day, all fresh and ready for more learning.

Find out more about MindChamps PreSchool, the industry leader with Number 1 market share in premium range preschools in Singapore.

5 things you can do to help your child prepare for Primary 1

[caption id="attachment_12794" align="aligncenter" width="524"] Helping your child prepare for Primary 1[/caption]

There are quite a few phases in life that make parents realise that their little one is all grown up, and one of these phases is the transition from preschool to Primary 1. It must be a proud moment for you as a parent, as you think about your child donning that new uniform and how he/she can now become more independent. We share your joy, and we’d like to highlight some vital steps you can take to help your child prepare for yet another milestone in his/her young life.

1. When the School Bell Rings!

To begin with, your child will need to be time sensitive – this includes waking up at a specified time in the morning and learning to catch the bus on time. Besides avoiding being late for school, punctuality in general is a great habit to cultivate from young.

While in school, the start and turn of events revolve around the bell ringing, and it would be great if your child can start the next class by being prepared (e.g., Keeping his/her books or taking out the arts and crafts kit).  Students who make the effort to be prepared for lessons often leave a good impression on their teachers.

Helping Your Child: Since your child is just starting his/her Primary 1 journey, you can help by catching the bus with him/her for the first month or so, and arrange for pick up after school. As your child starts to get the hang of the school routine, do step back gradually and let him/her go through it all independently.

Now’s also a great time to encourage your child to get out of bed promptly in the morning when the alarm rings, instead of lingering for too long in bed – the last thing we want is for him/her to oversleep and be late for school.

2. The Courage to Speak Up 

As your child will need to be more independent from Primary 1 onwards, he will need to learn to open up to both teachers and peers, and voice his/her intentions in various situations in school. This includes simple tasks such as getting the food and drink items from the canteen during break time and articulating his/her thoughts clearly during show and tell.

Helping Your Child: Do guide your child on how to communicate politely, and remind him/her on the importance of offering a nice ‘thank you’ when the request is granted.

One way to do this is to act out the roles and situations at home, for example, with your child asking for the food he wants, and you playing the role of the one serving the food. You can include the act of exchanging money as well, so that’s an added item learnt.

3: Fluency in Language

Now that your child is progressing to Primary 1, it is essential that he/she is able to read and write well. Apart from helping him/her catch up with lessons in school, having the fluency in these two key skills will lead to an advantage in the composition writing and reading components.

Helping Your Child: You can help your child develop the literacy skills needed to do well in primary school and beyond through literacy programmes such as MindChamps Reading & Writing. After more than a decade of extensive research and development, MindChamps has developed the Reading & Writing enrichment programme for children aged 3 to 10 years old to instill in them the desire to read and write, and equip them with the skills that will last them into their adult years.

In reading, for example, the programme does not teach phonics in isolation. In phonics, the programme teaches words, blending graphemes and phonemes within the body of text, for this has proven to be the most effective way to master language. Once the foundation for reading is established, the ability to write naturally follows.

Find out more about MindChamps’ Reading & Writing programme and register for a complimentary Literacy Assessment for your child now.

4. Pack the right stuff

The things that your child need to bring to school may vary from day to day, so do help him/her by offering some tips to pack smart for school.

Helping Your Child: Go through the packing of your child’s school bag the night before for the first two weeks or so and help him/her along the way. This can come in the form of a weekly packing list based on your child’s class timetable, where you both determine the items needed from Monday to Friday.

You might also want to emphasise that your child updates this list as and when there are changes in the schedule, so that he/she does not end up leaving any important items at home or carrying extra items that are not needed for the day.

5. Life in school

Before the big first day of school, have frequent conversations with your child about what to expect of life as a primary schooler. Apart from the curriculum and learning objectives, you might want to also talk about your child’s social life as well.  This gives both of you a chance to identify potential problems that he/she might face (e.g. making new friends), and come up with a plan to overcome them.

Helping Your Child: Help your shy child build his/her confidence when interacting with others by organising a get-together with his/her friends from school or meeting up with your own friends who have children around the same age group. This will allow your child to practice building up his/her social skills and boost your child’s confidence in joining in and/or initiating a conversation.

Find out how the MindChamps Thinking Cap programme can help your child excel in school through effective learning techniques and by developing the Champion Mindset in him/her!