Strategies for Homeschooling Kids with Sensory Needs

Individualized learning is a wonderful benefit of homeschooling, but sensory processing difficulties can bring their own unique set of challenges. Whether your child struggles with noise, textures, or overwhelming environments, these sensory challenges can impact their ability to focus and learn. Understanding sensory processing issues, along with implementing practical strategies for your homeschool day, can make a world of difference for both you and your child. Occupational therapist and homeschool mom Sarah Collins and I discussed how sensory processing affects learning at home and shared actionable tips to create a more supportive environment for your child’s (and your own) unique sensory needs.

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Sarah Collins: Occupational Therapist and Homeschooling Mom

Sarah Collins, an experienced occupational therapist and homeschooling mom, shares the journey that led her to both homeschooling and blending her OT expertise into her current work with families. With a daughter in 11th grade, a 13-year-old son, and a 9-year-old, Sarah has been homeschooling since her oldest was eight. The decision to homeschool came unexpectedly after a move, but what truly sparked Sarah’s interest was seeing a homeschooling mom in a client’s home. Initially skeptical about homeschooling, Sarah soon realized its beauty and potential for her own family. Her path to combining OT and homeschooling began after receiving encouragement from a teacher at a continuing education class and a friend, leading to the creation of Homeschool OT. Reflecting on the journey, Sarah recognizes how her diverse experiences in both pediatric and adult therapy have shaped her ability to serve the homeschooling community today. What began as a series of unexpected events has turned into a fulfilling career combining her passions for occupational therapy and homeschooling.

Personalized Approach to Education

Sarah shares that as her children grow older, she’s increasingly appreciating the unique opportunities homeschooling offers. While she enjoyed the flexibility of homeschooling in the early years, especially living near Philadelphia with access to museums and cultural experiences, it’s the high school years that have become her favorite. As her kids’ interests and passions have become clearer, Sarah can tailor their education to align with their goals. For example, her daughter is considering a career in healthcare, so Sarah has incorporated books from various disability communities into her language arts curriculum, allowing for rich, meaningful discussions. This personalized approach to education is Sarah’s favorite part of homeschooling, as it allows her to dive deep into her children’s unique interests and provide them with a well-rounded education that extends beyond textbooks. The ability to nurture their strengths, support their weaknesses, and explore life as their whole education is a priceless advantage of homeschooling for Sarah.

Flexibility to Address Homeschool Challenges

Sarah shares how one of the biggest challenges in their homeschooling journey was the pressure and doubts she faced from family, especially coming from a long line of educators who questioned her decision to homeschool. These doubts intensified when her son struggled with reading and seemed to make little progress. After seeking testing and receiving an unclear diagnosis, Sarah realized that her son was struggling with a vision issue—convergence disorder—and that his visual processing was affecting his ability to read. Rather than viewing this as a failure, Sarah used her occupational therapy background to look at his struggles holistically, identifying the root cause and working on strengthening his eyes and brain’s ability to process what he was seeing. This experience, while initially difficult, ended up being a beautiful learning opportunity for both her son and herself. Sarah’s story emphasizes the importance of being the expert on your child and recognizing when to seek additional expertise while remaining in charge of your homeschool journey. Her advice is a reminder that homeschooling offers the flexibility to address challenges in a way that traditional school settings may not allow.

Understanding Sensory Processing and the 8 Sensory Systems

Sensory processing refers to how our brain organizes and interprets information gathered through our senses to make decisions and guide our reactions. To explain this concept, Sarah uses the example of touching something hot: your hand automatically pulls away, and then your brain processes the sensation, helping you understand what just happened. This is a simple example of sensory processing in action—taking in sensory information, processing it, and responding accordingly.

Our sensory systems include the familiar five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell, but there are also three lesser-known senses that play a significant role in how we interact with the world.

The Five Primary Senses:

1. Sight (Vision): The sense of sight involves not only what you see but how your brain processes that information. For example, the brain must decide if letters on a page are moving or if they’re stable.
2. Hearing (Auditory): This is not just hearing sounds but also processing their meaning and determining if they require a response. For example, the sound of a siren tells you to react.
3. Taste: What you experience when food enters your mouth, processed by your brain to determine flavors.
4. Touch: This involves not only what you feel with your hands but also the sensations you experience through your skin and feet, like textures and pressure.
5. Smell: The odors detected by your nose are processed by your brain to help you understand the environment around you.

The Three Lesser-Known Senses:

6. Vestibular Sense: This sense relates to your balance and spatial awareness. It helps you understand where your body is in space, whether you’re standing, moving, or spinning.
7. Proprioception: Often called the “body sense,” proprioception is how your brain tracks the position of your body parts without you having to look at them. It also helps with coordination. Activities that involve heavy work, like crawling or lifting, provide calming sensory input by helping you better understand where your body is.
8. Interoception: This sense helps you understand what is happening inside your body. It lets you know if you’re hungry, thirsty, tired, sick, or even how you’re feeling emotionally (like if you’re anxious or excited). Interoception helps you identify physical sensations and emotions.

Each of these senses plays an essential role in helping us interpret the world and make decisions about how to act. Sensory processing issues can occur when the brain struggles to organize and interpret sensory input. Understanding these sensory systems helps parents and educators better support children who may face challenges in processing the information they receive.

Sarah’s definition of sensory processing and her breakdown of the sensory systems provides a helpful framework for understanding how our bodies interact with the world and how we make sense of it. It’s crucial to recognize how each sense plays a part in our daily lives and the way we respond to stimuli.

Sensory Challenges or Sensory Processing Disorder

When discussing sensory challenges in children, it’s important to understand that not every child with sensory difficulties has a formal diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). According to Sarah Collins, Sensory Processing Disorder refers to situations where a child cannot process sensory input in a way that allows them to function in daily life. The key aspect of SPD is that it disrupts a child’s ability to engage in the activities they need or want to do.

For example, if a child has difficulty eating because they find the textures, smells, or sounds associated with food overwhelming, this could be a sign of sensory processing challenges. It might affect their ability to participate in meals with family or engage in other necessary daily tasks. In these cases, it’s not just a matter of preference, but a true difficulty that impairs daily life—this is where SPD is more clearly identified.

However, Sarah emphasizes that we all have “sensory quirks” or “sensory needs” that help us function throughout the day. For instance, some people might tap their foot or chew gum to help focus—these are normal behaviors that help us manage sensory input. It’s when sensory challenges are so intense that they interfere with everyday tasks that we would consider them to be part of Sensory Processing Disorder.

Sensory Processing Across the Spectrum

Sensory processing issues can present in different ways for different children. Some children are sensory seekers, meaning they actively seek more sensory input to help them focus or regulate their emotions. For instance, Sarah shared how her son, Caleb, who had visual and auditory challenges as a result of early medical issues, would constantly seek out sensory input. He would jump and crash into things to help him process his world and get into what Sarah describes as the “green zone”—the state of alertness necessary to focus and engage with the world.

For sensory seekers, it may look like a constant need for movement, such as crashing into things or engaging in rough play. These actions help them make sense of their environment. However, once they’ve reached the necessary level of sensory input to function, they may become overwhelmed. This is when a sensory overload can occur, leading to a meltdown or withdrawal as the brain tries to process too much input at once.

On the other end of the spectrum, some children are sensory avoiders. These children may actively try to limit sensory input, becoming overwhelmed by even mild stimuli. They might avoid certain textures, sounds, or even situations that involve heightened sensory experiences. The key difference here is that these children struggle to handle even normal levels of sensory input.

Identifying Sensory Needs in Children

Sarah highlights the importance of recognizing whether a child is seeking or avoiding sensory input and tailoring interventions accordingly. For example, sensory seekers may benefit from activities that provide deep pressure or movement to help regulate their sensory system. However, if these activities are misinterpreted as simply energetic play, it can lead to further overstimulation and potential meltdowns.

Parents observing these behaviors in their children should take note of how sensory input is affecting their child’s ability to function and engage in daily activities. It’s crucial to consult with professionals, such as occupational therapists (OT), who can offer expert guidance tailored to the child’s specific needs. Combining a parent’s insights with the expertise of an OT helps create a balanced approach to supporting a child’s sensory development.

In summary, while sensory processing challenges are common, they do not always point to a disorder. Sensory Processing Disorder is typically diagnosed when sensory difficulties disrupt a child’s daily life significantly. Whether a child is a sensory seeker or avoider, understanding the type of sensory input they need or want can help support them in navigating their world with greater ease.

Strategies for Homeschool Families

To create a peaceful, productive learning environment for children with sensory processing challenges, Sarah Collins recommends a few strategies:

1. Observation and Questions: Start by becoming a “student” of your child. Ask questions like: Is there a particular time of day when your child seems overactive or when they hit a wall? Are there specific sensory experiences (textures, smells, sounds) that your child enjoys or avoids? Observing these patterns helps you understand what is supportive versus what disrupts your child’s ability to participate in daily activities, including learning.
2. Communication: Use programs like the Zones of Regulation to help children understand and express their sensory experiences. For younger children, using concrete examples (such as animals or engines to represent different states of alertness) can be helpful. Additionally, using descriptive language and encouraging children to identify how they feel can support their awareness of sensory input.
3. Adapting the Environment: Once you’ve identified sensory needs, adapt the environment to help your child. If your child is a “crasher” seeking proprioceptive input, provide outlets for that need, such as a space where they can safely jump or crash. Be mindful of how sensory needs affect others in the environment, ensuring that your child’s needs are met without disrupting others. If needed, provide tools like a weighted blanket or fidget toys that can help calm sensory overload while still allowing them to engage in learning.
4. Building a Support System: Recognize that this process can be mentally and physically exhausting. Build a support system, whether it’s a local occupational therapist for direct support or a friend who can provide a break when needed. Collaborating with others who understand sensory processing can help ease decision fatigue and provide the necessary resources for effective interventions.

In summary, by observing your child’s sensory needs, using appropriate communication tools, adapting the environment, and building a support network, parents can create a peaceful and productive learning environment for children with sensory processing challenges.

When Mom Struggles with Sensory Challenges

This is a common concern for many parents. The key is to first recognize your own sensory needs and become aware of how they impact your ability to cope with the chaos of homeschooling. Many parents begin to realize that they themselves have sensory processing challenges, often as they observe their children. A mom’s sensory processing struggles may be linked to conditions like autism, but they are not necessarily the same, and not all moms with sensory issues are autistic.

When it comes to maintaining your sense of calm, it’s essential to build a routine that supports your needs. For example, you might need a quiet walk in the morning, or to avoid fluorescent lighting, which can affect your alertness. However, this might not be possible for every mom, especially if she has young, energetic children.

Even in these cases, there are simple, small actions that can make a big difference. Try to prioritize your basic needs, such as hydration, nutrition, and sleep. These contribute to your ability to calm your body and regulate your response to stress, as explained by the polyvagal theory. For example, regular exercise and getting enough vitamin D can support the vagus nerve, which helps the body process calming messages.

It’s also helpful to know when you’re getting overstimulated and to have quick tools available to help you calm down. Simple actions like stepping into a quiet space, putting on a hoodie, or taking deep breaths can provide a sense of relief. For some, switching their alarm to calming music in the morning or using a sunrise alarm clock can ease the transition into the day.

Finally, observing your own sensory patterns and adjusting your environment or schedule accordingly is essential. For instance, if you notice that certain times of day are harder for you, try adjusting activities during those times. And importantly, model self-awareness for your children. When you recognize that you’re in a heightened state, communicate that, whether it’s saying, “I’m in the yellow zone right now,” or describing how you feel (e.g., “I feel like a cheetah”). By being open about your own struggles, you’re teaching your children to identify and regulate their own emotions, which is a valuable skill for everyone.

Sensory processing challenges are a part of the homeschooling journey for many families, but they don’t have to derail your success. By taking the time to observe your child’s sensory preferences, adjust the learning environment, and implement quick calming strategies, you can foster a more focused and comfortable space for both your child and yourself. Remember, small changes can lead to big improvements, and by prioritizing self-care and emotional awareness, you’ll not only help your child thrive but also create a homeschooling experience that works for the entire family.

Key Takeaways

• Be a Student of Your Child: Observe and understand your child’s sensory processing needs, including patterns of activity, sensory preferences, and aversions.
• Ask Key Questions: Identify when your child seems most alert or overwhelmed, and note how they respond to different sensory stimuli (e.g., textures, smells, movements).
• Use Sensory Programs: Programs like Zones of Regulation and the Alert Program can help children express how they’re feeling by using color or animal metaphors (e.g., cheetah, dog, sloth).
• Build Sensory Awareness with Language: Use adjectives and sensory language to help children express their feelings, supporting interoception (awareness of internal bodily sensations).
• Adapt Your Environment: Modify the homeschool environment to accommodate sensory needs—this may include adjusting the time of day, incorporating movement, or providing calming sensory tools.
• Recognize Your Own Sensory Needs: Parents may also have sensory processing struggles, and it’s essential to recognize their own needs and how to address them for better self-regulation.
• Prioritize Self-Care for Parents: Focus on basic health practices like hydration, sleep, and nutrition, which can improve emotional regulation and overall well-being for both parents and children.
• Implement Quick Calming Techniques: Simple practices, such as taking deep breaths, stepping away from overstimulating situations, or using sensory tools (e.g., wearing a hoodie), can help parents regain composure quickly.
• Small Adjustments Matter: Even small changes, such as altering alarm sounds or lighting, can make a significant difference in mood and overall sense of calm.
• Model Self-Regulation for Your Children: Demonstrate how to manage sensory overwhelm by using sensory language (e.g., “I’m in the yellow zone”) and show your children how to advocate for themselves. This encourages emotional intelligence and self-awareness.

Use coupon code humilityanddoxology to get Sensory Regulation Ideas for Parents for FREE.

Listen to the full podcast episode “Strategies for Homeschooling Kids with Sensory Needs with Sarah Collins” on  Homeschool Conversations with Humility and Doxology

Sarah Collins, MSOT, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with a background in both pediatrics and home health, and a homeschooling parent. She currently serves families as an occupational therapist through HomeschoolOT. She focuses on helping parents make the match between the homeschool and their children’s current skill set all while working towards what their children specifically need and want to do to occupy their time (hello occupation!). She does this by consulting with parents around the world, teaching month long classes on specific topics, building community in an online membership, and communicating nationally at conferences.

Find Sarah Collins Online

You can find Sarah on her website at homeschoolOT.com, her podcast The OT is IN, or on Instagram at homeschool_OT.

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Amy Sloan: Hello friends. Today I am joined by Sarah Collins, who is an occupational therapist with a background in both pediatrics and home health. She’s also a homeschooling parent. She currently serves families as an occupational therapist through Homeschool OT. She focuses on helping parents make the match between the homeschool and their children’s current skill set, all while working towards what their children specifically need and want to do to occupy their time. And Sarah does this by consulting with parents all around the world, teaching month-long classes on specific topics, building community and her online membership, and communicating nationally at conferences. And you can find Sarah at homeschoolot.com and her podcast, The OT Is In. Sarah, I am just delighted to chat with you today. After the formal introduction, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your family, and how you guys got started homeschooling?

Sarah Collins: Yeah, absolutely. Thank you so much for having me. You know, we actually have chatted now a couple times back through the OT Is In as well in here, and it’s just always a pleasure. So thank you so much for having me here. Yeah, like you said, my name is Sarah Collins, and I am an occupational therapist and also a homeschool mom. My kids here. Now my daughter is in 11th grade. She’s the oldest. And then I have my son, Caleb, is 13, and then a nine-year-old as well. And we’ve been homeschooling since my daughter, who I said now, so she’s 16. She was eight. So not always, but for the majority of their lives, and my youngest son knows no different, you know. So actually, it’s really interesting. We started homeschooling just simply because of the timing of a move. But beautifully, right before that, I was an occupational therapist through home health care. So I was going in and out of patients’ homes, clients’ homes to see, you know, to help them. It was primarily working with adults to help them get back to doing the things that they needed and wanted to do after, you know, sometimes falls or strokes or all kinds of different things. And I was actually in a client’s home and saw their daughter. So I was treating grandma here. Daughter was homeschooling her younger kids, and I was like, this is interesting. Like, before that, I really, I probably ascribed to the homeschoolers are weird. Like, what is happening? But when I actually could see it, it was beautiful. And then she said to me, Sarah, I just feel like I need to tell you about this. And I was like, awesome, but I work full time, not a chance. And then my husband got his job up here in Pennsylvania. Right after that, we moved and we decided to give this homeschooling thing a shot all because of what we saw in someone’s home. So absolutely amazing. Since then, you know, we not every day is perfect. You know, we all know that, but it has been so much different than I would have ever imagined and so much better than I would have imagined for our life. So after we were homeschooling for, I don’t know, I think it was three years, maybe, there was several people that were kind of asking questions where I could throw in my OT background. And it was the most direct calling that I could say. You know, I went to a class at first to keep up my OT license. It was a homeschooling or a handwriting without tears class. And the teacher there was like, Sarah, you don’t know how many homeschool families really could benefit from having an OT to ask questions to. I was like, cool, but that’s not me. I don’t have time for that. That’s awesome. Same week, my good friend who has a daughter with CP who was asking some questions at the end of that, she was like, Sarah, you should really, you know, start making it so other people could ask you questions too. Again, great, but I don’t know how to make that happen. That’s not something that I really want to do. And then later on that exact same week, I opened up my Bible app that, you know, sometimes it’ll give you options for Bible studies or whatever. And the first one on there was a Bible study for entrepreneurs. And so I was kind of like, okay, here we go. So that was 2019. And it’s been a growth since then. And just a really an honor and a privilege for sure to be able to work with homeschool families to share and combine my love of occupational therapy and homeschooling altogether.

Amy Sloan: I love that story. That’s amazing. Just to see how you went from this not even being on your radar, not something you were considering, and then just through this series of events and interactions, not only going into homeschooling yourself, but really seeing how that prior work was, God had used it to prepare you for working with people you didn’t even know. Yeah, just building straight into it. Right?

Sarah Collins: It’s, yeah, fascinating. And so, like, looking back on it now, I’m like, huh, look at that. Because I worked with pediatrics first, and then I worked with adults. And now what I do is work with parents, you know, to understand their kids. But I needed both of those paths to be able to do well what I do now. And obviously needed homeschool so I would understand our community. And, yeah, never in a million years would this be what I would have imagined. And it’s so much better. So great.

Amy Sloan: Well, what have been some of your favorite parts specifically about the homeschooling side for your family and your experience?

Sarah Collins: So it’s funny because I actually am loving it more and more as my kids are getting older. You know, I really thought I was going to love the little years where we could just go and go. And, in fact, when they were young, again, was right when we moved to Pennsylvania. We live outside of Philadelphia. And there is so much to do here that I was like, I don’t know how I would have time to do everything with them in school anyway. You know, I wanted to take them into the city to see and the culture and all the museums and all of that. So that was fantastic when they were young that we could do that. And then during COVID, there was – it was cool because – so my husband is a golf course superintendent. He already works outside. And so his job didn’t change. He was there every day. We were already homeschooling. So it was kind of like we just went along with our life and could really educate through that time without as much of a disruption as everybody else seemed to have. You know, so it was – I’m very grateful for that, that we were already kind of set up in that place. But now as they’re older, I’m finding that they are more clear in what their interests are and what they’re really thinking. And I’m able to have these beautiful discussions with them. And really cater to them. Like, for example, my daughter really thinks she wants to go into something healthcare. She doesn’t know what yet, and that’s fine and great. But thinks that that’s the route she wants to go. And this year for her language arts, we’re reading all different types of books from different disability communities. So the deaf community, the autistic community. I have books for her on dementia, nonfiction, and, you know, fiction too. So learning through story. And we’re able to talk through really deep questions. And all because this is something that she is interested in. So when she goes out, you know, she still may not know exactly what career she has. But she’s going to have windows into all these different communities. And I just think that’s going to serve her so well. We were able to decide that and make it up ourselves, you know, to really hone in on her interest. So that’s my favorite part for sure.

Amy Sloan: I really enjoy the teen years as well. Because you start seeing them coming into their own unique personhood in this really special way. And as homeschoolers to be able to really niche down and find, you know, the interests. And be able to work with their strengths and their weaknesses too. But I love that.

Sarah Collins: Yes. And really look at life as their whole education instead of separating it out. And that’s just such a, it’s so great.

Amy Sloan: I love it so much. Well, along with the wonderful parts of homeschooling, there can be some challenges as well. So what have been some of the challenges you’ve faced in your homeschool? And how have you sought to overcome those challenges?

Sarah Collins: Yeah, so I come from a long line of educators. And this long line of educators is fantastic and wonderful and beautiful. And have really inspired all of us to be lifelong learners. But they also very much questioned what we were doing when we were beginning homeschooling. And so I even got letters in the mail and that type of thing. And so it was a very difficult start. However, then I started to question myself. You know, is this really actually going to work? Is it going to be okay that we are homeschooling? And I had an 8-year-old and my son was 8. And he still was not really reading at all. We would, in fact, day to day, the recognition of letters was not even maintained continuously. And we’ll go into that a little bit, you know, as we’re going on here. But so I really questioned myself as to whether this was going to work. And I ended up going across the street, because our public school is literally across the street from my backyard. So went across the street, had some testing done. They tagged us in with reading disability unspecified. Like, thanks. Thanks for that information. Right? But it also did around that exact same time, I was watching him. You know, you can watch across, again, all different activities and occupations and areas and environments. And he was throwing a Frisbee with a friend and got smacked right in the face. And I was like, huh, you didn’t actually even see that coming. You know? So we were able ‑‑ I was able to look at what was ‑‑ where were he ‑‑ sorry. Where was he struggling across all different areas and put it together and recognize, all right, so there’s likely something going on with vision here. And it was. You know, he had convergence disorder. He had visual scanning insufficiency. He actually told me one day, he was like, mom, how do you read when the words are moving on the page? Like, oh, buddy. They’re not. But, you know, if you’ve never seen through somebody else’s eyes, you don’t know that that’s not supposed to be happening. You know, you don’t ‑‑ you just can’t process that that’s not literally what it is. And what was happening was because his muscles were weak, the muscles around his eyes, he would be reading from his left eye and then that eye would get tired and his brain would process what’s coming from his right eye. So if you blink your eyes back and forth, that’s what it looks like. It literally looks like words are moving. And that’s what it looked like there. So because of that, you know, I questioned myself quite a bit at the beginning. But then was able to recognize, wait, I can see him in all these environments. So I can come up with how this is affecting him in all the areas and we can address them all at one time. And he actually ‑‑ it’s funny. I did a podcast about him. And he allowed me to share a lot about his story on the OTSN. And he listened to it not too long ago. And he was like, mom, I didn’t even know all of that was happening. I think that’s such a beautiful thing. You know, if he was in a different environment, he would have been pulled out all the time over and over, would have felt so stressed, would have known that he was, quote, unquote, behind. When in reality what we needed to do was work on reading without actually reading. You know, we needed to work on his eyes first. And then we needed to work on his brain processing, what his eyes were seeing. And then we needed to put that all together in a way that worked for his brain. And so what was really hard at the time turned out to be a really beautiful, beautiful thing.

Amy Sloan: I think that will encourage other moms who are listening who maybe have a child who is struggling. And sometimes we have this worry or guilt that, like, well, maybe if our kid was with some expert somewhere, like, maybe it’s our fault. Maybe somebody else would be better equipped for this. And we can certainly learn from people like you who have special, you know, special education and understanding of some of these issues. But what you were bringing up is no one knows your kid to the full extent as you do as the homeschool parent. You were able to make connections that ended up helping your son academically outside of, quote, unquote, school, right? It was a picture because you really knew him as a whole person. I think that’s really encouraging for us to remember.

Sarah Collins: I hope so. You know, I talk a lot about you are the expert in your children. Absolutely. I’m the expert in my child, right? But sometimes we need to pair that expertise with other expertise, and that’s okay, right? That doesn’t – homeschooling does not mean that we’re doing this alone. You know, we can absolutely, but the main part of that is that you are in charge of your team. You know, you are the leader there because you are the expert in your child. So whether you’re pairing your expertise, fantastic. Just recognize the power of your own expertise and the power of your own observation and the power of the time that you’re spending with your kids. It’s so important.

Amy Sloan: Well, one of the reasons, of course, why I wanted to chat with you today is because of your expertise, and I wanted to kind of focus – I could ask you about all sorts of different things related to your work with OT, but I wanted to specifically talk to you about sensory issues today because I do feel like there’s all these terms that get thrown around so much, and sometimes we hear them and we’re not exactly sure what is meant by them, which then makes it hard to know how to, like, apply some of these things in our families. So, like, starting super, super big picture here, can you just explain what is meant by the term sensory processing and then, like, what are our sensory systems?

Sarah Collins: Yes. Yeah, so sensory processing, right, if you – I think the best way to begin to explain this is – so if you think about when you put your hand on something that’s hot, you immediately pull it away, and then after that you kind of look and see, like, oh my gosh, what was that, right? So there is an initial sensation that you have and then an automatic reaction, right? So when we’re processing sensory information, we begin to organize things in our brain so that you are able to compare, to recognize, do I actually need to pull my hand away? And yes, if something is burning your hand, you’re always going to need to pull it away. It’s always going to be that automatic response. But sometimes if you put your hand on, like, I don’t know, let’s say Jell-O, or you put it on something weird that you’ve never touched before when you’re outside, like a nut that has a weird feeling or it’s bumpier than you think, something like that, you don’t automatically have to pull your hand away. What you’re doing is taking in that information through your hands and through your eyes and through your nose, and you’re organizing it all. So you’re processing that information to then make a decision on what you’re going to do with it. Are you like, oh, that’s gross, or cool, that really feels nice, or that’s calming, or that’s alerting to me that makes me want to, you know, run around, something like that. We take in all of this information and then make choices. So now you mentioned what are your senses. Now we often know those first five, right? We know what you see, so that obviously is your acuity and what you’re taking in through your eyes, but also we mentioned already your brain has to process what you’re seeing, like are those letters actually moving on the page or not, you know? So your vision is a piece. Auditorily, so what you hear, and then again, you are processing that information. So you’re taking it and having it to make sense within your brain. So what does a word mean? And then also things like how far away is that sound? You know, if a siren is coming, is that something that makes me need to move or react to that, right? All of this is because you’ve heard it and you’re able to process and make a decision on what is happening. So you’re seeing, you’re hearing, you’re tasting, right? So whatever is going into your mouth, your touch, and your smell. So touch is not only what you’re just touching with your hands, but also, you know, what’s touching on your skin, your clothing texture, how you’re feeling through what you’re taking in through your feet, you know, all of that. So not just hands touch, but your whole body touching. And then there’s three more that are often misunderstood or not even known about. So one is the vestibular sense. So that is your balance. It is where you are in space. So if you’re thinking about I’m standing, you know, upright, and I’m walking forward, or I’m spinning around, or I’m moving, knowing how fast you’re moving, what direction you’re moving, that’s your vestibular sense. Proprioception is your body’s relationship to itself. So it’s like, you know, if I lift my arm up, I know my arm is up. I know, you know, I am squeezing something really hard, or I’m pushing in through my joints. And you often hear the term heavy work, and that also goes along with proprioception, because that is typically the most calming sense. So if you think the more information that I have about my body, the calmer that I am, you know. So if I know, you know, I’m crawling on the ground, and I’m getting information through my hands, through my elbows, through my shoulders, through my knees, through my feet, you know, because you’re crawling. When you’re done with that, you often feel calmer. When you do not have a good sense of your own body, so if you think about you are getting ready to go pick something up, right? And it’s like the Amazon box outside. You go to pick it up, and you think it’s going to be toilet paper. And so you go to lift really lightly, but it’s actually, I don’t know, the, I don’t know, something really heavy. I can’t think of the word. Box of books. Yeah, it’s actually the box of books. And so you’re like, oh, and you’re, you know, your back is thrown off, and it’s confusing for a second. And so your brain is literally confused. So you regroup, and you go to pick it up. But that heaviness then helps to calm your brain down and help you to reorient and know, all right, this is where my body is, and I feel calmer. And then the last sense, we call it the eighth sense, is the sense of interoception. And that is understanding what is going on internally, inside of your body. It’s how you can tell, you know, within your stomach that you have cramps, or you’re nauseous, or you have to go to the bathroom, or you’re hungry, right? These are all different sensations, but they do feel different. So do you know those? Interoception also has to do with emotion. You know, we need to be able to decide, are you anxious? Are you sad? Are you really excited? Those also could, you know, anxiety and excitement can often be confused. So this internal, what is going on? Am I hungry? Am I thirsty? Am I sick? Am I, you know, how do I feel at any given point? That’s that sense of interoception. So that’s a whole lot in about a minute and a half.

Amy Sloan: No, that’s really helpful just to start first by giving us a framework so we all know that we’re talking about the same kinds of things, right? I’m a big fan of defining terms first.

Sarah Collins: Yes, same. In fact, my kids laugh at me all the time because I say, I tell them two things often. I’m like, define your term and cite your source. They’re like, oh, mom again.

Amy Sloan: Yeah, okay. So these are our sensory systems, the various ways in which we’re processing sensations and things we’re sensing. And I can imagine for any number of reasons there could be interruptions or problems with anyone or a combination of these various senses. So I was wondering, like the term sensory processing disorder, does every child or individual who has sensory challenges, is that the definition of sensory processing disorder? Is that something else? And then what can that kind of look like for different kids? So as a parent listing, what might they be noticing in their child? All right.

Sarah Collins: So this is another kind of tough one. The biggest implication of sensory disorder, because remember when we talked about sensory processing, it’s taking in that information, organizing it, and deciding what to do, right? So it comes along with a reaction. So sensory processing disorder is often when you take in this information and you don’t know what to do with it. So it causes an interruption for you to be able to participate in what you need and want to do. So for some kids that could be feeding, right? Because if you think about when you put food in your mouth, not only are you tasting it, because that’s just one piece of it, but you’re also smelling that food. You’re also hearing other people chewing and talking. You’re also feeling the texture of it in your mouth. So if all those things come together are somewhat confusing or they are causing problem, that you cannot sit to eat with your family, or you cannot go where your parents, you know, you can’t go to the restaurant with your parents, or you cannot participate in a meal. You only have one food that you can eat. You know, things like that. That’s where it is causing more of a disruption to your day. It’s making it so the way that you need to occupy your time, and that’s the definition of occupation, is the things you do to occupy your time. It’s causing you to not participate in that occupation. Then we need to seek out some assistance there. When that’s across the board, that’s often when we call that sensory processing disorder. So you and I, we all have what we call sensory quirks or sensory needs. You know, like somebody here who’s paying attention to me right now is probably shaking their leg. Someone’s probably clicking their pen. You know, I move here frequently. You can see me gesturing to help me to take in information, to focus, because that’s proprioception, right? Anytime I’m moving, that’s proprioception. It helps me to stay calm and focused. Those are sensory quirks. Those are things that are either helping you or meeting your need so that you can do what you need and want to do. When you cannot do what you need and want to do, that’s where we would call it sensory processing disorder.

Amy Sloan: Okay. And what are some ways that might be expressing? I’ve heard some people say some people seek out more, you know, sensory input. Some people want less. Right. Yeah.

Sarah Collins: So there is kind of a gamut, right? I really like to look at it. There is a program called the Zones of Regulation. And I feel like it is a really good way to define and to communicate about sensory processing with our kids. So you know how I was just talking about you being able to focus in on what I’m saying and doing? So we would call that the green zone. And I don’t know if you have YouTube, if people can see me or not. No. Okay. So I’m holding up my hands here.

Amy Sloan: Okay. So some people, if you’re listening, she’ll try to describe it. But if you’re watching, you can see.

Sarah Collins: Yes. Absolutely. So I’m holding up my hands here. And there’s kind of a zone, you know, in the middle. And this is where you are when you’re really alert, when you’re really interested in what’s going on. It’s hopefully how you are right now. You know, you’re taking in this information that you’re hearing auditorily, visually, if you’re watching that you can see. You’re probably not smelling or tasting what I’m doing. But here we are. You are right here in this zone. For some people, it takes a while to get up into that zone. Right? So these are what we would call our sensory seekers. They need a lot of sensory information to help to get into that zone. For my son, who I was talking about visually, right, when he was not taking in the information through his eyes accurately because of the visual scanning and convergence, he also had four sets of tubes as a baby. He was born premature and ended up his ear canals did not develop just like his visual muscles did not develop at that point in time. He was taking in all of his information through his touch and his movement. Right? So he would be what we would describe as a sensory seeker because that’s how he was making sense of his world. He was running and crashing into everything. He would touch everything. We laugh now when we watch videos of them as children. It’s me, like, sitting and reading to my daughter. And Caleb, literally, I kept his crib mattress for years, and he would just be jumping off the couch and landing on the crib mattress or crashing into the wall. And I’m just reading along to my daughter, like, not even paying attention because that was just Caleb. You know, that was what he needed to do to make sense of his world. So he needed a lot more of that sensory information to get into that green zone. He was a sensory seeker. Now, here’s the other piece of that is people who often need, you know, a lot of that sensory information, once you get in that zone, you have to be able to maintain it. Or you might be a person who’s avoiding sensory information because it becomes too much, and then you start to melt down. Right? So for a lot of people, we either, say, have a very low or a very narrow threshold. For Caleb, what he would do is get into that. So he would seek, seek, seek, seek, seek, and get into that zone. And then it would all of a sudden be too much because it was like he had to do so much to get there. And then I’m asking him to work hard to take information through his eyes and ears, which he’s not used to. And we would have kind of a fly through the roof of that zone, and it would be a meltdown for him. And then maybe he would need to go outside to get away. For some kiddos you see, they get into really small or tight spaces. They’re trying to avoid other things. You might see kids who are crashing in because they’re seeking out that proprioception, but not as a, we’re not seeking it to alert. They’re seeking it to calm. And this is why we often say pairing your expertise with the expertise of an OT is imperative in these situations because it’s hard to interpret. It’s hard to say, wait, are you seeking out because you’re a sensory seeker, and I’m going to give you a lot of this crunchy things, and I’m going to have you spin around because that’s very alerting, and I’m going to have you do so many high-energy activities until you crash and burn? No. We need to be able to have the expertise to help to look at, okay, how does this fit into your day to help your specific child do what they need and want to do?

Amy Sloan: And this could be a whole series of conversations. So I know you can’t solve this problem or answer everyone’s questions right here, but what would be some of your best tips in general, kind of a summary for parents wanting to create a peaceful, calm, productive learning environment for a child who maybe does struggle with some of these issues?

Sarah Collins: So I always start with questions in this, and I start with questions basically with everything, because we need to guide our own observations of our children and become a student of our students. So the first thing I do is say, you know, the questions that I would ask are, is there a time of day that my child seems to be either really, really active, like it looks like they’re seeking, or is there a time of day where it looks like that they just, you know, they’ve hit a wall? Are there trends in that that we can predict? Because then we can look at what is happening before, during, and after this specific occupation or activity that we’re having them to do. I would say, are there specific movements that they’re enjoying or movements that they’re avoiding? Are there other textures or smells or tastes that they are enjoying or tastes that they are avoiding? Because we want to look in and kind of break down all of those different senses and see what is it that is good for my child and what is it that is bad? And I’m saying good and bad because meaning good to encourage them in their activities, again, that they need and want to do their occupations, or bad because they are, it is discouraging them from participating in that activity, right? So not good and bad, like a taste, right, is good and bad, but good and bad in their ability to participate. So we want to start there with just asking those questions about the time of day and about the specific senses that we’re seeing. And also asking them, how do you feel or how does that make you feel? And that can be tough because if interoception is one of those senses that you’re struggling with, then being able to express it is also very difficult. So that brings me to number two. So we want to observe and we want to begin to communicate about that, about sensory processing in itself. So I mentioned the zones of regulation. That’s a great program to do so. The alert program is another one. The zones of regulation is based primarily on color, so it’s kind of abstract. The alert program is more concrete in that you typically pick three different animals or three different engines. Or I’ve had people who’ve done, I don’t know, Disney princesses before. So what you’re doing is kind of thinking, you remember I was talking about that zone of optimal alertness, right, where you’re in it. So that could be like, I don’t know, if we’re using animals, that could be a dog. They’re right next to you. They’re really excited and energized into what you are saying because they want whatever, that food in your hand or they want you to pet them. So they’re right with you. Or you could be, you know, if you’re one of those kiddos that’s kind of, you’re not alert yet, right, you’re not in that zone, it could be a sloth. And then you could then move up to, I’m feeling really overwhelmed and I want to get away from here, I’m a cheetah, right? So like these can be your three animals or your three more concrete ways to begin to talk about sensory processing. I also often tell parents like we need to be using lots of adjectives in our speech and even reading books about adjectives. You know, Brian Cleary writes a lot of books about parts of speech. And if we’re reading about adjectives and using them in our everyday language, it can help with interoception. Because how on earth can you describe the difference in how you’re feeling if you don’t have the language for it? You don’t even know what those words are. You’ve never heard them. So reading to your children, you’re also helping them with interoception. And then, so if you’ve observed your communicating, then I would say we want to start to adapt our environment to help our children, support them. So whether or not that is, if you’ve observed a time of day and so you’re kind of changing around your routine or your rhythm of your day, great. If it’s that you need, you recognize, all right, my kiddo is a crasher. You know, that’s how they are helping to calm their body down. Then we need to allow them to do it. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re allowed to punch their brother, you know, because that is, that is proprioception. Punching is, but we need to give them the space to do that. We in our house would often say your sensory needs are important, but they’re not more important than, you know, your brothers or your sisters or whatever. You know, I, again, I mentioned about Caleb was a, he was crashing all, all the time at the beginning because of the jump, you know, because of that actually get up into the make sense of your world, get into that zone. But then because he had a narrow threshold, the, I have to do this to calm myself back down. Well, great, but you can’t run and jump on your sister and, and you can’t run and jump right next to her when she’s trying to read because that’s distracting. And that makes her very anxious and that’s also not okay. So we need to say, where can we do that? Or what other tools can I provide for you in this environment so that you can meet those needs while sitting next to her, you know, depending on what, what that activity was during the day. So it is, guys, I’m saying all of this, like, it’s super easy, but this, for parents to be working through this on the day, okay, this is what you need right now. Let me change this. Okay. This is what you need right now. Let me, it can be exhausting. It can be decision fatigue. I’m an OT and I struggled, right? Like, this is what I do. And I would at some points have to walk away during the day and be like, I don’t know if I could do this anymore. So recognize that another piece is often build your team, find your support around you, whether that is a local OT who can help with, you know, direct occupational therapy. Whether that’s me so that you can come and learn about what sensory processing is more in depth and how to actually implement some of this into your specific day. Great. Or whether it’s your friend that’s like, hey, I can come over and give you some relief for a little bit because I know that you have been making decisions over and over and over again. Great. Any of those, all of those can be important.

Amy Sloan: Yeah. And as you were talking about your experience, even as someone who this is your area of expertise and it could still be overwhelming or discouraging at times. I’m just thinking, you know, homeschooling in general can be chaotic. It’s a beautiful chaos, but it can be very loud. There’s a lot of movement, especially if you have many children, little children, energetic children, right? Right. And then so for any mom, I can imagine it being difficult sometimes to maintain our own sense of calm. And then maybe even especially if it’s mom herself who maybe has some sensory challenges as well. So how can we prioritize our own sense of calm as moms?

Sarah Collins: This is a forever question that I’m getting, guys. So if this was your question in your mind, no, you are not alone in that for sure. There’s a few things that go also along with that. I also want to say that there are a number of parents that as they observe their children begin learning more about themselves. I actually am working with a family right now who she is pursuing her own diagnosis in autism because her son is autistic. And she’s like, I’m recognizing so much of his struggles and his neurodiversity. I’m recognizing it myself and I never knew. And so I think that is happening more and more and more. Just because you have sensory processing struggles does not mean that you are autistic. Nor if you’re autistic, do you necessarily have sensory processing struggles. So they are not the same thing. But I do want to point out that many, many families are going through this as they’re recognizing with their children or learning about themselves as they’re recognizing this in their children. I think this again is hard because it varies person to person on what their needs are. And it varies person to person on what their environment is. Because as of now, my kids are older. I make sure that I get up and go for a walk every single morning because I need that so that I am able to provide for my children on a daily basis. Waking up with the light, not fluorescent, that really impacts my alertness. And making sure that I’m stepping away and not being on my screen all the time. All of these things are just little pieces that throughout my day can help me to do that. However, there was a long time in my life that I couldn’t. And there, I’m sure, several of you are listeners who are like, yeah, that’s a great plan, Tara. But I got 14 2-year-olds that are pulling on my pants and 7 4-year-olds who are like, mom, mom, mom, mom, you know, all day long. I can’t walk outside and get away. So having a plan of what can I do by myself and what can I do with my children. There is a guide of sensory ideas for parents on my website. The homeschool OT that you can find in my shop that I think can be really helpful. It helps to break down each of those senses to really think about, all right, how can I do this for myself. But it’s also just important to recognize that the day-to-day health, so things like hydration, nutrition, exercise, they’re there not just because of longevity or not getting sick. But we make these same types of recommendations for, it’s called the polyvagal theory. So Stephen Porges has been doing a lot of work on this. And it is basically how we are able to send messages to our body to calm. This is it in its most vague form. How to send messages to calm, or most elementary form, I guess is better to say. So those types, the nutrition, the getting enough sleep, the making sure that you get outside and get enough vitamin D, they actually affect the sheath that surrounds our vagus nerve for the speed of the messages to go out to the rest of our body. So when you are making these decisions for yourself, you are also helping your children. So I think there’s sometimes some guilt of, you know, whatever, society is calling me time, which could perhaps be going out and getting our nails done, you know, or whatever. And we’re like, what? Okay, fine, but that’s not really, that’s not feasible. And that’s actually not the me time or the prioritization that I’m talking about here. I’m talking about the knowing when you are getting out of that zone and then knowing how to calm your body. So oftentimes that is separating away from whatever stimuli is causing you to be at that heightened alert. Go into your pantry, go into your bathroom, sit under that table for a minute, put on your hooded sweatshirt that you can pull up really high and take a deep breath, right? These are the simple little things throughout your day that can help you to calm back down, to be able to focus in with your children.

Amy Sloan: And I think it’s helpful. I appreciate you bringing up the fact that sometimes it’s those simple, small things. Like, you know, you don’t have to take 30 minutes. If you don’t have 30 minutes, you can pull the hoodie up on your sweatshirt. These are small, little things that can make a big difference. I personally made a tiny change in this past year. I was finding myself every morning when my alarm would go off, I was already tired and stressed, you know? And then the addition of that just, like, beeping at me in the morning. It was just a horrible way to start my day. And I thought to myself, why am I doing this? I changed the alarm sound to classical music. And I put it on its very, like, lowest setting. So just to have that one small change, I noticed a huge shift in my mood when I was waking up. So sometimes it’s just those little, small things that we find that can make a big difference.

Sarah Collins: Yeah, that same observation that we were talking about with the kids, observe it in yourself. Wait, are there times of day that I’m finding a struggle? What can I do during that time to make an adjustment? So you were noticing it in the morning. And then you were like, what actually is the sense? Oh, it’s my sense of hearing. Okay, let’s change it, you know? I did such a similar thing. I got one of those alarm clocks that lights up. And so before there’s a noise, then it’s already alerting my body without me even really knowing. And then, you know, I wake up more naturally. So, yeah, I think that’s a great thing. Absolutely. And that communication is also really important of, you know, when we were talking about the zones of regulation or the alert program for our kids. It’s also important for us because if we can say it, wow, I’m in the yellow zone right now, or I feel like a cheetah right now. You know, if we’re doing the same thing with our children, and then we’re modeling how we’re going to make that change. Okay, that’s teaching. That’s helping them. So think about it, not just like, oh, I need to suppress this in myself. I need to just handle it. No, think of it as this self-awareness that you’re having is allowing you to advocate, and you’re modeling that for your children. And that can serve them better than if you’re just sitting there and talking about it only with them, like this is only their struggle.

Amy Sloan: Oh, that’s such an encouragement, too. I love that. Sarah, this has been such a lovely conversation. I know it’s going to really encourage many parents who are listening. Here at the end, though, before I close, I do want to ask you the questions I’m asking all my guests this season. And so the first is just what are you reading lately?

Sarah Collins: So I shared this with you before we started, but I was in a car accident last weekend, so I’m actually literally not reading anything. I can’t even really look at anything right now. However, I am listening to The Joy of Slow by Leslie Martino. I think it is a fantastic read for any homeschool parent. I started reading it, one, because I was preparing for she’s going to be on the Homeschool OT podcast. But as I’m listening to it, I was like, it’s such a peace of mind that I think is fantastic for new homeschool parents. And for me, as I think I said, my eighth or ninth, I don’t know, a lot of years in, several years in, it is a really good reminder to get back to some of those basics. Because we oftentimes try to push through and push through and push through, and it has just been a breath of fresh air to me. So I am listening right now. Plus, her voice is spectacular.

Amy Sloan: So I’m listening right now to Leslie Martino. We call that reading with your ears.

Sarah Collins: Yes, that’s what I’m doing. I am reading with my ears.

Amy Sloan: And Leslie was actually a guest on my podcast last season. So I will try to put that link in the show notes here. It was a fantastic conversation. You should, for sure. Such a good book. All right. So the final question is, what would be your best tip for turning around a homeschool day that just is going completely off the rails?

Sarah Collins: So this has happened. I think it’s happened to everybody. Oh, yeah. When it’s going completely off the rails, I think if we even go back to it with our sensory lens and say, you know, we’re going to put a stop to this right now, we’re all going to walk away and we’re all going to do something with our bodies to move because we’re going to calm back down. So whether, you know, my son, he still laughs about the time. Like he was, at one point, he was just really struggling with reading, with reading, with reading over and over. And I would have him on my lap because I found that when he was on my lap, if I wasn’t looking at him face to face, I would start to feel frustrated. You know, I could be like we’re squeezing my muscles and he wouldn’t even see because he’s in front of me. But there was one time when I was like, we can’t do this right now. I picked him up. I put him right next to me. And I got up and did pushups. And then he started cracking up laughing. And then he did pushups with me. And then we, it just changed the whole trajectory. One, because I was doing something ridiculous, but ridiculous with proprioception. So I was calming my own body. And then he thought it was funny. And then it calmed his body and we could regroup and come back down. So I don’t think it has to be a we’re going to stop this for the entire rest of the day. Because I do think there’s something good about perseverance and about recognizing like we do hard things. We don’t always walk away. But we can stop. And we can move away. And we can use our bodies to calm and then come back.

Amy Sloan: Yeah. I love that. And a little bit of a sense of humor too, right?

Sarah Collins: Yeah. Absolutely.

Amy Sloan: Laugh for sure. Always helpful. Well, Sarah, where can people find you all around the internet? And what kind of services do you offer for parents who maybe want to learn more about some of these topics?

Sarah Collins: Absolutely. So at Homeschool OT, you can find where I mentioned a shop and there’s lots of little kind of handouts in there. My goal with Homeschool OT is not to contribute to the noise because there’s so much noise out there on the internet, but to try to help families to really understand the why and the how of what to do with their children. So I do a lot of parent education, and that is through classes. Like I mentioned, there’s a class on sensory processing that really goes in deeper on all of those sensory systems and then kind of the activity ideas of what to do and how to adapt our homeschool day. I also have that on handwriting and on executive functioning. So you can find all of that at Homeschool OT as well as how to get in touch with me for private consultations and the membership where we have weekly office hours and discussion points and book clubs and things like that. That’s all at Homeschool OT. My podcast is The OT Is In, and we chat each week about the ways that we can help support our children to find what they need and want to do or through what they need and want to do. And sometimes that is with the person, the environment, or different activities or occupations. So we do that all through. And I’m on Instagram at homeschool underscore OT. People kept thinking I was homeschool-ut. That wasn’t working. Or homeschool-oot. So homeschool underscore OT, and I got on TikTok last week. So you can join me over there. You can be one of my first nine followers. That’ll be excellent.

Amy Sloan: Oh, my goodness. I will have links to all of those things in the show notes for this episode over at humilityanddoxology.com. I would love it if you would take a minute to share this episode with a friend, share the YouTube video, or share the podcast, and help other homeschool parents get this encouragement and these resources. Sarah, it was lovely to chat with you today, and I look forward to talking with you more in the future. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed it, too.

Sarah Collins: Thanks for having me.