09/10/2026
Parents & Educators: Before you hand them the pencil, look at the nervous system.
When a child is dysregulated, the parts of the brain responsible for reasoning, attention, impulse control, flexible thinking, and problem-solving—especially the prefrontal cortex—become less accessible.
The child may not be refusing to do the work.
Their brain and body may not be ready to access the skills the task requires.
And sometimes, even waiting a few minutes and then handing a dysregulated school-age child a paper-and-pencil task can increase the stress response.
Here’s what may be happening in their brain and body:
Their nervous system is still responding to stress.
Their muscles may be tense or restless.
Their breathing may be shallow or held.
Their attention may be focused on protection rather than learning.
Their body may be telling them, “I need to move.”
This is where physical movement matters.
Pushing. Pulling. Walking. Cross-body movement. Pressing the feet into the floor. Stretching. Heavy work.
Movement provides sensory and proprioceptive input that can help the nervous system become more organized and support a return to a state where attention, connection, and learning are more available.
Before paper and pencil, organize the body.
Because regulation begins in the body—not in behavior.
Want to learn how to recognize what a child’s nervous system may be communicating and what to do next?
Schedule a FREE Calm Chat with me.
www.moveintocalm.com
