• 189 Your Child Is A Gestalt Language Learner? Uses Echolalia? 4 Tips To Help Expand Interactive Skills
    Nov 21 2024

    Hey Friends~

    Are you wondering why your child echoes you? Do they not really answer the question, but actually repeat what you say, back to you? This pattern of communication is indicative of a Gestalt Language Processor. This pattern is common among kiddos with autism. Kids without autism may also use this pattern of language, though it is most common in the very early years.

    How do you manage this?

    • Always respond
    • Be a sleuth - figure out what that echo might represent
    • Embrace their attempts to communicate
    • Understand this is a script

    Listen in for examples and ideas for how to respond, what to look for, understanding the scripts, and how to increase your child’s interactive language in supportive ways.

    Always cheering you on!

    Dinalynn

    CONTACT the Host, Dinalynn: hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    Affiliate RESOURCES I love:

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    YOUR NEXT STEPS:

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    “Beyond Obedience: Unveiling The Power of Listening In Kids”

    ➡️ https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/webinar-free-2ddd5182-6f8e8529

    Saturday, November 23, 2024, 2:00 Pacific / 4:00 Central Time zones

    Invite your friends!

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    Send Dinalynn a thought or question! hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ** For Speaking Engagements or For 1:1 or Group Parent Coaching (virtual or live), contact me at hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    If You Liked This Episode, You Will Want To Listen To These Episodes:

    188 Susanna Peace Lovell: Is Your True Self Enough? Lessons Learned In Parenting A Child With Autism

    184 Do Your Habits Reduce Your Child’s Need To Speak? 4 Strategies To Build Opportunities For Communication Growth

    183 Jeaneen Tang: Play Dumb & Sabotage! An Effective Way To Mindfully Expand Language

    55 Sarah Brumley on Simultaneously Navigating Reactive Attachment Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder with her adopted children

    51 LaDawn Hickman: Successfully Teaching Communication in the Messy with Autism

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    18 mins
  • 188 Susanna Peace Lovell: Is Your True Self Enough? Lessons Learned In Parenting A Child With Autism
    Nov 14 2024

    Hey Friends~

    Walking the road of parenting is hard. It is filled with joy and struggles. We are okay to feel the way we feel. No matter what you feel about it. Learning to let go of negative judgment and condemning thoughts about our feelings is critical to be authentically yourself. Parents are often able to do this with their kids, but continue to struggle to be so kind to themselves. If this is you, you will LOVE today’s Episode with Susanna Peace Lovell, author of Your True Self is Enough.

    Susanna’s daughter wrote in the forward of the book, “Learn to understand your child rather than make them do what you think is normal.”

    When you learn from your child who they are, instead of trying to create them to be who we want them to be, we free ourselves to do the same for ourselves.

    You will be glad you tuned in to this encouraging and authentic episode.

    Always cheering you on!

    Dinalynn

    CONTACT the Host, Dinalynn: hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ABOUT THE GUEST: Susanna Peace Lovell received her B.A. from UC Berkeley and is an author, speaker, disability rights advocate and a certified professional life coach dedicated to the health and wellness of disability families everywhere. This is also her lived experience raising a teenage daughter with myriad disabilities and diagnoses including ASD (autism spectrum disorder), ADHD, anxiety and severe food allergies.

    CONTACT THE GUEST: IG = @mamapeace www.susannapeacelovell.com

    RESOURCE to help when you TRAVEL this holiday season!

    BabyQuip is the #1 baby gear rental service, and a total game changer for families who don’t want to haul bulky gear while traveling! Follow this link for a BabyQuip Provider where you travel: https://www.babyquip.com?a=7486bd3

    YOUR NEXT STEPS:

    Sign up for the Webinar: “Beyond Obedience: Unveiling The Power Of Listening in Kids”

    https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/webinar-free-2ddd5182-6f8e8529

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    ** For Speaking Engagements or For 1:1 or Group Parent Coaching (virtual or live), contact me at hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    Other Episodes about raising a child with autism:

    51 LaDawn Hickman: Successfully Teaching Communication in the Messy with Autism

    55 Sarah Brumley on Simultaneously Navigating Reactive Attachment Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder with her adopted children

    125 Kelley Coleman: Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child

    128 From Diagnosis To Celebration - Ngoma Shares Triumphs And Struggles of Raising A Child With Autism

    142 Are You Doing Extreme Caregiving Jessica Patay Tells About Being Brave Together

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    34 mins
  • 187 Gary Chapman: Wrap Your Discipline In Their Love Language. Here's How!
    Nov 7 2024

    Hey Friends~

    Everyone has some type of dysfunction in their upbringing, but these days MANY people are unsure what a healthy family looks like! Parents often express that they wonder how to raise their kids without repeating what their parents did. One way to learn Traits of Healthy Families is to read books! Another way is by learning to speak love into your families in ways that each person understands best.

    Dr. Gary Chapman, a New York Times #1 Bestselling Author, is today's guest on The Language Of Play!

    He says you should “WRAP YOUR DISCIPLINE IN THEIR LOVE LANGUAGE.” Tune in to understand what that means with examples how to do it!

    Always cheering you on!

    Dinalynn

    CONTACT the Host, Dinalynn: hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ABOUT THE GUEST: Gary Chapman, Ph.D.—author, speaker, pastor, and counselor—has a passion for people, and for helping them form lasting relationships. Chapman is a well-known marriage counselor and director of marriage seminars. The 5 Love Languages® is one of Chapman’s most popular titles, topping various bestseller charts for years, selling over twenty million copies, and has been translated into 50 languages. Chapman has been directly involved in real-life family counseling for more than 30 years, and his nationally syndicated radio programs air on the Moody Radio Network and affiliate stations.

    CONTACT THE GUEST: www.5lovelanguages.com

    Dr. Chapman’s most recent book: 5 Traits of a Healthy Family: Steps You can Take to Grow Closer, Communicate Better, and Change the World Together

    Affiliate RESOURCES I believe in:

    BabyQuip is the #1 baby gear rental service, and a total game changer for families who don’t want to haul bulky gear while traveling! Follow this link for a BabyQuip Provider where you travel: https://www.babyquip.com?a=7486bd3

    Financial Freedom 101 from Penelope Jane Smith: Starts tomorrow! https://realprosperity.isrefer.com/go/scholarship/dinalynn/

    YOUR NEXT STEPS:

    Sign up for the Webinar: “Beyond Obedience: Unveiling The Power Of Listening in Kids”

    https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/webinar-free-2ddd5182-6f8e8529

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    Send Dinalynn a thought or question! hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ** For Speaking Engagements or For 1:1 or Group Parent Coaching (virtual or live), contact me at hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    If You Liked This Episode, You Will Want To Listen To These Episodes:

    18 Do Your Kids FEEL LOVED This Valentine's Day? Let's Find Out!

    162 Do You Know How To Show Love In Any Language? Paul Zolman Shares A Simple Game That Works!

    129 Theresa Alexander Inman: Can You Read Your Child’s Cues? Understanding This Unlocks Confusion And Builds Connection

    183 Jeaneen Tang: Play Dumb & Sabotage! An Effective Way To Mindfully Expand Language

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    33 mins
  • 186 4 Strategies To Help Young Kids Overcome Monster Fears This Halloween
    Oct 30 2024

    Hey Friends~

    The question comes up often this time of year, “How do you explain Halloween & monsters to a toddler, especially a toddler struggling with fears?”

    Actually… Kids don’t wait for halloween to fear monsters! The issue of fears is real at any time of the year. But for lots of kids, it gets ramped up during Halloween time! You cannot even go to the grocery store without seeing scary faces.

    Let’s unpack 4 ways you can help your little one get past fears. Listen to this Episode to understand the importance of what to do first and then the application of these strategies!

    FIRST: REMEMBER: KIDS' IMAGINATIONS are BIG and WONDERFUL!

    • We need to protect what they see
    • Hear what they are saying. Validate it
    • Provide comfort

    Then, Here are 4 Things to help:

    1. Create a method to interact with the monster.
    2. Create a situation where monsters are not bad - and maybe even fun.
    3. Dis-Empower the Monster.
    4. Pretend the feelings all year long

    Always cheering you on!

    Dinalynn

    CONTACT the Host, Dinalynn: hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    Affiliate RESOURCES for YOU!

    BabyQuip is the #1 baby gear rental service, and a total game changer for families who don’t want to haul bulky gear while traveling! Follow this link for a BabyQuip Provider where you travel: https://www.babyquip.com?a=7486bd3

    Financial Freedom 101 from Penelope Jane Smith: https://realprosperity.isrefer.com/go/scholarship/dinalynn/

    YOUR NEXT STEPS:

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    Send Dinalynn a thought or question! hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ** For Speaking Engagements or For 1:1 or Group Parent Coaching (virtual or live), contact me at hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    If You Liked This Episode, You Will Want To Listen To These Episodes:

    92 Do You Have A Fearful Child? 4 Steps To Calm Your Child This Halloween

    21 ”Goofy Play.” Find it Annoying? How to Handle and When to Allow

    88 Why Is Imaginary Play So Important?

    91 Using Play Dress Up To Teach Life Skills!

    101 Need to De-Stress? Why A Return to Play Works!

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    29 mins
  • 185 Anastasia Arauz Unraveling the Magic of Play Therapy in Child Development
    Oct 24 2024

    Hey Friends~

    How we communicate with our kids determines how well they understand us, Communication is key! Developmentally, we know our kids are at different levels. How do we know what is good for them?

    In play, we can learn where they are at. Today’s guest, a play therapist, Anastasia Arauz, defines play as when we are “Peaceful and grounded with who your soul is.” We discuss HOW to use play to build deep trust, get over communication hurdles, and address trauma. Take a step back. Don’t fix. Just listen and follow. Stay purely present without your phone.

    Her mission is clear: to guide families in developing a healthy mindset for building a balanced family system. You will learn so much in today’s episode! You will be glad you listened!

    Always cheering you on!

    Dinalynn

    CONTACT the Host, Dinalynn: hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ABOUT THE GUEST: Anastasia graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Elementary Education in 1996 and earned a Master of Arts in Counseling from North Carolina Central University in 2003. She also completed a Post Master Certificate in Couples and Family Counseling at UNC Greensboro in 2009.

    With 5 years of experience as a middle school teacher and 9 years as an elementary school counselor, Anastasia became a Registered Play Therapist in 2014 and served on the Board of the North Carolina Association of Play Therapy from 2013 to 2020.

    From 2019 to 2023, she built a private practice in Jacksonville, NC, working with children and families. In 2022, she began coaching parents to help them create a healthy mindset and a balanced family system.

    CONTACT THE GUEST:

    Instagram: anastasia.arauz

    https://www.anastasiaarauzcoaching.com

    anastasiaj37@gmail.com

    Affiliate RESOURCES I believe in:

    BabyQuip is the #1 baby gear rental service, and a total game changer for families who don’t want to haul bulky gear while traveling! Follow this link for a BabyQuip Provider where you travel: https://www.babyquip.com?a=7486bd3

    Financial Freedom 101 from Penelope Jane Smith: https://realprosperity.isrefer.com/go/scholarship/dinalynn/

    YOUR NEXT STEPS:

    Sign up for the Newsletter: https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/newsletter-optin

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    Send Dinalynn a thought or question! hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ** For Speaking Engagements or For 1:1 or Group Parent Coaching (virtual or live), contact me at hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    If You Liked This Episode, You Will Want To Listen To These Episodes:

    179 Lois Letchford: Dyslexia? Put Away What Is Not Working And Make Learning Fun

    183 Jeaneen Tang: Play Dumb & Sabotage! An Effective Way To Mindfully Expand Language

    174 Gina Prosch: Children Learn Best When They Don’t Know They Are Learning At All. See How!

    184 Do Your Habits Reduce Your Child’s Need To Speak? 4 Strategies To Build Opportunities For Communication Growth

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    28 mins
  • 184 Do Your Habits Reduce Your Child’s Need To Speak? 4 Strategies To Build Opportunities For Communication Growth
    Oct 18 2024

    Hey Friends~

    Our parenting and communication habits set up our children to have habits of responding.

    In general…

    If we habitually require them to interact, they will be interactive.

    If we expect and create situations where they must speak, they will speak.

    How we spend our time is what they see is how TO spend time!

    In today’s episode, we talk about the HABITS we have CREATED around our communication with our children and Which 4 habits you can develop in your interactions that cause language to blossom!

    Always cheering you on!

    Dinalynn

    CONTACT the Host, Dinalynn: hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    Affiliate RESOURCES I believe in:

    BabyQuip is the #1 baby gear rental service, and a total game changer for families who don’t want to haul bulky gear while traveling! Follow this link for a BabyQuip Provider where you travel: https://www.babyquip.com?a=7486bd3

    Financial Freedom 101 from Penelope Jane Smith: https://realprosperity.isrefer.com/go/scholarship/dinalynn/

    YOUR NEXT STEPS:

    Sign up for the Newsletter: https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/newsletter-optin

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    Send Dinalynn a thought or question! hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ** For Speaking Engagements or For 1:1 or Group Parent Coaching (virtual or live), contact me at hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    If You Liked This Episode, You Will Want To Listen To These Episodes:

    183 Jeaneen Tang: Play Dumb & Sabotage! An Effective Way To Mindfully Expand Language

    181 Gwen: Want Words To Replace Screaming In Your 1 Year Old? Listen To This Success Story!

    174 Gina Prosch: Children Learn Best When They Don’t Know They Are Learning At All. See How!

    154 A Single Father of Triplets Shares His Success Story. Happy Father’s Day!

    And so many more…

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    32 mins
  • 183 Jeaneen Tang: Play Dumb & Sabotage! An Effective Way To Mindfully Expand Language
    Oct 10 2024

    Hey Friends~

    Play Dumb & Sabotage! To the SLP, this sounds creative, loving, and intentional for making progress. To others, it might sound mean or undermining!! Listen in to see how to play dumb and sabotage well. Today’s guest, Jeaneen Tang’s definition “To mindfully under-estimate” for the purpose of expanding language.

    Lots of fabulous nuggets of information today!!

    Always cheering you on!

    Dinalynn

    CONTACT the Host, Dinalynn: hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ABOUT THE GUEST: Jeaneen Tang, speech-language pathologist and mother of a special needs child. Along with my over 20 years of experience with working go with children and adults with neurodiversity, I also have an 11 year old son who is neurodivergent. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and stroke at 13 months old. My personal and professional relationship with this amazing population has forever changed me. I hope to change their world too.

    CONTACT THE GUEST: http://www.playdumbandsabotage.com

    Get Your Book Here: www.playdumbandsabotage.com

    IG business: @playdumbandsabotage

    IG personal: @jt808

    Affiliate RESOURCES I believe in:

    BabyQuip is the #1 baby gear rental service, and a total game changer for families who don’t want to haul bulky gear while traveling! Follow this link for a provider where you travel: https://www.babyquip.com?a=7486bd3

    Financial Freedom 101 from Penelope Jane Smith: https://realprosperity.isrefer.com/go/scholarship/dinalynn/

    YOUR NEXT STEPS:

    Sign up for the Newsletter: https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/newsletter-optin

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    Send Dinalynn a thought or question! hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ** For Speaking Engagements or For 1:1 or Group Parent Coaching (virtual or live), contact me at hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    If You Liked This Episode, You Will Want To Listen To These Episodes:

    154 A Single Father of Triplets Shares His Success Story. Happy Father’s Day!

    159 Want To Expand Your Child's Sentences So You Know What They Mean?

    163 Your Child Sounds like a Child? How We Know If Sounds Are Different Vs. "Wrong"

    166 Bonus! Narrating: Effective to handle difficult behaviors and build language! Here’s how!

    167 Danielle Lindner: Does An Auditory Processing Difficulty Impact Your Child’s Ability To Read?

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    23 mins
  • 182 Tell Me The Truth Whether I Like It Or Not! 6 Questions To Guide The Process.
    Oct 3 2024

    Hey Friends~

    Have you been cultured to be quiet? Have you grown up NOT telling what is actually true for you? Perhaps you know that if you tell what you actually think - It would not be okay. You learned to say what is expected of you.

    This is “socialized behavior.” … There is a time for that.

    Not Today!

    If you want your kids to tell you the truth, you need to be able to accept ALL KINDS of truth. We cannot expect our kids to only speak the truth when we want to hear. That is, if you want an authentic, honest relationship with them!

    If we start this socialized pattern when they are small, we inadvertently teach them they cannot trust themselves, which leads to many unnecessary struggles.

    Always cheering you on!

    Dinalynn

    CONTACT the Host, Dinalynn: hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    Affiliate RESOURCES I believe in:

    BabyQuip is the #1 baby gear rental service, and a total game changer for families who don’t want to haul bulky gear while traveling! Follow this link for a BabyQuip Provider where you travel: https://www.babyquip.com?a=7486bd3

    Financial Freedom 101 from Penelope Jane Smith: https://realprosperity.isrefer.com/go/scholarship/dinalynn/

    YOUR NEXT STEPS:

    Sign up for the Newsletter: https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/newsletter-optin

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    Send Dinalynn a thought or question! hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    ** For Speaking Engagements or For 1:1 or Group Parent Coaching (virtual or live), contact me at hello@thelanguageofplay.com

    If You Liked This Episode, You Will Want To Listen To These Episodes:

    132 Erin LoPorto: Why Telling Your Child, “Don’t Worry” Doesn’t Help

    141 How Do You Inadvertently Build Doubt Into Your Child? Here’s One Way To Change Doubt Into Confidence!

    149 Triggered By Your Child’s Behavior? Gayle Weill Helps You Be Your Best Self!

    175 Do Your Kids Ask Uncomfortable Questions? Here's Help To Answer Well!

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    23 mins