Let's start with something that might feel a bit uncomfortable: looking back at last year without immediately jumping to what you should have done differently. I know, I know. When most of us think about the past year, we default to the lowlight reel. The times we lost our temper. The goals we didn't hit. The routines that fell apart by March. The moments we felt like we were failing at this whole parenting thing. But what if we flipped the script? What if, instead of catalog

Rethinking New Year's Resolutions Here's what happens every January: everyone sets big ambitious goals. Lose weight. Exercise daily. Be more patient. Achieve more. Transform completely. And for families with neurodivergent children , those resolutions often include things like: get my child to do X, fix Y behavior, master Z skill. Then by February, you're behind on the goals. Feeling like you've failed. Beating yourself up for not doing enough. Setting intentions for neurodi

The Social Performance Trap Let's talk about what happens at most holiday gatherings. Your child walks in and immediately gets swarmed. "Give grandma a hug!" "Say thank you for the present!" "Go play with your cousins!" "Tell everyone about school!" "Why are you being so quiet?" And when your child doesn't respond the way adults expect—when they don't make eye contact, or they walk away, or they need space—suddenly you're getting looks. Comments about manners. Suggestions abo

The Sensory Reality of December Nobody talks about this part. Everyone focuses on magic and joy. But for families with sensory-sensitive kids, the holidays are an endurance test. Think about what December actually involves: Visual:  Flashing lights everywhere. Bright colors. Screens playing holiday content on loop. New decorations change familiar spaces. Auditory:  Holiday music constantly. Crowds. Loud gatherings. Excited voices. Tactile:  Itchy sweaters. Tags on new gifts.

The Holiday Routine Paradox Let me guess: you've been told that kids with autism need routine. You've also been told that the holidays are supposed to be magical, spontaneous, full of surprises. Here's what I've learned: it can actually be both. But it requires rethinking what we mean by routine and letting go of what the holidays are "supposed" to look like. Predictable holiday routines  aren't about controlling every moment. They're about creating enough structure that your

Understanding Emotional Needs in Positive Parenting Your child throws their plate across the table. Or refuses to get dressed for the third morning in a row. Or hits their sibling over a toy. Your first instinct? Address the behavior. Stop the throwing. Enforce consequences. Make it clear that's not acceptable. But here's what positive parenting asks you to do first: look underneath the behavior to the emotion driving it. Because that plate didn't fly across the table because

The Thing Nobody Tells You Here's what most parenting advice skips over: your child's nervous system is constantly scanning yours for safety signals. This isn't conscious. They're not thinking "is mom stressed right now? Is dad upset?" Their body is reading your body - your tone, your breathing, your muscle tension, the energy you're putting out. When you're dysregulated, your child picks up on that. Even if you're using all the right words and doing all the right things, the

The Day I Stopped Trying to Fix Everything I remember the exact moment I realized I was doing emotional support all wrong. My child was having a complete meltdown over something that seemed small to me - a slight change in the afternoon routine. I was doing all the "right" things: offering solutions, suggesting coping strategies, reminding them of their tools. And it was making everything worse. My child didn't need me to fix it. They needed me to just be there while they fel

You're Already Doing More Than You Realize Let me guess - you've read the parenting books. You've sat through the parent training sessions. You're implementing strategies at home and trying to stay consistent with what the therapists are doing. And some days, you still feel like you're getting it all wrong. If that sounds familiar, take a breath. You're not failing. You're navigating something that's genuinely complex. Positive parenting for ABA families isn't about being per

After three weeks of explaining what Precision Teaching is and why it works, I know you're ready for the practical stuff. How we use Precision Teaching implementation at Precision ABA ? What does a session look like? Let me walk you through our approach and show you exactly what your child would experience. Our Initial Assessment and Goal Setting Process Setting clear and specific goals is an essential first step in Precision Teaching. We start by observing your child in diff

When parents ask me about the benefits of Precision Teaching, I always start with this: imagine your child not just learning a skill, but becoming so confident with it that they use it naturally, everywhere, without thinking twice. That's what sets Precision Teaching apart from other approaches. After years of implementing Precision Teaching at Precision ABA, we've documented benefits that go far beyond what we initially expected. Some are backed by decades of research, other

Precision Teaching Differences: How It Sets Itself Apart from Traditional ABA "We've tried ABA before, but the skills never seemed to stick." I hear this from parents more often than I'd like. Your child masters something in therapy, maybe even at home, but then struggles to use it at school or with friends. Sound familiar? This is exactly why Precision Teaching takes a different approach. Let me explain what makes it unique without getting lost in technical jargon. The Main

What is Precision Teaching in ABA Therapy: A Parent's Complete Guide When you first hear "Precision Teaching," it might sound like...

Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored how parent involvement in ABA therapy plays a key role in building skills, boosting confidence,...

Parent involvement in ABA therapy is more than practicing strategies at home — it’s also about working closely with your child’s therapy...

Parent involvement in ABA therapy doesn’t stop at the clinic or classroom. Growth becomes most visible when what happens in sessions is...

Parent involvement in ABA therapy isn’t just helpful — it’s essential. While therapists are trained to teach strategies, no one knows...

Dear Parents, I keep thinking about all of you who are stuck wondering: what do I do next?  The new school year brings new hope and...