Curious if OT could help your child's struggles?  Download Why Choose OT to find out! 

In this episode my guest, Gigi Vincent, delves into her role as a homeschooling mom and postpartum doula, emphasizing self-regulation and personal growth as vital components of co-regulating with children. She shares practical tips on preparing children for challenging activities, recognizing and eliminating triggers, and modeling emotional regulation. We also explore the delicate balance of parenting, co-regulation, and the importance of understanding and responding to both your own and your children's emotional needs.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• Getting Babies on a Schedule and Sleeping Through the Night
• Common concerns from parents about schedules
• Importance of understanding and responding to babies' communication
• Holding babies for naps and establishing close physical connections
• Asking for help and using carriers to take breaks from holding
• Calming a parent's nervous system through heavy work and proprioception
• The importance of self-regulation for effective co-regulation with children
• Eliminating triggers and preparing children for challenging activities
• Importance of observing, communicating, and modeling self-regulation
• Seeking therapy and using self-soothing techniques (e.g., deep breathing, singing)
• Understanding children's triggers, narrating their feelings, and allowing choices
• Communicating and modeling feelings
• Setting timers and monitoring children's environment for triggers (TV shows, toys)
• Using declarative language for transitions
• Importance of meeting basic needs as self-care for new parents
• Defining and finding self-identity amidst parenting and homeschooling challenges
• Importance of Social Interaction and Personal Interests
• Beyond basic needs: social interaction and personal interests for self-care
• Mindset shifts post major life changes (e.g., having a baby)
• Self-care, co-regulation, and transforming to support children better
• Creating a calming presence for children's safety
• Equipping children with emotional regulation skills from personal experiences
• The significance of relationships in parenting
• Helping parents attune to their babies and understand infant behavior as a doula
• Self-care and journaling as crucial resources

Links and Resources From Today's Show

• Why Should I Seek Occupational Therapy?
• Sensory Regulation Tips for Parents
• Sensory Balanced Focus Group from Homeschool OT
• The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind
• How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk 
• Co-Regulation as a Tool for Fostering the Development of Self-Regulation Skills
• The Power of Co-Regulation and Interoception
• Episode 13 Beyond the Five Senses: Understanding Your Child's Interoceptive World with Cara Kosinski

Connect with our Guest, Gigi Vincent

Gigi Vincent is a postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, and lactation educator committed to shifting the disparity between the amount of focus most families place on birth versus preparing for the fourth trimester and the parenting years. Gigi is a homeschooling parent to three amazing children, and she loves to work with parents as they find their way to thrive.