We parents often long for the quiet spaces between activities. For some children, however, those same moments can be surprisingly stressful. If your child is stress-sensitive, a space without structure can feel not only uncertain, but overwhelming. And these empty spaces can be easy to miss! It might be the time between getting home and dinner, waiting to be picked up after an activity, or a few minutes before bedtime. To us, they're simply the time between one thing and the next. When a...

Parenting can be exhausting! You show up for your child, 24/7, no matter how tired you are. The need for a break is real… and often impossible. You can be harder on yourself than you are on anyone else in your life. You can drown yourself in “shoulds” and constantly judge yourself as not-enough. Being surrounded by the myth of parenting perfection in our culture can rob you of your energy and your joy. I feel sad for younger Kathy, parenting three kids and being soooo hard on herself. Looking...

What if your child’s behavior isn’t an attack — but an SOS? This post explores how understanding behavior as communication can change the way parents respond during hard moments.