Reinforcement vs. Bribery: A BCBA’s Guide to Encouraging Positive Behavior with Compassion

Many parents wonder whether rewarding their child is reinforcing positive behavior or simply bribery. While both involve incentives, reinforcement strengthens desired behaviors over time, whereas bribery often reinforces problem behaviors in the moment. In this guide, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) breaks down the key differences and offers practical strategies to use reinforcement effectively, helping parents foster long-term success and intrinsic motivation in their children.

ABA Parenting Breakthrough: Transform Everyday Struggles into Powerful Learning Moments

Parenting a child with autism comes with its unique challenges, but every difficult moment holds the potential for learning and growth. In this post, I’ll share evidence-based ABA strategies to help transform everyday struggles—like grocery store meltdowns, bedtime battles, and social skill difficulties—into powerful learning moments. With a compassionate approach and the right techniques, you can foster independence, emotional regulation, and positive behaviors in your child while reducing stress for both of you. Let’s turn challenges into opportunities together!

Self-Stimulatory Behaviors: What it Means and Why It Matters

Ever wonder why your child hums, flaps, or spins? These self-stimulatory behaviors, or “stimming,” are more than just quirky habits they offer insights into your child’s emotions and sensory needs. In this blog, a BCBA unpacks the reasons behind stimming, when to address it, and how to support your child compassionately. Discover how to celebrate these behaviors as part of your child’s unique world.

ABA Parent Training: Empowering Families for the New School Year

As the summer break comes to a close, the transition back to school can be a challenging time for children, especially those on the autism spectrum. It’s essential to ensure that the skills your child mastered during the summer months don’t fade away once they’re back in the classroom. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) offers effective strategies to help generalize and maintain these skills, making the transition smoother and more successful.

Summer Behaviors: How to Use ABA to Manage Challenges for New School Year

As a new school year approaches, parents of children with autism often face a mix of excitement and anxiety. Transitioning to a new grade, meeting new teachers, and adapting to different routines can be overwhelming for both you and your child. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) offers a structured approach to help ease this transition, providing tools to manage challenges and set your child up for success. In this post, we’ll explore practical ABA strategies that you can implement at home to prepare for the school year ahead—because a smooth start can make all the difference.