“If she had a worksheet that instructed her to color every picture that begins with the letter “D,” she would REALLY color it! The dog would have a pink hat, brown body, blue eyes and red leash. I realized that she was coloring everything to perfection and that was what was taking her so long. It’s not that she didn’t know the answers or that she was doing “other things.”
“What solved the problem was explaining to her that sometimes when you color, it’s to make things look pretty, like when you’re making a picture or a book cover. But other times, you’re just supposed to quickly color it to show you know the answer ... those don’t have to be “perfect.” The problem cleared up immediately and I received a phone call from the teacher within just two weeks that she’s doing much better with not having “unfinished work.”
While this mother’s advice may not help you the next time your sensory-driven child comes home from a sleepover party sobbing with overwhelm, it may help you prevent it from happening in the first place. By following her example and practicing the tips in part two, you and your sensory driven child are both poised to win.
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