Connecting for Kids

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.

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 the...

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...

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...

Did you know recent statistics indicate that as many as 1 in 4 young children can be at risk for developmental, behavioral or social delays? Are you concerned that your child's development may be behind? Join Morgan O'Leary, an outreach specialist from Help Me Grow at Bright Beginnings, as she provides information about developmental milestones for those birth through 3 years. She will also give p...

Does your child struggle with anxiety? Have you found yourself accommodating anxious behavior? Maybe you are not inviting friends over if your child has social anxiety or repeatedly answering the calls of a child with separation anxiety. In some cases, this can only perpetuate the symptoms of anxiety. Join Beth Mishkind Roth, MSSA, LISW-S of Cleveland Integrative Counseling, to learn how altering...

What are some ways you can improve communication with your child’s school? How can you more effectively ask for support? Join Karla Fitch, MTSC, of Connecting for Kids as she teaches families how to create and use a communications binder. Karla will walk attendees through the documents a family should have readily available and discuss the importance of each. She will also demonstrate ways to use...

The dog is barking, siblings are playing in the next room and dad is doing a conference call down the hall. If you thought your child had a difficult time paying attention in the classroom environment, some of you may be quickly finding out that distance learning from home may be even more of a challenge. What strategies can you use to help your child focus in the home environment? What are some p...

Facilitators Lisa Ruman, LISW, CHt, of The Child & Family Counseling Center of Westlake and Sarah Rintamaki and Nicole Born-Crow of Connecting for Kids will be addressing one of our most popular topics, how to stay calm even when you are angry or frustrated by your child’s behaviors. You will learn a number of techniques to help you stay calm in the face of adversity. The article we will be di...

Are the meltdowns, power struggles and talking back just getting worse? In this two-part series, Katie Greenleaf, MA, LPCC, of Meghan Barlow and Associates, will share techniques to turn your home from a battleground into a more peaceful place.

Does your child struggle with self-doubt? Is motivation an issue? Is schoolwork completed to the best of his or her abilities? Join Heather Dukes-Murray, Ph. D., licensed independent clinical psychologist, as she discusses how encouraging a growth mindset for your child, and developing a growth mindset in parenting, can help your child develop resilience in thinking and actions. She will provide g...

Does your child struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? What does science tell us about how to treat OCD and other anxiety disorders, and what strategies can you use to help your child meet their goals and enjoy their childhood? Join Jonah Lakin, Psy. D., of the OCD & Anxiety Center of Cleveland, as he discusses these questions, as well as the difficulties families face when a child...

Does your child struggle with impulsive behaviors? Does he or she act without thinking? Do impulsivity and hyperactivity negatively impact your child’s relationships and academics? Join Dr. Kimberly Burkhart of Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital to learn five behavior management strategies you can use to modify your child’s behaviors at home. She will also teach you strategies that your child...

Are you dealing with temper tantrums and aggressive behavior? Does your child have difficulty sleeping or complain of nightmares? Is he or she frequently worried or afraid? Join Tierney Payne, LPCC, of The Nord Center, as she models how families can use play therapy to help a child work through meltdowns, behavior problems, sleeplessness, anxiety and other issues. Not only can play therapy help im...

What is the best way to equip your child to stay in control of his or her emotions and behaviors through the ups and downs of daily life? Are you interested in finding ways to coach your child rather than having to referee an outburst? Join Meghan Barlow, PhD, of Meghan Barlow and Associates, and Christine Chambers, OTR/L, MEd, of Abilities First, LLC, as they provide practical tips that families...

Are you concerned because your child is not potty trained? Are you frustrated and could use some potty training tips from professionals? Are you wondering whether your child's inability to be trained could indicate a physical or emotional issue? Join Nikki Jaras, MS, BCBA, COBA, of A+ Solutions, to discuss how and when to potty train. This podcast is geared toward families with an preschooler who...

Join Courtney Evenchik, MA, NCSP of A+ Solutions for an overview of potty training basics. This presentation is intended for typically developing children aged 2 years to 3 years of age.

Did you know that the World Health Organization recently announced gaming addiction as a real diagnosis which should be recognized? Were you aware that games are specifically designed to be addictive? Join Dr. Jay Berk, of Jay Berk, PhD & Associates and author of "A Parent's Quick Guide to Electronic Addiction," for a lively and informative discussion about the new emerging crisis of electroni...

Does your gifted child have trouble connecting with peers? Does your child have trouble working or playing with peers? Is he or she emotionally sensitive and more easily hurt by what peers say and do? Join Dr. Meghan Barlow of Meghan Barlow and Associates as she explores the factors that interfere with the social relationships of gifted kids. She discusses such topics as trouble connecting with pe...

Does your child have challenges playing nicely with others? Are sharing, communicating, and expressing emotions difficult tasks? Does your child tend to play by him or herself and not interact with other children? Join Rec2Connect as they discuss common challenges with preschoolers (both typically-developing children and those with special needs). They will provide simple strategies to encourage c...

Is your child prone to aggression and frequent outbursts? Does he or she have a tendency to argue and ignore requests? Are you looking for evidence-based answers for these disruptive behaviors? This program, for families of elementary-aged children, will explore the reasons behind your child’s anger and defiance and discuss ways to create a calmer home through Dr. Ross Greene's Collaborative &...

Does emotional intensity go hand-in-hand with giftedness? Meghan Barlow, PhD, of Meghan Barlow and Associates, will discuss why gifted children may have more extreme emotional reactions, explosions, and anxieties. Dr. Barlow will provide a perspective to help families understand how their child's intensities can be framed as strengths and she will also provide tips on how families can prevent powe...

Learn how medications and underlying mental health issues such as anxiety, ADHD, and depression can affect a child's ability to fall or stay asleep. John Hertzer, MD, Director, Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, will discuss what parents and caregivers can do to encourage higher quality sleep. He will also talk about when a family should s...

Are you dealing with talking back, temper tantrums, school behavior problems, trouble following directions, stealing or lying? Kazdin’s Parent Management Training is a set of interventions developed by Dr. Alan Kazdin, Director of the Yale Parenting Center, that teach and coach families how to modify a child’s problem behavior. At this presentation featuring Cynthia Petrucci, LSW, and Lora Zoller,...

Meghan Barlow, PhD., of Meghan Barlow and Associates, will help parents understand bullying, acts that may look like bullying but are not, and common types of peer conflict. Parents will be taught strategies for how they can help support their children as well as how to empower their children to handle conflicts at school.