Reflections are repetitions of what your child has just said. This can be a verbatim repeating of what they have shared or a summary. Using reflections during dysregulated moments helps your child to slow down their own thoughts and big feelings while also allowing them to feel heard by letting them know that you’re listening to them.

Accommodation is any change a parent makes to their own behavior to help kids avoid or lessen anxiety. Typically, these changes come from a caring and loving place, one where parents don’t want their kids to be distressed. In actuality, accommodation often shows kids that they cannot face their anxieties and they need others to step in to fix their problems. To figure out if accommodation plays a meaningful role in your family, ask yourself a few questions.

Positive parenting programs have a large and meaningful evidence-base for helping parents manage problem behaviors. However, positive parenting is not widely understood by parents. Many parents assume that positive parenting means kids can do no wrong and that we reward them anyway. In fact, positive parenting is quite different. Positive parenting actually involves relationship building, using parental attention effectively, giving kids independence, using discipline appropriately, and providing a safe, secure, and consistent environment. Once parents understand what positive parenting really is, skepticism tends to dissipate.

There are many moments throughout the day that require giving directions to kids. Parents need to make sure kids are safe, help them transition between activities, and ensure daily tasks are completed. The way we say directions or instructions matters and we want to make sure we are setting both ourselves and our kids up for success.

Kids are going to have big feelings. Whether they want to admit it or not, they still need so much help. Growing and developing is overwhelming, frustrating, and confusing for kids and parents alike, so how can you get through those tough moments together?

Praise is a powerful tool for parenting. It helps your child to learn, feel accepted, and build confidence. It seems simple to just tell your child you are proud of them, but there are actually ways to make your praise more effective.

Selective Mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder where a child is unable to speak in certain social situations, despite being able to talk in others. There is a noticeable and significant shift in a child’s speech across different settings.