For parents
It's not just you. It's all parents.
When every no turns into a meltdown, when Mondays fall apart, when dinner is a fight again, it's easy to think you're the one doing it wrong. I've spent thirty years with children, in classrooms and now as a behavior analyst, and I can tell you change is always possible. This is what I've learned, in plain words, for the parents in the middle of it.
- Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst
- Thirty years with children
- Classrooms and ABA
What parents tell me
I hear these all the time. From good parents, who love their children and are tired.
- "I know I'm the problem."
- "I'm just not good at it."
- "I need to put her to bed earlier."
- "We had people over, that's why."
- "How can I let my child get away with this?"
You're the one they trust the most.
So you're actually the best person to be doing the hard stuff. And you don't have to figure it out alone.
What's happening at home?
Start with the one that sounds like your house. Each one is something I see again and again, in plain words.
For parents
Mondays fall apart
Monday is always a tough day. And most of the time the answer isn't a busier weekend. It's keeping a few things the same.
Read it
For parents
The same behavior keeps happening
When you see what happens at home, you just 100% see why these behaviors happen. It's because they 100% work.
Read it
Behavior, plainly
Why does my child do that?
In behavior analysis you don't look at what the behavior looks like. What matters is what they're trying to get with it. They're not a bad child. It worked for them.
Read it
From a session
My child is hard to connect with
She doesn't connect easily. She kind of just wants to be on her own. So when the game finally clicked and she came running back with a huge smile, that meant a lot.
Read it
A hard morningA calmer one Change is always possible.
"Growth is always possible, even when progress comes in very small steps. Start where your child is today, with gentle, consistent chances to practice. Those small steps can build the skills you hope to see down the road."
- Why it's happeningEvery behavior is trying to get something.
- What to try firstSmall steps you can do at home, not a whole program.
- You're not aloneEvery parent I've worked with has been here.
How I can help
Parent conversations
Talking through what's happening at home and what to try first. General education and coaching, not ABA services.
Email AngelaTeaching consultations
For teachers and classrooms: routines, schedules, and what to do when a child's behavior is running the room.
Reach out to talk about a consultationTools for teams and families
Small tools I've built for the work, like a social story maker for coworkers and parents.
tools.angelasaer.com
I've been working with children since I was 17.
I started in classrooms, teaching young children, and I've worked with children across different countries and cultures. Seven years ago I moved into applied behavior analysis, and this year I became a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. And I'm currently pursuing a master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis.
I'm still learning. I don't think I have it all figured out, and I'll tell you when I'm not sure.
- BCaBA, Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst
- Seven years in ABA, including training new therapists as a lead RBT
- Classroom teacher in Thailand and Brazil
- Working toward BCBA, then a focus on feeding
