Connecting for Kids

Do your kids constantly fight with each other? Does the competition among siblings in grades, sports or any activity drive you crazy? Do you have a child with a disability who has differing needs and other siblings get jealous?Join Nikki Rotshtein, Occupational Therapist with over 20 years of experience, and Parent Coach and founder of Kavana Parenting, as she teaches you tools to support all of your children whether you are dealing with sibling conflict, jealousy or competition. She will also discuss how having a sibling with disabilities impacts others in the family and ways that a new baby changes the family dynamic.

 Is your child a master at procrastination when it comes to bedtime? Is demanding a drink or snack the norm every night just before bed? Does the process of putting on pajamas and brushing teeth take what seems like hours? Join Ochanya McRoberts-Wells, MEd, as she discusses the ugly hour—that time before bed where chaos reigns and your little angel turns into a bedtime monster. She will provide you with tools to support a smoother bedtime for the whole family. You will also learn nighttime rituals to help establish predictability for all involved. 

 Shavaun Tucker, LISW, will discuss practical ways to help your child build better coping skills at home and in the classroom. She will also address ways to manage intense emotions and decrease the causes of anxiety. Learn the importance of self-care routines like hydration and sleep in a child's day. 

Did your child recently receive an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis? Or, are you trying to navigate new territory with a child previously diagnosed? How can you best support your child in whatever stage they are currently in? Join Nathan Morgan, MSSA, LSW, of Milestones Autism Resources, as they present facts, debunk myths and provide the most up-to-date terminology currently available on ASD informed by their experiences as both a licensed social worker and autism self-advocate. Each autistic person is unique. Learn about differing strengths, lagging skills and accommodating ever-changing support needs.

Do you know how a parent's role in the healthcare process changes during puberty? Join Nikki Montgomery, M.A., M.Ed., GPAC, Director of Strategy and Communications for Family Voices National, as she leads a discussion on how to begin to involve your child in planning and decision-making now to prepare for future self-advocacy. As part of her work with Family Voices, Nikki also leads the National Center for Transition to Adult Health Care for Youth with Disabilities, and will be addressing how race, disability and special health needs can affect healthcare outcomes. Families will learn to grow their child's independence and advocacy skills in order to more confidently navigate this adolescent transition.

Does your child feel the pressure to be perfect? Do they feel stress about academics or earning good grades? Is their self-esteem tied to being the best in an extracurricular or sport? Join Kate Boylan LPCC-SUPV, MS, of Larchmere Center for Well-Being, to discuss how parents can help alleviate this pressure through healthy communication and attachment. Learn how to boost your child's self-confidence, foster pride outside of achievement and guide them in building relationships with peers.

 Are you a caregiver dealing with your own struggles while supporting a child facing similar challenges? Could you use some practical tips to help both you and your child? Join Sarah Saunders, MA, LPCC-S, of Purposeful Growth & Wellness, who will help families learn strategies to prioritize self-care, manage stress effectively and establish healthy boundaries. She will also discuss techniques for effective communication and collaborative problem-solving to create a supportive home environment. Attendees will leave with the tools and confidence to support themselves and their child more effectively. 

 Does your child avoid certain foods, textures or entire food groups? Or do you have a child with more complex feeding needs? Whether you're worried about a child who won't eat vegetables or a child diagnosed with a feeding disorder, this discussion will give you tips you can put to use during your next meal. 

Are you a Black American caregiver who needs help learning new and supportive ways to provide discipline for your child? Join Anna Jones, LISW-S, of Cleveland State University and Up the Steps, and learn:  Generational differences that make discipline difficult History of discipline in the Black community How to know what types of discipline may work for your child. Calming strategies for the whole family

 How can you build social skills that honor the unique neurodiversity of your child? What are some of the common mistakes parents make when trying to teach social skills to an elementary-aged (6- 12) child with ADHD, anxiety or autism? Join Lisa Mortensen, of Spectrum Social Club, as she shares skill-building techniques that make it easier for a neurodivergent child. She will also discuss how to distinguish between things families need to adapt to and things they need to accept. 

 Do you find yourself in a never-ending struggle with your child over homework, chores and daily routines? Maybe you feel like you've tried everything and you could really use more support. Join Katie Greenleaf, MA, LPCC, of Anchored Unbound Counseling, Coaching and Consulting, for a discussion on using executive function strategies to create a supportive family environment that contributes to your child's success. She'll also discuss the differences between counseling and coaching, and provide tools to help your family thrive amid life's daily stressors. 

Does your child struggle with behavior when they become overwhelmed or overstimulated? Join Christine Chambers, MEd, OTR/L, of Abilities First, LLC, for a special edition of Behavior Chat, where you will learn what a sensory bucket is and some tools you can use to empty your child's bucket to promote positive behavior.The content in this program is geared toward caregivers of children ages 18 months - 6 years (with or without developmental concerns).

In this podcast, designed for librarians and library staff, Kathy Nash, MEd., of Connecting for Kids, explains how to use movement, touch and sound to engage children who may otherwise have trouble participating in literacy activities. Throughout the podcast, Nash gives specific examples of multi-sensory engagement that facilitators can incorporate into storytimes and other inclusive programming. 

 Do you find it hard to stay calm when your child is having a meltdown? Do you wonder how big emotions in the home affect you and your child? Do you wish you had a superpower that could keep everyone calm, cool and collected? Join Christine Chambers, MEd, OTR/L, of Abilities First, LLC, as she introduces you to your hidden superpower: co-regulation. Learn what it is and strategies to help you and your child stay calm in challenging moments.

 What is the difference between an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and 504 plan? How do you request an evaluation if you suspect your child could use some additional support? What is an Evaluation Team Report (ETR)? Navigating the world of special education may seem overwhelming at first. Join Connecting for Kids staff as they help you understand the process so that you can more effectively work with the school to help your child. Families will have the chance to engage in breakout sessions to talk about specific IEP or 504 concerns. 

 Are you concerned because your child is not potty trained? Are you frustrated and could use some training tips from a professional? Join Nikki Rotshtein, OTR/L, of Galvin Therapy Services, who will discuss the challenges of potty training. This program will focus on methods to support children with sensory processing, anxiety, autism and physical disabilities, but will also be helpful for caregivers of typically developing children 

How do I know if my child needs medication? What side effects can we expect? Will their personality change? If your child has an autism spectrum disorder or a mental health condition such as ADHD, anxiety or depression, you may be facing the decision of whether to medicate your child.Join Dr. Veena Tripathi Ahuja of Balanced Innovative Care, as she discusses different types of medications used to treat mental health issues and what questions families considering this option should ask their doctor. She will also discuss how to use medication in combination with other mental health treatments and how to include your child in the medication process.

 Do you spend a good part of your day in the car driving between activities? How can you tell if your child is overscheduled? Join Meghan Barlow, PhD, of Barlow & Adams Behavioral Health, as she discusses how to know when it's time to say "no" to an activity. She will provide tips for helping your family decide what is too much or not enough as well as ways to find balance. Dr. Barlow will also address whether in today's culture, saying “no” will make your child lose the competitive edge and if allowing a child to quit sends the wrong message. 

 Is sleep an issue in your home? Do you want some tips so everyone can get a better night's rest? Join Bridget Bowling and Lauren Fegely, certified Family Sleep Institute Pediatric Sleep Consultants from Little Snoozers. The two discuss bedtimes, nap times and nap transitions as well as what sleep should look like from birth to school age. They also talk about the importance of a calming routine before bedtime, the room environment and various methods for helping children achieve healthy sleep. 

Is your child showing signs of anxiety, depression or another mental health concern? Do you need help finding a local mental health care provider? Join Karla Fitch, SWT, as she introduces CFK's tools for finding a mental health provider. Topics include identifying preferences, comparing specialties and understanding treatment options. 

 Does your child have a negative self-image? Do you want to find ways to build self-confidence? Low self-esteem is common in children who are diagnosed with ADHD. Many times, these children are punished, teased and corrected on a daily basis. Dr. Cate Brandon, of Kenneth DeLuca & Associates, will discuss common causes of negative self-talk in those with ADHD as well as strategies that parents and caregivers can use to recognize their child's strengths and build positivity. 

 Has your child asked to go by new pronouns, but you're not sure what that means? Are you unsure of the difference between gender identity and gender expression? Join this interactive presentation with Kristen Pepera, MEd, LPCC-S, and Lisa Pepera, MEd, LPCC-S, of Colors+, where you'll learn how to be an affirming caregiver if your child is exploring their gender expression or identity. 

 Does your child struggle to make friends or engage in social activities? Do lunch, gym and recess create more anxiety than fun in your child's school day? If so, join Amy L. Lee, PhD, and Rebekah Bryson, LISW, of Cleveland Clinic Children's, as they provide tips for caregivers to help ease a child's anxiety and boost social skills. You will learn tools to support your child such as body calming, coping thoughts and facing challenges in smaller steps. 

 Have you wondered about the “right way” to talk about your child's disability? Do you want to learn ways to affirm your disabled child's identity? Join Karla Fitch, MTSC, for a conversation about things you can do and language to avoid when teaching our children about disability. Connect with other families who have a child with a disability and learn how we can come together to support our children. 

You just found out a loved one is sick, what do you tell your child? What type of support can you as the parent or caregiver provide? Erin Rafter, PhD, CCLS, of The Gathering Place, will discuss developmentally-appropriate reactions children have when a family member or close friend has cancer, COVID or another illness. Come connect and discuss coping strategies including ways to support your child and talk about illness. 

 Do you feel like you are always in crisis mode? Are you dealing with chronic stress, hypervigilance or burnout? All of these may be signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Parents and caregivers of medically complex children are four times more likely to develop PTSD. Amy Dillon Cody, MSW, LISW, of Amy Dillon Cody LLC, will discuss the symptoms of PTSD and available therapies. Come and connect with other families of children with complex needs. 

 Is your child ahead of peers academically but struggling to control impulses? Are you looking to connect with families of other gifted or 2e students? Join Christine Chambers, MEd, OTR/L, of Abilities First LLC, as she provides 10 tips to help high achieving students learn how to regulate their behavior and manage emotions. Find out why high cognitive skills do not necessarily equate to high emotional regulation skills. 

Does your child get an upset stomach the morning of a big test? Does the thought of being called on to read aloud in class terrify your child? Are math struggles causing worry? Join John Zbornik, PhD, of Kenneth A. De Luca, PhD and Associates Inc., for a group discussion about academic anxiety disorders including test, reading and math anxiety. Attendees will learn how to spot these disorders and ways to ease a child's fears. 

 Does your child have a difficult time attending holiday functions? Could you use some tips to make the upcoming holiday season better for your child? The holidays are a fun and exciting time but can also become overwhelming and confusing for those who struggle with social skills. This program, led by Ellen Spear, MA, CCC-SLP, of Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC., is designed to help navigate the many social situations, hidden rules and potential problems related to the holidays. Join us as we discuss how to make conversation with relatives and friends, tips for handling holiday parties and appropriate ways to give and receive gifts. 

Is your child struggling to transition back to a more normal routine? Are you finding that your child is now fearful of others after being told to stay six feet apart for so many months? Is your child too attached to electronics and having a hard time connecting with friends? Join Meghan Barlow, PhD, of Meghan Barlow and Associates as she discusses behaviors that your child may have picked up during the COVID-19 crisis and ways to address them. The presenter will give you strategies to help your child make positive behavior changes.  

 How can you help your young child become a better listener and make sense of what they are hearing? Children may hear us, but are they really listening to and understanding what we are saying? Join CFK Early Intervention professionals Neysa McKenney, MA, CCC-SLP, and Paula C. Papp, MAEd, as they share ideas about how to foster effective listening behaviors and support a child's understanding. 

 Do you want to learn some fun "hands-on" activities to help your child master the use of scissors and pencils? Do you want to learn how hands and eyes work together to build fine motor skills necessary for school? Join CFK Early Intervention professionals Neysa McKenney, MA, CCC-SLP, and Paula C. Papp, MAEd, as they teach you engaging experiences to help your child develop hand skills using inexpensive sensory, art, and play activities. 

Do you have a beautiful family that was formed through transracial adoption? Are you looking for ways for your child to form a strong racial identity as well as a strong family bond? Join Krysia Orlowski, Volunteer Parent Coordinator, and Donikea Austin, Program Manager of Adoption Network Cleveland as they walk us through tips that families formed by transracial adoption need to thrive.

Do you wish you had a kit filled with “tools” you could use to stop meltdowns before they start? Do you want strategies to motivate your child toward positive behavior? Join us each month to learn how to use one of the tools in our Tantrum Tamer Toolbox to help your child aged 18 months – 6 years control behavior and manage emotions. This program is designed for children with or without identified development concerns. Join Ochanya Wells, M.Ed., as she leads you through another tool in the Tantrum Tamer Toolbox. She will explore visual schedules including the first, then chart to manage behavior as we transition into summer and need tools to structure the day.

Has this pandemic increased the anxiety level of your child? Is mask wearing, social distancing and all of the new restrictions creating stress? Or has your child always been anxious and you are eager to learn some new strategies to help? Tierney Payne, LPCC, manager of Africancentric Services at The Nord Center, will talk about practical things families can do to help a child who struggles with anxiety. Learn how creating structure, providing coping skills and developing an action plan to overcome fear can lead to a calmer and happier child. Join the community of families with an elementary-aged child who struggles with attention and anxiety.

Long summer days, no homework and a break from the routine. Even though your elementary-aged child may be looking forward to summer, the transition from the structure of school can be a rocky one. Join Rob Adams, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist at Meghan Barlow and Associates, as he provides practical strategies to make the end of the year a positive, stress-free time for your child. Join the community of families with an elementary-aged child who struggles with attention and anxiety.

Is your child struggling with pandemic-related anxiety? Is time at home during quarantine increasing your child’s impulsivity? Join Dr. Kimberly Burkhart of Rainbow Babies and Children Hospital as she teaches behavior management strategies. In addition, parents and caregivers will learn ways to teach children to monitor and modify their own behavior.

Racism has a negative effect on the well-being of non-white children and their caregivers. To help protect your child from the harmful effects of racial trauma, you must know what the roadblocks are and how to work through them. Join CFK's Family Education Research Analyst Nikki Montgomery, M.A., M.Ed, GPAC to learn five ways to effectively work towards solutions.

All parents worry about their children’s friendships. But for parents of children who lack social skills the concerns are especially pressing. Making and keeping friends requires hundreds of skills and it is easy for a child who struggles to fall behind. Ellen Spear, MA, CCC-SLP, of Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC, will teach parents and caregivers strategies to help their child develop and maintain friendships. She will discuss the complicated nature of social skills as it relates to a variety of diagnoses.

Do you wish you had a kit filled with “tools” you could use to stop meltdowns before they start? Do you want strategies to motivate your child toward positive behavior? Join us each month to learn how to use one of the tools in our Tantrum Tamer Toolbox to help your child aged 18 months – 6 years control behavior and manage emotions. This program is designed for children with or without identified development concerns. Join Ochanya Wells, M.Ed., as she leads you through another tool in the Tantrum Tamer Toolbox. She will explore emotional regulation tools including a calming social story as well promote strategies to help your child cope with anger.

Do you wish you had a kit filled with “tools” you could use to stop meltdowns before they start? Do you want strategies to motivate your child toward positive behavior? Join us each month to learn how to use one of the tools in our Tantrum Tamer Toolbox to help your child aged 18 months – 6 years control behavior and manage emotions. This program is designed for children with or without identified development concerns. Join Ochanya Wells, M.Ed., as she leads you through another tool in the Tantrum Tamer Toolbox - the Behavior Reward Chart. Ochanya will walk you through strategies to manage behavior at home as well as to help find other ways to respond to your child. She will answer your questions on a variety of topics, which can be asked during the program or submitted upon registration.

¿Te gustaría tener un kit, listo para usar, lleno de herramientas que puedes usar para ayudar con los problemas de comportamiento? Únete con Abi Mendez, M.A. CCC-SLP patóloga del habla y lenguaje bilingüe de MetroHealth, para aprender a usar horarios visuales, tablas visuales de primero…luego, letreros y otros materiales para ayudar a tu hijo(a) en edades desde los 18 meses a los 6 años, a controlar su comportamiento. Además, aprenderás como ayudar a tu hijo(a) a adquirir habilidades para regular y manejar las emociones.

Would you like to apply for funds to help with your child’s expenses but aren’t sure where to begin? How do you even determine which funding sources you are qualified to receive? Join Karla Fitch, MTSC, of Connecting for Kids as she takes participants through the Connecting for Kids "How to Find Funds for Therapy" guide which offers a step-by-step approach to the process.

Join Ochanya Wells, M.Ed., Director of Quality Assurance and Community Engagement at STEPS Educational Group, as she leads you through another tool in the Tantrum Tamer Toolbox - the ABC Checklist to manage behavior at home as well as to help find other ways to respond to your child.

Has this pandemic increased the anxiety level of your child? Is mask wearing, social distancing and all of the new restrictions creating stress? Or has your child always been anxious and you are eager to learn some new strategies to help? Tierney Payne, LPCC, manager of Africancentric Services at The Nord Center, will talk about practical things families can do to help a child who struggles with anxiety. Learn how creating structure, providing coping skills and developing an action plan to overcome fear can lead to a calmer and happier child. Join the community of families with an elementary-aged child who struggles with attention and anxiety.

Problems come in all different shapes and sizes and can range from a small “glitch” to a huge catastrophe! As social thinkers, it is not only important to rate our problems but also to match our reaction to them in a socially appropriate way. Ellen Spear, MA, CCC-SLP, of Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC., will teach you skills to assist your child in determining how big or little a problem is and then know what strategies will work to help deal with that problem. This program is for parents and caregivers of children ages 7-12.

Do you wish your children had a close bond? Is it difficult for your typically developing child to interact with your child who struggles? Join local pediatrician, Dr. Alaka Chandurkar, and licensed clinical psychologist, Heather Dukes-Murray, Ph.D., of Meghan Barlow & Associates, to learn five ways you can work with your typical child to build a relationship with a sibling who struggles.

Does your child often say things that are either inappropriate or hurtful to someone’s feelings? Deciding what is OK to say or not say in a social situation can be tricky. Ellen Spear, MA, CCC-SLP, of Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC, will teach parents and caregivers ways to help their child understand how words and actions can affect others. Learn about “brain filters” and other tips to guide your child ages 7-12 in knowing what is socially appropriate.

Are there ways to stop your child from toggling between games and classwork when they are distance learning? Should you limit screen time when it’s your child’s only way to connect with friends? Jay Berk, PhD, psychologist, author, and international speaker of Jay Berk, PhD and Associates, will discuss the most common concerns elementary-aged families have raised about electronics during this pandemic.

Do you wish you had a kit filled with “tools” you could use to stop meltdowns before they start? Do you want strategies to motivate your child toward positive behavior? Join us each month to learn how to use one of the tools in our Tantrum Tamer Toolbox to help your child aged 18 months – 6 years control behavior and manage emotions. CFK Early Intervention professionals Paula C. Papp, M.A.Ed., and Neysa McKenney, M.A., CCC-SLP will discuss the contents of the Tantrum Tamer Toolbox and answer questions on a variety of topics.

The ongoing stress and uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic can wear anyone down, but children may have an especially tough time coping emotionally. Do you see signs of stress and struggle in your child? Finding the right mental health provider for your child can be overwhelming. Join Karla Fitch, MTSC, of Connecting for Kids as she introduces CFK's framework for finding a mental health provider to work with your family.