Indispensable People
Making the Gospel Accessible to people of ALL abilities so that they may know Christ, grow in Him, and serve Him with the gifts He has given them.
Indispensable People
Fidget Tools for Enhanced Focus and Inclusivity
Imagine a world where traditional expectations of attentiveness are flipped on their head. Join me, Tracie Corll, as I share personal stories and insights into the transformative impact of fidget tools for individuals with ADHD and autism. Through heartfelt anecdotes, I'll take you on a journey through spaces like my church, where embracing unique needs redefines what it means to respect and be attentive. Discover how these tools are not mere toys but essential aids for enhancing focus, managing stress, and connecting with one's faith across all age groups.
Explore the therapeutic potential of fidget tools and learn why they should be viewed as vital support mechanisms rather than distractions. I unpack their role in fostering environments where individuals of all abilities can thrive and contribute, especially within disability ministry. While acknowledging my own imperfections in this field, my commitment to spiritual growth and inclusivity shines through. Whether it's therapy putty or sensory stickers, find out how these unassuming tools can be game changers in everyday life, helping to manage anxiety, boredom, and agitation while fostering a deeper connection to faith and community.
Hi, my name is Tracy Correll and welcome to Indispensable People. I'm a wife, mom, teacher, pastor and missionary, and I believe that every person should have the opportunity to know Christ, grow in Him and serve Him with the gifts that he has given, no matter their ability. Over 65 million Americans have a disability. That's 25% of the population. However, over 80% of them are not inside the walls of our church. Let's dive into those hard topics biblical foundations, perceptions and world-changing ideas. Hey, hey, and welcome to this episode of Indispensable People. Today we're talking fidget tools, not toys.
Speaker 1:Now, I don't know about you, but I have grown up in an old school kind of home and in that home here is the thinking. I'm just going to lay it out for you. Children listen, and if they're listening, they're looking, and respect is a great big deal and it comes in the form of a very specific look, and if it doesn't look that way, then it's disrespectful. And here's what I can tell you. Respect is important. Understanding the situations that may not look exactly like you think they should are really, really important, and here's a great explanation of what explanation or example. I'm going gonna give you a couple examples. So, for example, a few years back my church and I have shared this story before. My church did what was called the Passion Play and during that time I was the stage manager something fancy name, for I opened the door when people needed to go in and off a stage and I kept things calm behind that stage door before they went out so that they didn't cause chaos or make noise to distract from the show. So the particular door that I was responsible for. There were a lot of kids there and so it was really important to keep them under wraps, nice and quiet, calm, things in order. And the kids did really well and they were excited to be a part of it. And so, you know, we used our whisper strategies and things like that to keep things in order. And there was a particular gentleman, an adult, who would be pacing and moving and all kinds of things behind the stage. And I said to him hey, jokingly, you're worse than the kids. And he went on to tell me how he was diagnosed with ADHD and it's very difficult for him to stay still. And he said that if he were to go into service on a Sunday morning and listen to the pastor's sermon, that he would struggle if he was sitting in a seat, he said but if he just stood in the back of the sanctuary and was able to shift the weight of his body from foot to foot, then he would be able to reiterate everything that pastor said on that morning. So that's example number one.
Speaker 1:Example number two is a little guy who is now a teenager. When he first came to our church, sitting, listening, focusing, were incredibly difficult for him. He's diagnosed with autism and he just struggled to sit in a space to be a part of what was going on and to, you know, make eye contact, listen to the speaker, all of that kind of stuff. After getting to know him and kind of figuring some things out with him, we made him a box and in this box had a few different things that he really liked to play with or enjoy, and in there were particularly Legos that he would choose to fidget with while he was listening. And one particular day I was his buddy and I sat next to him and he's in his box doing his thing and while he was in there the pastor was kind of asking questions from the stage about her sermon that she was sharing, and under his breath he's answering every single question. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He knew the answers to what she was asking, he was having full participation. But an old school person would think he's being disrespectful, he's not listening to the speaker, he's not participating appropriately. Speaker, he's not participating appropriately and that really just wasn't the case. He required a different way to listen so that his body could calm himself in enough way that he could hear and listen to receive what was being said. So here we are, arriving at the conversation about fidgets, and today we're really going to talk about fidgets being a tool and not a toy, Because I can tell you from experience that a lot of times when I suggest fidgets to children's pastors, youth pastors, children's pastors, youth pastors, or even for adults, On occasion, I get the eye roll.
Speaker 1:Why do I get the eye roll? Because fidgets have become such a large group of toys and they have caused disruption and distraction in those spaces. So let's really break it down. What is the actual purpose for fidgets? Fidgets are therapeutic devices that help with focus, self-regulation and coping with feelings of anxiety, boredom and agitation, and they can also help with creative inspirations. What are the benefits of fidgets? They can provide tangible benefits that significantly impact daily life, and I can tell you from full experience that that is absolutely true. They can help with stress management, which my son loves to keep something in his pocket and when he feels anxious he can fidget with it. They boost productivity because it allows your body to calm down and the brain to do what it needs to do. It improves overall well-being, provides tactile, auditory and visual input. So for those who have sensory-seeking bodies, those who are looking for that sensory input, it gives the body what it needs to be able to do what it's supposed to do. So what are some examples of fidgets? Therapy putty, stress balls, hand loopers, tactile tools, exercise balls, weighted lap pads, coiled key chains and those are just a few, Some of my favorite fidgets that I share and typically give away when we do church visits or trainings or any of those kinds of things.
Speaker 1:It is a sensory sticker, which is a great tool, especially for teens and adults, because it doesn't look like a toy. It's actually a sensory sticker that has, like, some bumps on it and things like that, and it fits perfectly on, like open and there's a marble in it. It's quiet, it's calm, it comes in all kinds of patterns, it does not make any noise whatsoever, and so it's a great tool in that way. The other thing are fidget rings. You can get these super duper cheap Amazon has them or you can get more stylish fidget rings especially there's lots available for women and girls and they look like a regular ring, except there's a fidget built in. So I love those ones because, again, they don't bring disruption. They look like items that any person could have, so it doesn't make someone stick out if that is a concern, and they are really tools that anybody can use in any atmosphere. The therapy putty or weighted lap pads or exercise balls are not necessarily something you're going to have in every single environment, so you want to be thoughtful about how they can be used, and these are great tools to put in a sensory bag or a buddy bag that when anyone comes into your church, if the need arises it's kind of like a go bag you can get up and go with it.
Speaker 1:So let's talk about fidgets being misused and how we can be intentional about setting them up for a positive use. First, we want to be mindful. We want to consider whether or not the person actually needs the fidget, and here's what will happen Using the fidget. Their behavior should become better. If the behavior becomes worse, the fidget is unnecessary. Next, don't use it as a toy. It's not for entertainment. So only use a fidget to help with focus attention or to calm down. It should not be a distraction to others.
Speaker 1:If the fidget distracts others or interferes with their work, use a different one, or maybe they don't need it at all. In addition to that, you need to be aware of the potential drawbacks of fidgets. They can consume, distract or prevent someone from concentrating on other things and again, if that is the case, then it's actually not a need. They don't necessarily need that. So, again, while fidgets look like toys, they're actually therapeutic devices and I think using the word tools fidget tools as opposed to toys help people understand that and it sets a different perspective so that they can have them for proper use.
Speaker 1:Make sure that they're not causing a distraction and that they are being utilized in a way that assists or aids someone. So fidgets are handheld devices that help with self-regulation and focus and allow people to better cope with feelings of boredom, anxiety and agitation. These are tools that will aid your Sunday morning ministries, your midweek ministries. It will allow individuals to be able to calm their bodies, calm their minds so that they can hear the message of the gospel that is being shared. Do I know everything about disability ministry? Do I have all the answers? Have I done everything perfectly? I have absolutely not, but we are going to continue this conversation so that people of all abilities can have the opportunity to know Christ, grow in Him and serve Him with the gifts that he has given them. Bye.
