The first year as an SLP can be challenging, with requirements like completing a clinical fellowship year (CFY) and potentially a teacher internship program. Observation and evaluation will be frequent, but use them as opportunities for growth. Building up your supplies and organizing your therapy space is crucial. Providing therapy is the rewarding part, where you'll create schedules, collaborate, evaluate, and be loved by the students. It may feel overwhelming, but remember that it gets easier after the first year.

Sometimes, when kids are feeling unmotivated or restless during speech therapy, it's important to get creative. Taking inspiration from a trick used at a daycare, I introduced baby wipes as a fun and attention-grabbing tool. The kids loved "cleaning" the play food with the wipes, which not only kept them engaged but also targeted various language and speech goals. The smiles on their faces and the success of the activity made it all worthwhile, plus the added perk of shiny and new-looking play food.