20 Minutes Before Breakfast
Start around 6:45 if they wake at 6:30. Do this every school day. You participate too, at least the first week. Everything is a race or a game with Wyatt.
Equipment (Set Out the Night Before)
Skip dumbbells and kettlebells. Too easy to drop on little feet. Gallon jugs, laundry baskets, and body weight are all you need. If you want to buy one thing, a small medicine ball (2-3 lbs for Ashton, 4-5 lbs for Wyatt, ~$15 each).
The Routine
Wake-Up Deep Pressure (In Bed)
Before Ashton even stands up.
Joint compressions (2 min)
- Press down firmly through each shoulder, 10 rhythmic pushes (one-one-thousand pace)
- Then elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles
- Same rhythm, 10 each
Burrito roll
- Wrap him tight in his blanket, firm squeezes from shoulders to feet
Bear hug
- Hold him firmly for 15-20 seconds
Do the same for Wyatt if he's into it (he probably will be).
Animal Crawl Races (Living Room)
Three rounds, first one to the kitchen and back wins.
| Round | Movement | What It Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bear crawls | Hands and feet on ground, knees off floor, butt up |
| 2 | Crab walks | Flip over, hands and feet, belly up, walk backwards |
| 3 | Frog jumps | Squat down, hands on floor, jump forward (loud, keep short) |
Don't worry about perfect form. The point is weight-bearing through hands and joints.
Wall Push-Ups + Push the Couch
Wall push-ups
- Everyone lines up at the wall, hands flat at shoulder height, feet a foot back
- "We're going to push the wall down. PUSH as hard as you can!"
- Hold for 10 seconds, count out loud, 3-4 rounds
- Sell it ("The wall is starting to move! Push HARDER!")
Push the couch
- Both boys on one side, hands flat. "Ready? PUSH!"
- 30 seconds pushing, rest, 30 more seconds
- It barely moves. That's the point. The resistance is the input.
Tug-of-War + Heavy Carries
Tug-of-war
- Bath towel, Ashton on one end, Wyatt on the other
- 20-30 seconds per round, 3 rounds
- If too one-sided, hold the middle and balance it
Heavy carries
- Both boys carry the loaded laundry basket together to the kitchen table
- Each boy carries a gallon jug to the table (Ashton may need two hands, that's fine)
- The effort is what matters, not whether they make it look easy
Wheelbarrow Walks (Hallway)
- Hold Ashton's ankles, he walks on his hands down the hallway
- Go slow, about 10-15 feet, then switch to Wyatt
- Two rounds each if they're into it
One of the most effective exercises for input through shoulders, wrists, and core.
Crash and Squeeze
Crash pad
- Couch cushions on the floor, both boys jump, crash, flop from standing
- Fun reward that also gives input through impact
Sandwich squeeze
- Ashton lies face down on a cushion, put another cushion on top
- Press down firmly for 10 seconds. "You're a sandwich!"
- Repeat 3x, then do Wyatt
Breakfast
They help carry breakfast stuff to the table (milk jug, plates, cups). More input.
Crunchy/chewy foods
- Toast with peanut butter
- Apple slices
- Bagel
- Carrot sticks (if they'll eat them in the morning)
- Thick smoothie with a straw
Avoid anything that dissolves instantly (dry cereal, graham crackers). Chewing extends the regulating effect through the whole meal.
One more quick round of joint compressions on Ashton while he eats (5 per joint, faster).
Getting Out the Door
- Compression shirt (or snug-fitting undershirt) under his regular clothes
- He carries his own backpack to the car with a water bottle for weight
- Chewy necklace goes on
- Calming music in the car, not a screen
Mixing It Up Across the Week
| Day | Middle Section |
|---|---|
| Monday | Animal crawl races + tug-of-war |
| Tuesday | Army crawl under a blanket stretched between chairs + pillow fights with heavy pillows + log rolling |
| Wednesday | Obstacle course (crawl under table, wall push-ups, carry jug, frog jumps, crash). Time them. "Beat your last time!" |
| Thursday | "Gym class" (jumping jacks 30 sec, floor push-ups, sit-ups with pillow, bear crawl relay) |
| Friday | Their choice. "Obstacle course or races?" Keeps buy-in high by end of week. |
When They Don't Want to Do It
If Ashton refuses to start
- Don't force it or make it a power struggle. Just start doing it with Wyatt.
- "Wyatt, let's race! Bear crawls to the kitchen!" and start going.
- Ashton will almost certainly join within 30 seconds because he can't stand being left out of something Wyatt is doing.
- If he still won't, do the deep pressure anyway (joint compressions, burrito, bear hug). That part doesn't require his cooperation and it's the most important piece.
If he starts but quits mid-routine
- Let him watch for a round. Keep going with Wyatt.
- Invite him back casually ("This next one is the fun one, you sure you don't want to try?")
- If he only does 10 minutes instead of 20, that's still 10 minutes of input he didn't have before.
If both boys are fighting or melting down
- Skip the competitive stuff. Go straight to crash pad and sandwich squeezes.
- Then try one heavy carry and move to breakfast.
- A bad morning routine is still better than no morning routine.
Running Late? The 5-Minute Version
- Joint compressions in bed
- 10 wall push-ups
- One heavy carry to the table
- Crunchy breakfast
- Chewy necklace in the car
General Rules
- Never use the routine as punishment
- Always frame it as fun, not therapy
- Praise effort, not performance ("You pushed SO hard!" not "Good job doing 10")
- If it becomes a battle, back off
Weekends
His nervous system doesn't take days off. The weekend version is lighter.
- Wake-up deep pressure and joint compressions (same as weekday, non-negotiable)
- 10 minutes of any heavy work (the boys will probably be wrestling anyway, which counts)
- Crunchy/chewy breakfast
- Before any challenging outing (store, restaurant, someone's house), do a quick round of wall push-ups and joint compressions before you leave
Weekends are easier because you're not racing the clock. Let the heavy work happen through play, just make sure the deep pressure bookends (wake-up + before outings) always happen.
Week 1 Reality Check
The first morning will be messy. They won't know what to expect, you'll be figuring out the flow, and it'll take longer than 20 minutes. That's fine.
By Wednesday you'll have a rhythm. By next week it'll feel automatic.
The key is just doing it, even if it's sloppy.