I have a 7 year old needing help with snapping or buttoning his pants after toileting. 

I wrote this a while ago on a blog….

I want to talk about balls. Balls are super awesome and we use them all the time in occupational therapy. Yesterday I got a pamphlet for a “Therapeutic Balls” course and while I can totally see its value and importance, I still snickered.

This is a lovely poem by Adam Possner that came in my daily Writer’s Almanac from NPR. It refers to a person who has had a stroke. Repetitive in a poignant way. Somewhat desperate.

Index and middle, side by side
To and fro, watch them fly
Follow my fingers with your eyes”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-macy-stafford/the-day-i-stopped-saying-hurry-up_b_3624798.html

I was wandering around Brookstone when I stumbled across “Hickies” which are essentially really cool looking shoelaces that turn your shoes into slip ons so you don’t have to tie them. They come in many different colors and you have the ability to tighten them. The link for them: http://www.hickies.com/pages/turn-your-shoes-into-slip-ons

and I believe they are sold on Amazon and many other sites as well if you do a google search. I’m not a fan of the name, I would probably end up referring to them as loopies or hoopies to our little ones. They are mildly expensive but I believe worth it for a child who really struggles. The main reason I love them is because they look mainstream and so they only stand out in a fun way. As occupational therapists we want to give our kids tools to be able to fit in regardless of their ability (if that is something the child wants as well, and it often is). 

I know we want many of our kids to be able to tie shoes as it gives more shoe options and independence and also allows them eventually to do drawstrings, bows, etc. It’s often addressed on in private occupational therapy clinical settings and occasionally in OT school settings as well. But sometimes it’s too much and/or shouldn’t be a focus point depending on what else is going on at the time. 

I didn’t buy them, haven’t tried them, but I love the look and I think it’s worth a try.

I looked up some reviews and most were positive, some complained about tightness. My understanding is that A) you can adjust that and it explains on website and/or packaging and B) that you can leave off the top lace or two if too tight. And C) Check return policies in case it doesn’t work for you. One set is for one pair of shoes. Try at your own risk! 🙂

I also like http://www.tyingisasnap.com/product/ where you can get two different colored sides for one shoelace so its easier to figure out how to loop it when teaching. Plus they look cool, and you can do different combinations. Check out the website – I liked them a lot, just be careful with the snap in the middle as you lace up the shoes so you don’t pull the lace out of the snap, although I bet you could super glue it back in if so. I asked for some free pairs to review and I will put up some pictures, the kids enjoyed them. 

This is kind of a random post, but it has a reason, thanks to a conversation I had today. I took this picture for you all because of the super gaudy gold necklace that I was wearing during my errands. While people who know me would say I was never that great about fitting in in any sense, including clothes wise, I did used to be more cautious about what others would think. A super crazy gaudy necklace in daytime? That’s not normal. But now I do it, because it makes me happy. 

I wear roughly 30 “hair tinsels” in my hair year round so that my hair sparkles, because it makes me happy. I wear sparkle glitter eyeliner almost every day. Because it makes me happy. If I have manicures/pedicures (rare because of expense/time), they are probably glittery. My iphone has a mod-podged Otterbox glitter case that I modified. Because it makes me happy. Some of my shoes and most of my necklaces and most of my earrings have glitter and/or sparkles on them and/or are gaudy. Because it makes me happy. Are you noticing a trend here? 

Today I commented to a wise friend that “The older I get, the less I care about what people think. If I want to wear this super gaudy necklace during the day, I’m going to do it.” And she sagely responded, “It’s maybe not that you care less, but that you care more, about doing what resonates with you.”  I was struck by this response. I felt like it was a great re-framing, showing the positive, that I do what makes me happy, rather than the negative, of ignoring what others think.

Of course this is not and should not be the case in all areas of life, that we ignore what others think. But in relatively harmless situations, why not? So many of us forget how to play, be creative, and/or make ourselves happy, as we get older. I know for some people it’s a matter of dress code or other good reasons. But my elementary schools don’t mind if my hair and nails sparkle, and my OT kids are drawn to them.  

And most importantly of all, when I look in the mirror and see my sparkles, I smile. It’s the cheapest therapy I have. I’m officially, as a super profound 30 year old (haha), ready to feel good about doing small and harmless things that bring joy. 

For me, joy is in sparkles/glitter, crazy gaudy necklaces, lots of deep beautiful peacock colors, hula hooping (hoop dance), looking for rocks on the beach and searching tidepools, visiting with friends, holding babies as a hospital cuddler, slacklining, reading, laughing, spinning around with bubbles, etc. Like when I feed Stray Cat and have to watch him so the real stray cat doesn’t take away his food (don’t worry, he gets food too), I will spin around in circles with bubble wands, or read something fun, or practice twirling a baton through my fingers, or a new off-body hoop trick, or even do yoga poses that will make me a better hoop dancer. I’m doing a functional and necessary activity but bringing the joy in. 

Maybe I’m dancing while I spend the two horrid minutes brushing my teeth. Maybe I’m reading a report for work while lying on my back practicing twirling the hula hoop on my foot (I do occasionally smack myself in the face but it’s worth it). Maybe I’m working with a kid but we are exchanging silly jokes to help us both laugh while working on something frustrating. Maybe you are feeding your kids eggs with ketchup and you use the ketchup container to make a smiley face on the eggs. Whatever you are doing as a functional and necessary task, how can you make it more fun while not adding time or effort to the task? 

Eventually it becomes part of you. I no longer have to think about adding joy during those tasks, I just do it. It’s part of my routine/patterns, to vaguely bring in some OTPF terms… 😉 Or I take 10 minutes a month getting my sparkles put in to be enjoyed daily all month. Maybe I’m organizing my bajillion OT toys but while doing so, happily thinking about creative ways to use them. Whatever works. These are all things that work for me. (Most of the time. We all go through rough moments/spells!!!)

I hope you think about this for yourself – what can you do in your daily life that brings you joy in a playful, creative, fun, harmless way? Blow bubbles? Spin in circles? Watch clouds? Play a game, or draw in a coloring book? (There are some great adult ones out there). Can you call someone, write something, make something? Can you wear something? 

Think about what resonates for you. What have you abandoned that used to bring you joy? It can be so simple. It doesn’t have to be a new car. It can be silly putty. We all deserve joy on a daily basis, no matter who we are, no matter how busy we are, no matter how OLD we are.We all deserve to laugh, smile, and see beauty in the smallest details of life. Don’t forget your childlike curiosity, wonder, and joy with the world around you. Embrace this and I promise your life will improve. 🙂 And so will the life of those around you! 

*A post is coming soon about “Joy Lists” with specific instructions on how it works…

*School starts back soon so things are going to get busy! :O Catching up on e-mails, comments, etc…and having trouble reading other OT blogs because of Google Reader being gone. I got Feedly but I’m so perplexed with the layout. Anything out there just like Google Reader?