Accommodations That Reduce Stress & Bring Back Connection

December and the holiday season can feel hard for so many homeschool families and kids: extra emotions, extra sensory overwhelm, extra everything. In this episode, we walk through how simple, thoughtful accommodations can instantly lower stress for both you and your child.

This isn’t about doing less.
It’s about removing barriers so your child can learn in the way their brain and body work best.

You’ll hear personal stories, practical tools, and mindset shifts that will help you create a calmer, more connected homeschool...especially during the holiday season.

Grab something warm. Take a breath. Let’s talk about real, doable ways to help your child thrive.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

⭐ 1. Why “hard days” aren’t about defiance

Kids communicate through behavior—fidgeting, tears, silliness, shutting down—all of it is communication.
Once you start reading those signals differently, everything shifts.

⭐ 2. How accommodations change everything

Accommodations aren’t cheating.
They’re how we lower barriers so our kids can stay regulated, confident, and connected.

We reframe what accommodations actually are and why they matter so much.

⭐ 3. The four questions to choose the right accommodation

No guesswork.
Just simple, clear steps to decide what your child really needs:

What is the behavior telling me?
What’s the actual barrier?
What can I change without changing the learning goal?
Did it work?

⭐ 4. A personal story that shows how small changes make BIG differences

You’ll hear about the day a wobble seat + headphones turned a meltdown-heavy handwriting lesson into something peaceful and successful.

Sometimes it really is that simple.

⭐ 5. Ways accommodations strengthen connection

Every time you adjust to meet your child’s needs, you send a powerful message:
“I see you. I hear you. I’m with you.”
That connection is what makes learning safe again.

⭐ 6. Practical December-friendly accommodations

You’ll get ready-to-use ideas for supporting:

sensory needs
attention
executive functioning
emotional regulation

All simple, all doable, all impactful.

Reflection Question

Take this with you into the week:
“What is one moment my child struggled… and what might their behavior have been trying to tell me?”

You don’t have to get it perfect.
Curiosity is enough.

📲 Join the Conversation

Tried an accommodation that worked this week?
Come tell us inside the Hub Community or drop a message in Voxer during planning day.

I love hearing what clicks for you and your kids.

PLAY to Learn Homeschool Hub Community: PLAY to Learn with Malia Phelps Waller

Community Voxer Chat: https://voxer.app.link/chats?id=1733104720536_4068543963

Final Reminder

You’re not behind.
Your child isn’t defiant intentionally.
You’re both learning, growing, and finding what works—together.
Keep the PLAY to Learn Method close: Prioritize, Lean into Needs, Assess & Adjust.

You’re doing beautifully.