Some days feel like one long hard moment. You are doing your best to stay calm and kind, while also trying to keep everyone safe, communicate with school, and hold boundaries that matter. It can feel exhausting to keep thinking of the “right” words on your own.

The hard moments starter kit brings together two caregiver toolkits so you are not starting from scratch every time things get tough. You will learn to use behavior analytic values-aligned language you can lean on at home and when you talk with your child’s teacher about behavior.

This bundle includes:

• Hard moments Caregiver Toolkit

• Talking to Your Child’s Teacher About Behaviors Caregiver Toolkit

Use them together to feel more prepared, more clear, and more supported in the moments that matter most.

This starter kit is for you if you:

• Feel stuck in the same power struggles and are not sure what to say anymore

• Want language that supports cooperation without shame, threats, or punishment

• Want to advocate for your child at school, but freeze up or second guess your words

• Are looking for practical, behavior analytic tools that still honor your child’s individuality and dignity

What is inside each caregiver toolkit:

1. Hard Moments Caregiver Toolkit

This toolkit focuses on the “in the trenches” moments at home. It offers concrete language for prevention, in the moment support, and repair after things are hard.

Inside you will find:

• Ready to use caregiver statements for when emotions are high or behavior feels intense

• Examples of how to describe limits and safety in clear, simple language

• Examples that model validation, boundaries, and follow through at the same time

• Gentle prompts you can use to reconnect after a hard moment without minimizing what happened

• Reflection prompts to help you adjust scripts to your family’s routines and values

2. Talking to Your Child’s Teacher About Behaviors Caregiver Toolkit

This toolkit helps you prepare for school conversations so you feel less overwhelmed and more grounded in what you want to say.

Inside you will find:

• Guided phrases to start conversations with teachers about behavior in a collaborative way

• Examples of how to describe your child’s strengths and needs using clear, behavior focused language

• Questions you can ask to better understand the classroom environment, expectations, and supports

• Language you can use to request data, observations, or specific supports without feeling confrontational

• Templates you can adapt for email or in-person conversations so you are not typing from scratch at 10 p.m.

How to use your hard moments starter kit:

• Start by choosing one or two situations that feel hardest right now, such as bedtime, transitions, or school notes about behavior.

• Read through the suggested caregiver language and highlight or circle phrases that feel most like your voice.

• Practice saying a few scripts out loud when things are calm so the words come more easily when you need them.

• Use it as a guide to stay focused on observable behavior, clear requests, and shared problem solving.

• Over time, adjust the language, add your child’s name, and make notes in the margins so the toolkits feel personal to your family.

Important notes: This starter kit is for educational purposes only and is not a replacement for individualized therapy, diagnosis, or crisis services. It is designed to offer behavior analytic, neurodiversity affirming language and ideas that caregivers can adapt to their own child and context.

Created by Dr. Kelly Landry, PhD, Board Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst, to support caregivers with real life words for real life moments.