While on holiday, Aniesa kept hearing the same phrase over and over again, parents telling their children to ‘use their words’. In this episode, Aneisa talks about why this isn’t a fair expectation of young children and actually why it could do more harm than good as a parenting technique and what to do instead.

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• When children are struggling to communicate with you, telling them to use their words isn’t clear to them. They don’t have the capability to digest and understand this phrase whilst struggling so much with their emotions.
• Children will only be able to become more regulated in their emotions if we teach them the proper tools to deal with them.
• Instead of saying phrases like use your words, we need to instead model the behaviour we want to see.
• We have to use simple and specific language when communicating with young children.
• Name emotions for your little ones, if they are lashing out try and help them learn to communicate how they are feeling.

BEST MOMENTS

“We need to help them to learn how to solve problems, we need to help them how to become more regulated”

“What we need to do  instead of saying the words is model the words”

“Before we react, take a deep breath, a moment and carry on”

CONTACT METHOD

www.instagram.com/aniesabblore/           
www.instagram.com/sensationalkidstherapyuk/    
www.facebook.com/sensationalkidslondon

ABOUT THE HOST

Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.

Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents.