The Autism Parent Coach

04/21/2026

Obviously not the only thing going on here, but improving children’s nutrition is invaluable

ADHD is often treated with medication or behavioral therapy, but a major study suggests that diet alone can have a powerful effect. Researchers found that when processed foods were removed from children’s diets, ADHD symptoms dropped by 53 percent.
Processed foods include items high in sugar, artificial colors, preservatives, and additives. These compounds can affect neurotransmitter activity, gut health, and inflammation, all of which play a role in attention, impulse control, and mood regulation. By eliminating these foods, the brain can function more efficiently, leading to noticeable improvements in behavior.
Importantly, this approach is not about restriction or punishment. Families who replaced processed snacks with whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins reported calmer behavior, better focus, and improved overall health. Repeated exposure to natural, nutrient-rich foods supports both brain and body development.
While medication and therapy still have their place, this study underscores the importance of considering diet as a first-line intervention. Making small, consistent changes in what children eat can have profound effects, helping them regulate attention, mood, and behavior naturally.

04/10/2026

04/10/2026

Not only does your child feel your energy, they will also mirror your energy.

We can’t be responsible for how our children behave in every situation but we can recognize that our children feel our energy deeply, so deeply that they will mirror it back to us.

The question is, do we own what they mirror back?

Are we aware of what is being mirrored back?

I often speak about a parent’s emotional energy as the weather that dominates the home and frankly, it dominates whoever we are around.

If our emotional energy is grumpy or mad, we can’t be surprised if our child is grumpy and mad. Our energy is quickly reflected in our child’s behavior and what you might find surprising is that they cannot help but absorb our energy and then send it back out.

So even when we try to force ourselves to act in a way that is inauthentic, believe me when I say that our emotional energy is what our children feel.

What we can do is become aware of this energy and the messages that it’s giving our children (as well as everyone else around us) and one way we can do this is to notice what our children are reflecting back to us. What do you see in what’s being mirrored back to you?

If we make an angry face when we’re frustrated or annoyed with our child, we can’t be surprised by their angry face or frustrated expressions when they are annoyed.

If we yell when we are annoyed or overwhelmed, we can’t be surprised when our child yell for similar reasons.

If we are rough with our children, we can’t be surprised by their aggressive behavior.

We truly are the example for our children and our energy shows up in all our interactions.

We all want children who are emotionally healthy but here lies the challenge - an emotionally healthy child needs a parent who is emotionally healthy because our children cannot learn from us if we don’t have ii to give. Continued in Comments 👇🏾

04/08/2026

04/08/2026

This is particularly true with emotional regulation. If you struggle to remain calm when you are emotional, your child will likely also struggle to regulate their emotions. It is unfair that adults expect emotional regulation from children whose brains are not developed, when they do not model those skills themselves.

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04/04/2026

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04/04/2026

💕Love your child for who they are, not who you wish they would be 💕

04/03/2026

Love this ❤️

04/03/2026

Try these colorful and engaging activities teach kids to pick themselves up after they fall down, find strategies to apply to challenging tasks, and persevere when learning gets tough.

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04/03/2026

Debate:
awareness or

04/02/2026

Weekly family game nights are a great way to connect with your kids, slow down from the chaotic pace of life, and can even help teach emotions and coping skills.

Help kids talk about their feelings with this fun social-emotional learning game inspired by distance learning! Kids build empathy and SEL skills as they decode the video callers' facial expressions in Who’s Feeling What?, a communication game for kids from Learning Resources! Here’s how you pla...