Question? Comment? Send a text to let me know what's on your mind!

Free PDF Guide to Aligning Expectations for Happier Holidays

If the holidays tend to leave your family overwhelmed, overtired, and overstimulated, this episode is your reset button. We’re breaking down how to align expectations, routines, and rhythms so your child—and your whole family—can stay grounded in a season that often pulls everyone off balance.

In this episode, we explore what it truly means to set realistic expectations for kids’ behavior and capacity, how to help everyone stay regulated amid celebrations and disruptions, and why prioritizing rest is essential—not optional—for a joyful holiday season. You’ll learn where to focus your planning and how to implement practical strategies that help prevent meltdowns, reduce conflict, and create more peaceful moments together.

Think of this as your holiday alignment plan: simple mindset shifts and doable routines that help you enjoy the moments that matter most. Let’s build a season that feels calmer, more connected, and a whole lot more “just right” for your family.

This is Part 3 of our "Navigating the Holidays" series! If you haven't already listened be sure to go back to Episodes 19 and 20 for more tips and support for what can be an overwhelming time for both your child AND you!

Episode 19: Creating Calm Out of Chaos: How Being Proactive Will Save the Season

Episode 20: Holding Your Ground With Heart: Navigating Opinions and Advice

Question? Comment? Send a text to let me know what's on your mind!

The holidays often bring excitement, connection… and plenty of unsolicited advice. In this episode, we explore how to stay confident, calm, and compassionate when family and friends don’t fully understand your child’s neurodiverse needs or your parenting approach. You’ll learn how to anchor yourself in what you know works for your child, set boundaries with kindness, and respond to well-meaning advice without losing your footing (or your holiday spirit). I'll walk through practical scripts and mindset strategies to help you advocate for your child—and yourself—with clarity, confidence, and heart.

Download the PDF with all the tips and scripts to help you tackle any tough or awkward conversation this season.

Question? Comment? Send a text to let me know what's on your mind!

Holidays are stressful for everyone. The rush of holidays at the end of the year can be especially rough. Changes in routines, new people, new places, new foods. All of it can be overwhelming for our children, as well as us! In this episode, I'll share why being prepared and proactively setting things in place for success is crucial AND possible. I'll walk you through the steps to making the season calmer by helping you be confident in facing whatever changes or challenges are coming your way.

Grab a PDF guide to remind you of the WHY and the HOW of proactive solutions!

Question? Comment? Send a text to let me know what's on your mind!

How the “Just Right” support creates growth and eliminates struggles.

When a child fails to follow directions, makes mistakes or struggles physically with a task it is easy for us to slip into control mode. So much easier to just do it for them, especially as we are rushing out the door or trying to get dinner on the table at the end of the day. But children learn by doing and they need support to learn in a way that is developmentally appropriate.

In this episode, we’ll explore the power of scaffolding and how providing the right amount of support at the right time will pay off in the long run, in ways that controlling or doing things for them never will. When you learn the art of scaffolding, you learn how to build your child’s skills, confidence and independence. You'll find that your stress level goes down as you let go of control and feel confident in teaching skills. You’ll see how small adjustments in the support you give will turn daily battles into opportunities for learning, connection and lasting change.

Question? Comment? Send a text to let me know what's on your mind!

We’ve all been there. You thought you'd planned for everything, used your tools and had it under control. But now your child’s having a meltdown at a family gathering, bedtime turns into a battle, or you miss an appointment because your child refuses to get in the car. In the moment, it feels like chaos. Later you blame yourself, worry about the mistakes or feel like you've lost control. But what if those hard moments could actually become your best teachers?

In this episode, I introduce the "Reflect & Repair Review," a simple 3-step process for turning frustration into insight. You’ll learn how to look back at tough situations with curiosity (not guilt), uncover what really happened beneath the surface, and build a plan to handle it differently next time. Focus on a little "R & R" that really helps you find the calm next time!

Because growth doesn’t come from perfection, it comes from reflection, repair, and the courage to reset. Let's do this!

Question? Comment? Send a text to let me know what's on your mind!

If leaving the park turns into a meltdown, bedtime drags on forever, or screen time always ends in tears, you’re not alone — and your child isn’t trying to make your life harder. Transitions are tough because they require a whole set of developing skills most kids are still learning.

In this episode, we’ll dig into what’s really happening when your child resists a transition. You’ll learn about the developmental demands behind these moments — like shifting attention, managing emotions, planning ahead, and coping with change — and why your child’s brain may simply not be ready to handle all that without support.

We’ll also talk about the mindset shift that changes everything: transitions aren’t about managing behavior, they’re about teaching skills. Through connection, structure, and co-regulation, you can help your child build the abilities they need to move from one activity to the next with more ease.

You'll get lots of practical strategies for smoother transitions — from visual timers and advance preparation to empathic language and modeling calm, confident change yourself.

Because when we stop battling behavior and start building skills, transitions become more than just manageable — they become moments for growth, connection, and learning.

Question? Comment? Send a text to let me know what's on your mind!

Ever wonder why staying calm when your child isn’t feels so hard? Co-regulation, the process of helping a child manage their emotions by managing our own, is one of the most powerful tools adults can use. But it’s also one of the hardest, because it requires our emotional skills to be strong first.

In this episode, I'll break down the three essential skills every adult needs to co-regulate effectively:

• Self-Regulation – Understanding and managing your own emotional state so you can be the calm in the storm.
• Empathy – Connecting to your child’s feelings without getting swept up in them.
• Communication that Builds Connection – Using language and presence that helps kids feel seen, heard, and safe.

You’ll learn the difference between empathy and emotional over-involvement, why “connection before correction” really works, and how small shifts in your own regulation can create big changes in your child’s behavior.

🎧 Tune in to learn how to co-regulate like a boss—with more awareness, compassion, and confidence.

Question? Comment? Send a text to let me know what's on your mind!

Self-regulation is one of the most talked-about topics in child development today. But too often, it’s treated like a destination: a place we expect kids to arrive at with enough strategies, visuals, or practice. In reality, self-regulation is a lifelong journey that grows through relationships, experiences, and co-regulation with trusted adults.

In this episode, Deb Johnson, pediatric occupational therapist and founder of STEPS for Development, explores why expecting children to “stay in the Green Zone” or “use their strategies” misses the deeper picture of how regulation develops. You’ll learn how to shift your mindset from viewing self-regulation as something obtained through a curriculum, to accepting the ups and downs of regulation as we travel through life and our daily activities.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or therapist, this episode will help you see self-regulation not as a skill to master, but as a developmental process we grow through together.