Teaching kids rules such as “to share” at a higher developmental level than they are ready for can trigger the same part of the brain as the fight or flight response, meaning they can become more dysregulated in the moment versus learn the valuable content we would love to instill in them- yikes!

Especially in early childhood, it is the lessons learned through experience, doing, hands-on exploration, trying and failing and trying again, the internal desire to go for something and discover it without any of us directing them along the way - this is where the magic happens.

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How to? Make the opportunities available, create safe spaces, drop expectations, toss the perfection, and consider ourselves observers and guides versus directors or teachers along the way.

My favorite products for your YES SPACE?? There are countless options and no “right” choices, yet here is what makes the cut in my pediatric occupational therapy book!