Talking to your kids about testing
You’ve decided that this is the right time to better understand your child through an assessment, but you don’t know how to tell your child about the upcoming appointments? Here are some ways to communicate with your child about the testing sessions:
Firstly, let your child know that they are going to see a special doctor that is going to find ways to make things a little easier for them in life. Whether it’s learning about how parents can parent better, or finding ways for teachers to teach more effectively, letting them know that learning more about how their brain works will help the adults to support them better.
Secondly, tell your child that although they are going to appointment, it’s a different kind of doctor they are going to see. They are going to meet with someone who’s going to understand how they problem solve through little games, and brain teasers. This is not your medical doctor, and there will be no needles and medicine.
Remember to:
Stay Positive: Start with your child's strengths to build confidence.
(You’re really good at [name specific things] and we want to find out more about how your brain thinks).
Be Honest: Explain the challenges in a straightforward but gentle manner.
(Everyone has strengths, and it’s important to understand the things that are hard for us too. Together we are going to figure out why [name the challenge] is so tricky right now.)
Offer Support: Assure your child that there are plans in place to help them succeed.
(This doesn’t mean something is wrong with you, but it give all the adults in your life information to make [school or home] better for you)
Encourage Questions: Let your child ask questions and express their feelings about the assessment.
(Answer the questions you can, and if there are ones that you can’t, let your child know they bring really good ideas, and you’ll bring the questions to Dr. Anna).
What if my child doesn’t want to be assessed?
Letting your child know they are not forced typically helps kids engage with the testing. Sharing with them what you hope to learn, and asking them if they hope to find things about about themselves can help develop a goal together about the testing process. Need more support in this, feel free to send me a message.
How to prepare my kid for the appointment?
Your appointment day is approaching, and your child wants to know what to expect, here are some specific things you can share with them:
We want to better understand how you solve problems and see the world. By understanding how your brain thinks, we can figure out ways to help you learn and grow. Dr. Anna is going to ask you lots of questions, and we just want you to try your best.
You might be asked to draw, write, or do things similar to what you do in school. Some activities might feel fun, some might be tricky, and others might be a bit boring. Just trying your best will give us a good idea of how your brain works, helping us know all your strengths and the areas where you might need some help.