FERN-Family Education Resource Network

10/28/2026

What is behind the door? A 🎃

10/28/2026

Fern’s Halloween 🎃 👻 🕷️☠️

09/05/2026

This course offers an opportunity to pause, reframe and look at challenging moments through a stress lens. You can work through 12 modules at your own pace. And we’ll connect along the way with optional informal live Zoom conversations with Dr Laura and other facilitators. Contact us for more information. Register today and secure your free copy of Dr Stuart Shanker’s book. There is no set fee to participate- pay what you can . Send us an email to register. [email protected]

08/08/2026

Always protect the relationship...even when saying 'no' 💘

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 "𝗬𝗲𝘀".
Sometimes the most supportive response is a boundary, a limit, or a “not right now.” What matters is how we stay connected through that moment.

When a child feels heard, understood, and supported (even when they don’t get the answer they hoped for), we can protect the relationship while helping them navigate disappointment, frustration, and other big emotions.

07/15/2026

Six years after the book’s release, Dr.'s Shanker and Hopkins revisited every chapter to bring fresh insights, updated science, and new priorities. It's all about breaking that stress cycle. Seeing "bad" behavior as stress in disguise rather than defiance. This approach truly flips the script by moving us away from punitive measures and toward a genuine focus on children's wellness. By reframing "bad" behavior as stress in disguise, we can prioritize support and co-regulation over reactive discipline. It’s a powerful shift that creates a much calmer, more compassionate environment for our children and youth to thrive. By looking at what’s really going on under the surface, we can build a much calmer, more supportive space for everyone 💙

Interested - sign up directly or be in touch if you would like to join a group study around this book.

A self-paced,12 module parenting course that makes a great companion to Dr. Shanker's 2016 book: 'Self-Reg'

07/15/2026

Next youth social will be online tomorrow July 15th, from 5-6pm on Zoom. We're so excited to hear what everyone has been up to during the summer! The links to join can be found in our bio and will be emailed to you. Hope to see everyone there!

07/08/2026

Remembering Blue💙

07/01/2026

On behalf of your friends at FERN, we wanted to wish you all a Happy 🇨🇦Canada🇨🇦 Day! Hope everyone enjoys their day and hope to see you all soon!

06/23/2026

Hey friends,

Just wanted to remind everyone that our first summer youth social will be in person at FERN on Wed. Jun. 24th at 5-6:30pm. Please RSVP if you haven't yet. Also, if you have any ideas about what we can do at our next socials, (dinner ideas, walks to the park, meeting 1 time a month, etc.) feel free to share those ideas by messaging our Instagram page. Hope to see everyone tomorrow!

06/23/2026

Listen to Stuart and Susan's brief discussion ✨💙✨

The word 'cope' carries so much for us as parents, educators and therapists. We often say that children need to learn to cope with frustration, disappointment, anxiety, transitions, or stress.

But what if the child is already coping? What if the tears, the anger, the withdrawal, the refusal are signs of a nervous system working overtime?

Self-Reg reminds us that before we ask a child to cope better, we need to understand what they are coping with.

Sometimes children don't need more strategies. Sometimes they need less stress, more connection, and adults who become curious before becoming corrective.

"What is this child already carrying?" That question changes everything.

Stuart Shanker says this is partly true. Some of the normal stresse...