Celebrating 26 Years
Up Wee Grow, Inc. is an agency approved by the NYS Early Intervention and CPSE programs to provide evaluations and services to children and families in their homes and schools, In-Person (or via Telehealth). Evaluations and Therapies are provided for children from birth through age 5 in Suffolk County, Nassau County, and all 5 Boroughs of New York City.
Our services are provided to children by fully licensed therapists and certified teachers through the New York State Early Intervention Program and the New York State Board of Education Committee for Preschool Special Education.
ABA - Applied Behavior Analysis
Psychology
Service Coordination
Speech Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Audiology
Special Education
Physical Therapy
Social Work
Serving seven counties of New York State: Suffolk | Nassau | Queens | Brooklyn | Bronx | Manhattan | Staten Island
Contact us and speak with an Early Intervention Specialist.
Birth To 3
Early Intervention
Birth To 3 - Early Intervention
Up Wee Grow, Inc. is approved by New York State and has contracts with Suffolk, Nassau, New York City, and Westchester to provide Early Intervention services.
Ages 3 to 5
CPSE
Ages 3 to 5 - CPSE
If you are concerned about your child's development between the ages of 3 and 5 you may refer him/her to your School District’s Committee for Preschool Special Education (CPSE) to request an evaluation.
Autism
ABA Program
Autism - ABA Program
Up Wee Grow, Inc. provides the highest quality A.B.A. programming (Applied Behavior Analysis) at the direction of our Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Licensed Psychologist (Ph.D.).
We teach parents Maximum Strength Parenting through use of F.E.A.T.S. (Family-friendly Evaluation and Teaching System), our comprehensive system to empower parents to promote positive growth across six developmental domains with a multi-modal approach. This includes six interactive charts that we created based on 22 well-normed, peer-reviewed assessment instruments to provide families with realistic guidelines regarding typical developmental milestones in six areas from birth through kindergarten.
F.E.A.T.S Tips For Parents
How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb? One, but the light bulb has to want to change
Try to guess the best predictor of success for those who engage in therapy with a psychologist. Is it a patient factor, like the patient’s age, intelligence, or...
Head-Banging
It is not especially uncommon for a child to bang his head in the context of a temper tantrum, however, it is important to take head-banging seriously. Given the...
Well-Rounded or Sharp? Will your child be heard from the herd?
Do you consider yourself well-rounded, accomplished in many areas, and a Renaissance Person? Or do you consider yourself an “expert” in one or two particular areas? ...
How ‘useful’ is your opinion?
Psychologist Carl Jung said, “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” Try to keep that in mind on our journey together...
The Terrible (or Terrific?) Two’s
The “Terrible Two’s” need not be “Terrible” at all. In fact, the “Terrible Two’s” could just as easily be called the “Terrific Two’s”. The supposed “Terrible” aspect...
The Best “Time-Out” Happens with “Time-In”
In our “A.T.I.P.” model of discipline (i.e., Avoiding, Teaching, Ignoring, or Punishing), by definition “Time-Out” falls into the “Punish” category, because it is...
Real Live Make Believe
“Play” is the instinct of all young beings. It is observed all over the world, among cubs and calves, and among puppies and pip squeaks. Play is the fast track to the...
Paving the Road to Self-Regulation (for children with hyper-sensitivity/anxiety)
Self-regulation of hyper-sensitivity/anxiety occurs along a continuum. Recognition of the steps along that continuum is important so that you can help your child grow...
Riding a Tricycle
Riding a Tricycle with Pedals, Maneuvering Around Obstacles, Turning, Stopping and Starting “Road-Test” To determine if the tricycle is the right size for your child...
Telling the Name of a Parent
“Family Tree” This skill becomes very important as children become more independent. If separated from you, Your child will be reunited with you much faster if your...
Remaining in Designated Play Areas
“STAY PUT!” Bring your child to a place such as an outside playground, a friend’s house, an indoor play area. Show where your child is allowed to play and explain that...
“I tried ‘Time-Out’ and it doesn’t work!”
As indicated above, the term “Time-Out” is an abbreviation and originates from the longer phrase “Time-Out from reinforcement.” As such, there are many ways to conduct...
Define specific behavior problems/goals
Step 1: Clearly define a Goal – a specific negative behavior that you want to decrease or a specific positive behavior you want to increase By clearly defining a...
“Your Duty, Honor, and Privilege”
It is every parent’s duty, honor, and privilege to teach their child. No doubt, you will find that many of the following “F.E.A.T.S.™ Techniques” are obvious, but...
“I Know I shouldn’t compare kids, but…”
Comparing Kids? Go Ahead! COMPARE (but do it right): Somewhere along the line, a notion has evolved: “YOU SHOULDN’T COMPARE KIDS.” Still, many parents go right on to...
Transitions
How can I get my child to ‘Go with the flow’?” When your child’s routine is interrupted and/or when transitions are imposed, he may become frustrated, resist, and/or...
Caution, this website may make you dizzy
Buckle up. The “flavor” of Maximum Strength Parenting varies greatly from chapter to chapter (and sometimes moment to moment). At various points throughout this book,...
Toilet Training “Triumph!”
“Readiness”: We don’t teach algebra in kindergarten because 5-year-olds aren’t ready. So how do you know when your child is “ready” for training? To begin training,...
Your moment, make it a good one
Fast forward many years: The master plan was kind to you. Your “moment” has come. You had a nice run, and you’re ready to check out. Hopefully, you won’t be in too...
Standing Alone
“Stand On Your Own Two Feet” Use a standing position to remove your child’s coat. Hold the coat but not your child’s body. Following a bath place your child in a...
“What’s the difference between Punishment and Discipline?”
“Punishment” only refers to decreasing negative behavior, while “Discipline” not only refers to decreasing negative behavior but also to increasing positive behavior. ...
Knowing “9 – 1 – 1” and When To Use It
“Just in Case” It is very important that your child knows how to reach someone in an emergency as soon as possible. Discuss various situations that your child...
When is a Bride a Reward, and when is a Reward a Bribe?
We often hear parents say things like, “Junior didn’t want to go to the store, but I bribed him with a lollipop.” We disagree with the assertion that the child was...
Modify as needed
Step 6: Modify as needed Based on the results of Step 4 (Monitoring the Effectiveness of my Strategy) and Step 5 (Monitoring my own attitude and behavior in the...
The Missing Tile Syndrome
The “Missing Tile Syndrome” refers to a preoccupation with imperfections and anomalies. Picture a large beautiful tile mosaic where out of the 1,000 tiles, 10 are...
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness
In the previous section we considered “Useless Dissatisfaction” and “Useful Dissatisfaction” in the terms of the moral obligation parents have to their children to be...
The Long-view: Humane and strong parenting “over the years and through the tears”
Here are two major societal trends: (1) Expectation of Instant Results: We have come to expect instant results. Within less than 1 second an internet search can return...
Generate a list of possible solutions
Step 2: Generate several possible solutions from the categories of A.T.I.P. Of course, each of the categories in A.T.I.P. may not be applicable in all situations...
Keep the boat (and behavior) on course: “The Navigator’s Mind-Set”
Medical doctors often strive to cure diseases (e.g., an antibiotic “works” because it “fixes” and eliminates an ear infection), however, it is equally important for...
Where there’s a Will there’s a way – The importance of having a Last Will and Testament
Sure it’s an unpleasant topic, and of course, we can’t control the world from the grave, but having a will is an important legal document not only for leaving assets to...
Quiz: Are you a Democrat, Dictator, or Doormat?
To determine your parenting style, take this little quiz by circling what you would do in each of the following scenarios. Of course, “it depends on the...
How do I know when to Avoid, Teach, Ignore, or Punish? What is the “Manners Manager”?
You may ask, “So, I know A.T.I.P., but what should I do?” Just use the ‘Manners Manager’! To debate specifics about various behaviors is futile because the purpose of...
Puts Outerwear in an Assigned Place
“Hang-Up Your Coat!” Create a designated area to place the family’s outerwear (coat rack, closet, hook). Place your child’s name in the designated area so your child...
“Show-and-Tell Scaffolding”
“Show and Tell” is an easy way to remember and implement the technique of scaffolding. “SHOW” involves providing your child with...
“Should I Be a Democrat, a Dictator, and/or a Doormat?”
Parenting decisions can be complex, yet a simple framework is helpful for seeing how three common styles (i.e., Democrat, Dictator, Doormat) vary along four dimensions...
“What educational principles are “F.E.A.T.S. Techniques” based upon?
Two of the most well-known and well-respected theorists in the field of early childhood development are Jean Piaget (1896 to 1980) and Lev Vygotsky (1896 to 1934)....
PAIRenting: Where do you land (or fall) on ‘agreement’ with your partner in child-rearing?
It is often said that “You don’t know somebody until you live with them.” We reject that notion, and, offer, instead, the following: “You don’t know somebody until...
Using a Napkin
“Wipe That (Messy) Look Off Your Face!” Give your child opportunities to wipe his face with a cloth, towel, blanket, tissue and wipes. Point to the napkin and then to...
Wiping Nose with Help
“Don’t Look Down Your Nose At Me!” Leave a box of tissues within your child’s reach. Make sure the tissue is soft so it doesn’t irritate your child’s nose. During play,...
I was walking down the street one day…
Imagine being on a walk with your child and you are approached by a frail, physically non-threatening stranger who begins to yell at Junior. Given the...
Holding Own Bottle
“Message in a Bottle: MMMMM!” Position your child at a 90-degree angle. Make sure both you and your child are comfortable and supported. Present a bottle to your child,...
Test your “vision”
Agree or Disagree? The glass is Half-Empty. Agree or Disagree? The glass is Half-Full. Agree or Disagree? It is TERRIBLE for a toddler...
Combing/Brushing Hair
“Doin’ the Doo” Have your child go with you to the store to buy a comb or brush. Buy a small comb or brush for your child to use to brush a doll’s hair during play....
Illusion of Invulnerability: The source of actions, both great and crazy
George Bernard Shaw said, “Youth is wasted on the young.” But what if some young whipper-snapper quips, “Experience and knowledge are wasted on the old”? In youth,...
A-Ha!
I was greatly inspired by the book “Single Session Therapy: Maximizing the Effect of the First (and Often Only) Therapeutic Encounter,” by Moshe Talmon. Psychologists...
Safely Exploring Cabinets and Drawers
“Christopher Columbus, Magellan, and Now: Your Child!” Create opportunities for your child to safely explore household objects. Empty one or two drawer cabinets and...
All the simplicity money can’t buy
It’s a classic scene: the birthday gift sits in the distance, while the kids play with the wrapping paper and box the gift came in. It’s enough with...
Monitor the effectiveness of your strategy
Step 4: Monitor the effectiveness of your strategy Periodically monitor the effectiveness of your behavior management strategy. You may need to monitor more frequently...
BITING: Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Biting is fairly common among young children. But just because biting can be considered a “typical” behavior, we still need to stop it as soon as possible because...
Lying: Liar, Liar, pants on fire!
Why does my child lie? Children younger than age 5 or 6 frequently blur the line and can have difficulty making the distinction between fantasy and reality. Beginning...
Pulling to a Standing Position
“You’ve Gotta Pull Your Own Weight” Draw your child’s attention to a favorite toy that you have placed on a couch or low table. Then place your child in various...
Tantrums – Tirades and Tyranny
“WHAT is a Tantrum?” tan·trum noun. A fit of bad temper. (according to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright © 2000 by...
“OPEN WIDE!”
FEEDING During feeding, make sure that your child is always positioned appropriately (upright, at a 90-degree angle). Never leave your child unattended. Make sure all...
Giving Up The Bottle
“What Do I Look Like, Some Sort of Baby?” Once your child has mastered drinking from a cup, gradually decrease the amount of liquids in the bottle. Give bottles less...
Mother Nature’s guidelines for giving up the bottle/pacifier
There is evidence that babies have used some version of a pacifier for “non-nutritive sucking” since 1,000 B.C. Also, “non-nutritive sucking” begins in the womb and is...
Teacher or Torture?
It’s the day after Halloween. Do you hide the bowl of candy (to avoid tantrums), or do you keep it within your child’s view (and set limits on when and how much candy...
“How long should ‘Time-Out’ last?” (Use the Clock and the Calendar)
The best known and most generally accepted guideline for the duration of “Time-out” is one minute per year of age (e.g., 2 minutes for a 24-month-old; 2-½ minutes for a...
“What is the difference between Rights and Privileges (and why is that SO important)?”
There are rights and privileges in the world. In each country, governments decide for their citizens what is a “right” and what is a “privilege.” In your role as...
Fastens and Unfastens Buttons
“No BUTS, Just BUTTON IT!” Demonstrate buttoning and unbuttoning so that your child can see how it is done. Have your child practice buttoning and unbuttoning on...
“At what age can I begin to use ‘Time-Out’?”
Remember that “Time-Out” by definition is a “Punishment” as it is intended to decrease negative behaviors. Nowhere in the definition is it mentioned that a child must...
Magical things every parent should know about Peter Pan
James M. Barrie was born in 1860, as the ninth child of ten in a large Scottish family. James was 6 years old when his brother, David, died in a skating accident, just...
How ALL (met and unmet) Expectations Undermine Happiness
It is obvious that expectations decrease happiness when those expectations are not met, but expectations also decrease happiness when they are met! How?...
Picking Up Small Objects with a Pincer Grasp
With a PINCER GRASP (the tips of the index finger and thumb) Use of the Pincer Grasp allows for more refined manipulations of objects that is required for some more...
“But I’m too busy to be able to teach with all these fancy techniques!”
“F.E.A.T.S.™ Techniques” are specifically designed to be easy to implement, fun, and effective. The “F.E.A.T.S.™ Techniques” are...
“Where did God come from?” asked my 5 year old
It took me a few seconds to get my mind around his question when my 5-year-old son asked one day, “Where did God come from?” On another day, my 4-year-old daughter...
Resistance of Sharing
“Mine, mine, all mine!” or “Share, share, that’s fair!” Of course, sharing can be very difficult for some children (at any age). Often children do not distinguish...
The Short Tale of WAGE and SAGE
Two old friends (one named “Wage” and the other named “Sage”) crossed paths. Here’s what they said: WAGE: So how old is your son? SAGE: 2 years, 4 months, 10 days...
Siblings (with or without) Rivalry?
In the classic 1994 book, “Siblings without Rivalry: How to help your children live together, so you can too” authors Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish make several...
Assisting with Bathing
“SCRUB in the TUB” Give your child a basin, a bar of soap and a washcloth. Provide your child with opportunities to wash dolls, toys, and dishes. Guide your child’s...
Yes-When, If-Then, or No-Until?
When you use “Yes-When” deals it is important that you remain positive in your tone of voice and demeanor. When parents experience frustration, it is very easy for...
Looking Both Ways Before Crossing the Street
“What is the Chicken Supposed To Do Before Crossing The Road?” Accompany your child to a road or street where there is no traffic light and explain that you are going...
Somersaults
“Tumbling Tykes” Don’t be afraid! Show your child how it’s done! Talk to your child about each action while it is happening. Have your child squat down and put both...
The “Pain of the Problem” versus the “Pain of the Solution”
Marie Meyer, Ph.D. was a professor emeritus in the Psychology Department at Hofstra University, who taught that “people make changes only when the pain of the problem...
“But my child doesn’t understand ‘Yes-When Deals’!”
Of course, your child may not fully understand the “Yes-When deal” that you offer. No problem! There are plenty of ways to make “Yes-When” deals developmentally...
Placing Outerwear into Assigned Locations
“How Many Times Do I Have To Tell You To HANG UP YOUR COAT!!?” If your child is reluctant to hang up a coat, hat, etc, he may have some difficulty remembering where the...
Crawling
“You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk” To achieve a quadruped position (on hands and knees): While your child supports weight with forearms or hands, lift the pelvis and...
Behavior, Understanding & Language: How are the three related?
Parents and professional often assume that a child’s behavior will improve when his language skills and understanding advance. While this may be true, it...
Kicking A Rolling Ball
“Getting Your Kicks” Have your child stand in one place. You roll a ball directly towards your child. As the ball is near him, state “Kick the ball!” Watch for the...
Walking Alone
“These Boots Are Made For Walkin” Walk holding both of your child’s hands, hold just one hand, then briefly withdraw and re-introduce your hand(s) for support....
“But my child doesn’t comply when I offer “Yes-When deals” Instead of obeying, he throws tantrums or hits!”
Everyone wins with “Yes-When deals”, regardless of your child’s response. Here’s why: If your child does not give you the compliance that you are requesting in your...
Helping To Dry After a Bath
“UGH! Twisted Wet Pajamas!” Provide your child with opportunities to wash and dry dolls and toys. Give your child a small cloth or dishtowel to practice drying dolls...
Brushing Teeth
“Show Them Pearly-Whites” Take your child to the store to choose a toothbrush. Make sure it is developmentally appropriate, colorful and interesting. Buy a second...
“But my child will just ignore me and do whatever he wants on his own.”
Never forget that you control the privileges, and therefore you control the “Yes-When deals.” If you allow your child to wander off and enjoy freedom after he has...
The Gift of Adoption
The first recorded evidence of adoption is in antiquity, yet there has been more change in the world of adoption over just these past five decades than in all of...
Cleaning Up A Spill
“Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk!” Allow your child to assist with household chores. Give your child a cloth, a dishtowel, or a paper towel. Physically guide your child...
Eats Solid and Semi-Solid Foods
“Breakin’ Bread” Using foods of different textures, allow your child to accept new foods. Position the food toward the back of your child’s mouth to elicit a swallow....
Finger Feeding
“Finger Foods” Eating with the fingers allows your child to enhance skills such as coordination, grasping, and independence. Introduce foods that are easy to...
“What is the PURPOSE of ‘Time-Out’?”
While “Time-Out” is a simple enough concept, its purpose is subject to great interpretation, complexity, and nuance. Some say that “Time-Out” is intended to be a...
Putting Shoes On
“Well Heeled” Have your child try on shoes that are much too big, so he learns the feeling of slipping into shoes. Have your child watch as you place shoes on your...
Conversation PEACE: Speak now AND forever hold your peace
Who are the happiest couples? (a) those who argue frequently and intensely (b) those who argue with respect and resolve issues (c) those who never argue Research...
“Should I Use ‘Time-Out’? What do the experts say?”
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) stresses the importance of teaching coping skills to children and therefore concludes that...
“How do I build my child’s self-control through Time-Out?”
“Time-Out” is clearly a technique of “Punishment,” as it is intended to decrease negative behavior. However, “Time-Out” can (and should) become a technique of...
Reality Show
One of the Buddhist noble truths is that “Desire is the root of all suffering.” In thinking about disappointments, you will no doubt find this to be...
Trichotillomania (Self Hair Pulling)
What is Trichotillomania? Trichotillomania (sometimes referred to as TTM or "trich") is a disorder involving the repeated urge/behavior of pulling out one’s own hair. ...
Removing Shoes
“Take Off Your Shoes and Wipe Your Feet!” Provide your child with adult shoes that can be easily removed. Allow several opportunities throughout the day for your child...
Wait Training
Consider your use of “Yes-When” deals to be a version of “Wait Training” for your child. By offering him opportunities to earn privileges, you are building his...
Choose and implement the solution(s) most likely to work
Step 3: Choose and Implement one/some of you’re A.T.I.P. techniques Choose the technique(s) that are most likely work based on your knowledge of: what has been...
Rotary/Diagonal Chewing Patterns
“CHEW YOUR FOOD!” Present your child with a variety of foods. Vary the texture (e.g., mushy, crunchy, lumpy, etc.). Place the foods in different parts of your child’s...
A.T.I.P. You Should Never Forget
“I don’t know what to do about (this or that or the other) behavior……I guess I need A.T.I.P.!” We saw the great importance...
Does success leads to happiness, or does happiness leads to success?
Do you believe that you will be happy when you are successful, or that you will be successful when you are happy? For those who define “success” in...
Up Wee Grow, Inc. was founded in 1996 by Andrew Vaughan, Ph.D., Lauren Resnick, M.S., CCC, SLP, and Anne Long, M.S., Sp.Ed..
We value Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and although these ideals are never truly fully achieved and completed, we strive to keep them ever-present in our day-to-day work.
We value equal access to opportunity, engagement, education, health, stability, respect, and compassionate care in all communities.
The obvious and subtle qualities that make us different also make us resilient and strong. Join us as we celebrate our passion and work: Taking care of each other.
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