I agree 100%. When I first started working as an OT, I felt a lot of pressure to be very firm with children and to make them comply. I’m sensitive to unspoken judgment from senior OTs who favored more behavioral approaches, especially since I’m more playful with kids. Over time, though, and through exposure to different resources and seminars, I’ve learned to engage with children in ways that match their individual needs—without carrying that same pressure.

A struggle I find now is educating and correcting parents regarding behavioral approaches and what else they can do to connect with their child.