Brain Balance Centers

09/20/2026

Some of the parenting beliefs many of us grew up with were meant to teach respect, resilience, and independence. But what if we looked at them through a developmental lens?

Crying over something “small” may be a child struggling to regulate a very real emotion. Saying “no” can be part of learning boundaries and autonomy. Seeking comfort isn’t necessarily a lack of resilience, it can be part of how children learn to feel safe, regulate, and eventually navigate difficult moments more independently.

Follow along for more child-development insights and practical ways to better understand what’s behind your child’s behavior. 🤍

09/19/2026

Ever notice your child struggling with balance, coordination, posture, handwriting, or sitting still and wonder what might be behind it? 🧠

Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns babies are born with. As the nervous system develops, these reflexes typically integrate as children gain more voluntary control over their movements.

When reflex patterns remain active, they may be one piece of the developmental picture — but they’re not the only possible explanation for these challenges.

At Brain Balance, we look at development through a whole-child lens, exploring how areas like movement, coordination, sensory processing, attention, and learning can work together.

So what does the Moro reflex actually look like? What about ATNR, STNR, or Spinal Galant?

Follow along as we break down each reflex, what it does, and what you may notice in everyday life. 👀

09/18/2026

What happens when your child has tried different approaches, but you still feel like the pieces aren’t coming together? 💚

Monica Chizek shares why Brain Balance takes a whole-child approach, looking at the interconnected sensory, motor, cognitive, and behavioral skills that may be contributing to the challenges a child experiences every day.

For families who are still searching for answers and the right support, understanding the bigger picture can be an important next step.

Learn more about the Brain Balance approach and find a center near you.

09/16/2026

When a child struggles to sit still, stay focused, or follow through, the question shouldn’t only be, "How do we stop the behavior?” 🧠
It can also be: What might be contributing to it?

In this conversation, Amber, Brain Balance Program Director, shares why looking beyond the behavior and understanding the skills behind a child’s challenges can be an important piece of the puzzle when supporting them.

Every child is different, and understanding the “why” can help families explore the support that makes sense for their child. 💚

09/14/2026

We often ask kids to “calm down” in the exact moment their brain is having the hardest time doing it.

Emotional regulation isn’t simply knowing what to do when emotions get big. It’s a skill that develops through practice, especially during the calm moments. 🧠

Simple habits like mindful breathing, noticing sensations, grounding exercises, and talking about emotions can help children build greater self-awareness and practice returning to a regulated state after frustration, worry, or overwhelm.

The goal isn’t to teach children to avoid difficult emotions. It’s to help them develop the tools to recognize those emotions, move through them, and recover more effectively.

And when coping strategies don't seem to “stick,” it may be worth looking deeper at the interconnected skills that support regulation in the first place.

Read the full blog to explore simple mindfulness practices that can support emotional regulation, confidence, and resilience.

09/12/2026

Why do we look at visual skills during a Brain Balance assessment? 👀🧠

Because seeing clearly is only one part of how the brain uses visual information.

Skills like eye tracking, visual coordination, and the ability to efficiently process what the eyes are seeing can play a role in everyday tasks, from following a line of text while reading to copying from the board, catching a ball, or staying engaged with schoolwork.

During an assessment, looking at how a child responds to visual and motor tasks can give us another piece of the bigger developmental picture.

It’s not about diagnosing a vision problem. It’s about understanding how different brain and body systems may be working together and identifying areas that could benefit from additional support.

Want to learn more about what happens during a Brain Balance assessment? Contact your local center to get started.

09/11/2026

For kids with ADHD, getting ready in the morning can involve more than simply knowing what comes next. Remembering multiple steps, shifting from one task to another, managing distractions, and keeping track of belongings can make even a familiar routine feel overwhelming.

Making the routine visible can take some of that pressure off. A simple checklist, one direction at a time, keeping school essentials in the same place, and preparing what you can the night before can help reduce the number of things a child has to remember all at once.

The goal isn’t a perfectly smooth morning. It’s creating a routine that asks their brain to hold a little less at one time.

09/10/2026

By September, it can feel like everyone should have settled into the school year already.

But adjusting to school isn't just about remembering where the classroom is or learning the daily schedule.

Children are adapting to different expectations, relationships, environments, sensory experiences, academic demands, and routines, sometimes all at once.

Some kids jump right in. Others need more repetition, preparation, reassurance, or support before the new routine starts to feel familiar.

So if mornings are still messy, drop-off is still emotional, or your child hasn't completely found their rhythm yet, September doesn't have to be a deadline.

Keep observing. Keep practicing. Keep routines predictable where you can. The adjustment is a process, not a race.

If you're feeling like your child's struggles this school year go beyond the adjustment period, Brain Balance is here to help.

09/08/2026

What if supporting a child meant looking beyond just one challenge? 🧠

Attention, learning, emotional regulation, sensory processing, movement, and executive functioning don’t exist in isolation, they’re interconnected parts of a child’s development. That’s the idea behind a holistic approach: looking at the whole child and the foundational skills they rely on every day.

Our latest blog explores what a holistic child focus program can include, why addressing multiple areas of development matters, and how the Brain Balance approach brings these pieces together.

Read the full blog to learn more.

09/06/2026

Children learn about themselves from more than the words we say directly to them. They’re also listening to the stories we tell about them.

“He’s our picky one.”

“She’s so stubborn.”

“He never listens.”

“She’s the shy one.”

“She has a meltdown over everything.”

These comments can feel harmless, especially when we’re tired, frustrated, joking with another parent, or trying to explain our child’s behavior to someone else. But when a child repeatedly hears the same description of themselves, a temporary behavior can begin to sound like an identity.

There’s a meaningful difference between saying, “She’s so picky” and “She’s still learning to feel comfortable trying different foods.”

Between “He’s stubborn” and “He really wants to do things independently and has a hard time when plans change.”

Between “She’s dramatic” and “She experiences some emotions very strongly and is still learning what to do with those feelings.”

Between “He never listens” and “He sometimes needs directions broken into smaller steps.

This doesn’t mean parents have to pretend difficult behaviors aren’t difficult. You can acknowledge challenges, set boundaries, seek support, and talk openly about what your child is struggling with. But whenever possible, separate the child from the behavior.

Because “you’re difficult” and “you’re having a difficult time” tell a child two very different stories about who they are.

Our words can leave room for growth: This is something you’re working through, not who you are.

02/03/2020

If your child exhibits symptoms of a learning or behavioral disorder and experiences gastrointestinal problems, leaky gut syndrome could be a contributing factor.

The link between Leaky Gut Syndrome and Neuro-Developmental Issues:

Leaky Gut Syndrome occurs when the lining of the intestinal wall becomes compromised, undigested food particles and waste products can get through and enter the bloodstream. When this occurs, the immune system responds with inflammation throughout the body.

This Inflammation can lead to symptoms like gastrointestinal issues, headaches, fatigue, rashes, achy joints, allergies, inability to focus, sleep disturbances and changes in mood or behavior.

If your child is experiencing the above symptoms, he may benefit from simple diet changes, outlined in our Balance 360 clean eating system, the healthy nutrition component to the Brain Balance Program.

Learn more: https://info.brainbalancecenters.com/help-for-leaky-gut-in-children

02/03/2020

“Parenting has nothing to do with perfection. Perfection isn’t even the goal, not for us, not for our children. Learning together to live well in an imperfect world, loving each other despite or even because of our imperfections, and growing as humans while we grow our little humans, those are the goals of gentle parenting. So don’t ask yourself at the end of the day if you did everything right. Ask yourself what you learned and how well you loved, then grow from your answer. That is perfect parenting.”
- L.R. Knost

01/31/2020

Change is not immediate, but an evolution over time. You can jumpstart this process by implementing an aspect of excitement about sampling new cuisines. Try having FUN with food items, exploring the various types of vegetables and fruits, colors, textures and shapes, with no expectation of eating it (just yet).

https://blog.brainbalancecenters.com/fresh-start-on-picky-eating

01/31/2020

When Mother Nature makes the weather unpleasant, staying indoors can become as much about safety as it is comfort. One day of watching movies and cuddling with hot chocolate is novel, but anyone can become a bit stir crazy and hyperactive as the days wear on. Children with or who are prone to hyperactivity are apt to have a particularly tough time remaining inside with little room to run and play.

How can you keep your kids content when you're trapped inside? Here are some cabin fever busters for all ages.

https://blog.brainbalance.com/cabin-fever-hyperactivity

01/30/2020

"Be the today that you want your to remember tomorrow!"
- Unknown

01/30/2020

A new study from psychologists and doctors in Canada found increased screen time in young children can cause issues with children reaching developmental milestones. For each age group, children with increased screen times showed poorer performances on developmental testing when they reached the next age group. Developmental evaluations included communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social skills.

The totals are well above the recommended 1 hour per day of screen time watching high-quality programs. Researchers say about one quarter of children are not developmentally ready for school entry and the trend parallels an increase in screen time use by children.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2722666

01/29/2020

"We can be pretty hard on ourselves, can't we?
We wonder if we are doing enough, volunteering enough, making enough, crafting enough, cleaning enough, mothering enough.
We question ourselves, don't we?
Are we enough as moms? Are we doing a good enough job? Are our kids missing out? Are our kids doing too much? Is the house clean enough? Are the dishes done? Did we plan an activity for the next big holiday? The list goes on and on my friends.
Why do we do this to ourselves?"

Are we enough as moms? Are we doing a good enough job? Are our kids missing out? The list goes on and on my friends. Why do we do this to ourselves? Our...

01/28/2020

Even if your child was extremely pleased and grateful for all the gifts and toys they received over the holidays, there are some children who experience a bit of a letdown when everything is over. It often feels similar to emptiness – like “now what?” Weeks, and in some cases, even months, of anticipation are over and done with – just like that.

This is a feeling that can manifest as depression, anxiety or sadness that can linger long after the holidays are over. Children, particularly younger children, may not realize why they feel this way.

The good news is, there are a few strategies you can use to help your children overcome this feeling of the post-holiday letdown.

https://blog.brainbalancecenters.com/helping-your-child-overcome-new-year-blues

01/28/2020

"She was the child who never cried during separation. She never had a fear of anything, so we always needed to keep an eye out, as we never knew if she was going to wander.

I could go on and on about the many changes that we saw in our kids. Brain Balance helped our family succeed."

- SHER N., BRAIN BALANCE PARENT

*Individual Results May Vary

http://www.brainbalancecenters.com/success-stories/success-story/carsyn/

01/28/2020

Common school activities — including fun things like games and story time — can be problematic for children who struggle with visual processing difficulties. Figure-ground perception is an important aspect of visual processing that allows children to understand what they see — an important brain function that affects everything from learning to read to solving puzzles.

https://blog.brainbalancecenters.com/visual-processing-explained-visual-figure-ground-perception