Living & Learning

Have you ever thought about the difference between a bribe and an incentive? Candy, treats, staying up late, more video game time, or a new toy are all great examples of things that parents use as bribes or incentives.  Most parents end up feeling guilty when they are bribing their child....

My stomach tightens, my head feels like it could spin off my head though I feel like I can barely move. Anger has taken over…again.  I am burning inside because my son didn’t listen…for the 10^th time today! I’ve had a complex relationship with anger over my...

Are you looking for ways to keep your child calmer?  Kids with sensory processing issues like autism, ADHD, ODD, and SPD need targeted sensory input to be able to regulate. You may have heard this before.  It sounds good, but do you wonder how to give your child sensory input at home to...

Does it feel like your child with ADHD, autism, SPD, or ODD is constantly testing you? All children push boundaries because that is part of the developmental process.  Kids are trying to figure out how they fit in this world.  In their body, their home, school, or in the...

Parents often talk about being disrespected, or express concern that their kids don’t follow the rules. On the flip side, do you ever wonder if your child’s boundaries are being respected?

The problem with focusing only on getting our kids to respect our boundaries is that actions...

Sensory processing challenges such as ADHD, autism, and sensory processing disorder affect the brain, nervous system, and body in a variety of ways. Every child is unique and worthy of being cherished for who they are. Sometimes parents have difficulty seeing their child's beautifully unique...

Do you struggle with how to help your child in their peer relationships or sibling relationships? Does your child struggle to make friends? Children with sensory processing challenges that show up as reactive behaviors tend to struggle with how to act in social situations.  Social...

We are all born to seek out love. We continue to seek out love and acceptance through our entire lifespan. The field of psychology has determined that there are four distinct relationship attachment styles. Your attachment style formed when you were and infant and through your early childhood...

The alarm goes off and I am jolted out of bed as I start running through my endless to do list.  I’m gripped with the fear that I won’t be able to jump all the hurdles today.  My stomach churns as I start opening doors and rushing my kids out of bed.  The clock is...

I walk through the house at a manic pace picking up toys, stinky socks, and shoes.  I have guests coming for the weekend, and I want the house to be pristine.  I bark orders at my children as the pressure mounts inside my gut. Anxiety is rising as an unwelcome but familiar...

You are basking in a beautiful day at the park, and then suddenly your child’s mood shifts as abruptly as the wind. Crying, an angry outburst, or an all-out tantrum ensues. Let’s look inside the brain and the nervous system for a moment to see what is causing the turbulence. Think of...

I’m a perfectionist by nature. Unfortunately, I have unintentionally taught my children how to be perfectionists. I’ve lectured myself ruthlessly about this painful reality, but it never changed anything.  Angry lectures in my head simply drive me to desperately avoid...