Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Put Standardized Testing in Its Place: A Guide for Adoptive Parents of School Aged Kids.

While standardized tests are lengthy and academically comprehensive, they really only tell us one thing; Can your child transfer the information they have learned in school to a hyper controlled, rigorous testing apparatus? Basically, is your child a good test taker? (For me that answer was always a solid no.) Standardized tests do not quantify our child’s intelligence or potential. They do not even tell us if our child will or will not be a successful academic. But alas, most of our kids are often required to participate in this antiquated, tedious task. So, how do we make it more bearable for our kids that are terrible test takers or our kids that experience a significant amount of anxiety? Here are some thoughts that might help: 

• Take the pressure off, encourage your child to do their best and forget the rest. Let them know that you are proud of them for showing up and doing something hard (even though they may have not had a choice). Let them know you will celebrate once testing is over, regardless of the outcome, because they got through it. 

• Reach out to your child’s teacher or test administrator ahead of time and ask for the schedule of the tests, what the guidelines/rules are, where it will take place, and how long each testing segment will be. You can use this information to help set your child’s expectations for what the days will likely look like. 

• Make sure your child gets to bed at night and eats a good breakfast on the mornings of testing days, bonus points if that breakfast is rich in protein. Sleep and fuel will help set your child up for success. 

• Expect dysregulation after school, lower expectations and asks. Long testing days require our kids to hold a lot of things inside: anxiety, need for movement, need for sensory input, distractibility. etc. It is hard work! When they come home, they will not be able to hold all of that in anymore. They will likely be a mess. Create a home routine that helps regulate your child, and do not ask much of them in regard to additional responsibilities. This is a good time to give them a free pass on after school chores. 

• If your child has testing accommodations, reach out to your school/test administrator and ask how those accommodations will be provided for. Make sure to advocate for areas that you feel are not being adequately supported. 

• Lastly, if your child struggles on testing days and does not have testing accommodations, this is a great time to reach out to The Adoption and Foster Care Clinic. We have a highly skilled team that can provide a comprehensive assessment of your child and help to create a plan for a more successful and supportive school environment. Every child deserves a supportive school environment.   

Perceptions of Occupational Therapy’s Role in Pre- and Post- Adoptive Services

At The Adoption & Foster Care Clinic, we’re not only serving families—we’re also helping shape the next generation of medical providers who will continue this important work. This month, we had the privilege of hosting Anya Barg, an occupational therapy doctoral student from Huntington University, who traveled all the way from Indiana to observe Occupational Therapy’s Role in Pre- and Post-Adoptive Services with our team. (Pictured with Amy Elmore, Occupational Therapist)

We loved having Anya in our clinic and were inspired by her passion for adoption-competent, trauma-informed care. Here’s what she had to say about her experience:

Amy and Anya in the Shannon Waltchack Therapy Gym

“I learned so many lessons from shadowing the Adoption and Foster Care Clinic for two days. I would say that the biggest lesson that I took away is that it takes an adoption competent, trauma-informed interdisciplinary team to best support adoptive families as they navigate the complexities and challenges that might arise in their journey. A team approach provides a more holistic perspective on the needs of the child and family. A team approach also allows for greater understanding of the root cause of issues that might take place. I enjoyed getting to follow each professional throughout the day and see a glimpse of their scope of practice as well as how the team came together in meetings to shed light on different pieces of the puzzle. The advice they provided to families was practical and useful. I wish that more clinics like this existed, as I think many families would benefit from these resources and this interdisciplinary team approach. This experience was an awesome opportunity for me to witness the work and the heart of the Adoption and Foster Care Clinic in Alabama. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to visit and learn from you!

We are so grateful for students like Anya who are eager to learn and carry forward the mission of supporting adoptive and foster families. It’s our honor to help equip future providers with the skills and knowledge needed to make a lasting impact.

Four Tips for a Successful Spring Break with your Adopted Child.

Spring Break is a great time for families to get out of town and break free from the day to day. However, it is important for adoptive parents to keep in mind that things like leaving home, packing suitcases, staying in hotels, eating new foods, and being exposed to new environments can be very triggering for adopted children. These experiences can bring up memories related to their placement in your family, which can create big feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. Here are tips to support your child during your spring break vacation:

1) Create a trip itinerary for your child.

A trip itinerary is a great way to prepare your child for what is ahead. It should start with the day you plan to start packing for your trip and should include information about travel, arrival time and location, sleeping arrangements, some of the things you will do there, and when you plan to return home. Bonus points if your itinerary includes relevant photos. Begin sharing this information with your child with enough time for them to process and ask questions, but not so much time that they ruminate over the upcoming event. This will vary depending on your child’s needs and developmental level. Make sure to keep the itinerary in an accessible location in your home so that they can access it as needed.

2) Plan for creature comforts and extra accommodations.

Being away from home and in an unfamiliar environment is likely to create some feelings of anxiety and dysregulation for your child. Plan ahead and bring their favorite snacks/foods, water bottle, sensory regulating items, and a lovey from home. It can also be helpful to travel with their pillow and blanket from home. Food is also a big source of comfort and security; it will be important to prepare meals that your child enjoys. Your child may also need extra accommodations, like close sleeping or support with tasks that they typically have mastered at home.

3) Try to keep important parts of your schedule the same.

One way to help reduce your child’s anxiety while on vacation is to keep important parts of their day at the same time they occur at home. This should include meals, snacks, naps, and bedtime. This allows your child to experience some consistency in an unfamiliar space which will decrease their overall experience of stress. In addition, good sleep and nutrition are important factors in regulation and increasing your child’s ability to adapt to a new environment.

4) Flexibility and low expectations are your friend.

It is important to stay flexible and be prepared to change your plans at any time. At any point in time, your child may experience big emotions or sensations that result in difficult behavior and/or dysregulation. This can come from anxiety, overstimulation, or the triggering of a conscious or subconscious traumatic events. Parents need to be prepared to be responsive to the needs of their child, change plans, and potentially head home early, depending on the level of need of their child. It is important to keep your expectations low, which will help everyone be more prepared for all possible outcomes.