Sarah tackles the outpouring of emotions that many children with special educational needs experience after a long school day. Think of it as the big release after keeping emotions bottled up—this is the time they need us most.

Sarah chats about the power of discussing feelings and shares a tool, My Mood Stars, that helped her daughter communicate her anxiety. 

Expect tips on how to balance decompression time and connection for our kids after school. Learn the signs of a "hangry" child and the importance of refuelling right after school, managing schedules, and choosing the right after-school environment.

Prepare for insights and advice on how to help your children unwind and express themselves, laying the groundwork for a calmer evening. She delves into the strategies and understanding necessary to support kids through the post-school transition. Listen in as Sarah shares how to avoid the post pick-up slump.

Here are the Highlights:

05:10 Children may enjoy school, but it's exhausting.

06:58 Check for hangry kids after school.

12:03 Balancing child activities and avoiding over-scheduling.

14:21 Consider reducing demands, regulating childcare for decompression.

20:02 Parenting and work scheduling to connect with children.

23:01 Modeling language and emotions is crucial for children.

26:04 Encouraging emotional vocabulary development through natural conversations.

28:40 Support children's emotions with regular communication.

About Sarah Billingham:

Sarah Billingham is a specialist speech and language teacher with a focus on emotional regulation. Her service, Confident Kids, equips parents, carers and practitioners with expert knowledge and the practical tools they need through training, coaching and group programmes. 

Becoming a parent changed Sarah’s perspective on parenting and early childhood development and deepened her interest in understanding the regulation needs of both children and their families. 

Qualifying in 2004, she initially worked in mainstream primary education and went on to lead a specialist speech and language resource base. She worked as Assistant Headteacher at a specialist SLCN school for five years and went on to lead their independent multidisciplinary assessment service until December 2021. 

Sarah was a committee member of NAPLIC (National Association of Professionals Supporting Language and Communication Development) for five years. She is a Regional Makaton Tutor. 

Connect with Sarah:

Website -  https://www.confidentkids.co/

Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/confidentkids.co

FB community -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/ConfidentTransitions

Instagram @confidentkids.co

Email sarah@confidentkids.co

Free downloads: 

Choosing a School for a Child with Additional Needs

https://www.subscribepage.com/z1k2j3_copy

Easing Your Child’s Communication Frustration

https://www.subscribepage.com/z1k2j3_copy_copy

How do I know if my Child’s Emotional Outbursts are ‘Normal’?

https://www.subscribepage.com/z1k2j3_copy_copy_copy

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