Well hello there! My name is Annie. I’m a Texas-based mom and Occupational Therapist with additional background in gymnastics, psychology, and education, and I’m so glad you’ve taken a moment to check out this blog! westcoastchristianaccord.com is a place where I am dedicated to encouraging, educating, and empowering those who care for children.
I became a mama in 2012 and then, three months later, I began my career as a pediatric Occupational Therapist (pediatric OT). Thus, the origins of West Coast Christian Accord! I have found myself in the unique position of learning how to be both a mom and an OT simultaneously, and the really amazing thing is that each role teaches me how to do a better job in the other.
Being a new mom has given me a very unique perspective as I work with families to further their children’s development, especially when it comes to working with very young ones (such as itty bitty babies). I can really empathize and connect with the parents of my clients when they ask me about things like sleep deprivation, teething, feeding, or baby toys because I am going through it right along with them!
Conversely, being a part of the OT world has given me such a great pool of knowledge and hands-on experience from which to pull as I interact with and care for my own children. What a blessing! Every time I learn something new as an OT, I think to myself, I wish everyone who worked with kids knew about that!
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I am learning first-hand that that is absolutely true! No one of us can do this by ourselves. We need other people to support us as we invest ourselves into caring for children of all ages. So whether you are a therapist, educator, parent, foster parent, family member, babysitter, nanny, or a friend who’s just helping out, my hope is that I can be a part of your “village”. I will do my best to supply you with helpful tips, tricks, information, ideas, and resources that will boost your ability to care for and work with the kids in your life.
Although many topics I address on this blog will be the direct result of something I’ve experienced while raising my own children (thus often reflecting ideas beneficial for other children of their similar ages), I will aim to cover topics that can be applied to older and younger children as well. Please take a moment to check out the categories covered on this blog by clicking on the “Home” tab at the top of this page and then reading through the list on the right side of the page.
My vision is that this blog will be a lighthearted space filled with helpful ideas and information, rather than something to make you feel insecure about how your child is developing relative to generic lists of what kids “should” be doing at various ages. If you are interested in reading about issues related to a particular stage of life or skill level that has not yet been covered, let me know by sending an email to annie [at] westcoastchristianaccord [dot] com and I will do my best to put together a post that will help you out (though I can’t guarantee it).
Also, I should add that appropriate supervision should be given to the child in your care when completing any activities from this site. You as the grown-up will need to decide what types of products/activities on this site will be safe for your child. If you’re not sure, check with your child’s occupational therapist or pediatrician. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when implementing ideas from this site, particularly if there is any risk of injury (e.g., falling, crashing), choking (e.g., small parts), drowning (e.g., water play), or allergic/adverse reaction (e.g., materials/ingredients). The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any activities from this post or this site.
If you find yourself wanting even more handy tips and tricks to help the kids in your life, then consider subscribing to West Coast Christian Accord by entering your email address in the box below!
