Small Brave Steps

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Small Brave Steps Helping you raise confident, capable learners one step at a time—with clarity, compassion, and two decades of early childhood expertise

Once we’ve seen our children do something on their own, it’s easy to assume they’ll be able to do it every time. So when...
10/22/2026

Once we’ve seen our children do something on their own, it’s easy to assume they’ll be able to do it every time. So when they suddenly need our help again, it can catch us off guard and even feel frustrating.

Think about it like going to the gym, on a good day when you’re rested and feeling strong, you might be able to lift more weight than you ever have before but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to lift that same weight every time you walk in. Maybe you didn’t sleep well, you’re fighting off a cold, or you’ve just had a particularly exhausting day - our children are no different.

They may know exactly how to get themselves dressed, organize their backpacks, or finish their homework, but their ability to manage those things independently can change depending on what else they’re navigating that day.

And sometimes, the help they’re asking for is what allows them to find their footing again.

We can continue to hold expectations for our children while recognizing that what they’re capable of and what they have the capacity for in a particular moment aren’t always the same.

In our latest blog, New School Year - Old Behaviors, we’re exploring this relationship between independence, development, and the support our children continue to need along the way.

💚 Read the full blog through the link in our bio.

10/19/2026

“If my child gets this upset when I say no, am I actually hurting them?”

This was the concern a parent brought to me this week when we were talking about bedtime routines. Her child regularly asks for one more book, and the reaction to being told no can be so overwhelming that she started questioning whether holding that boundary was doing more harm than good.

We talked about how difficult it can be to watch our children become so upset, especially when we know we could ease their distress simply by giving in.

But there’s an important difference between a child experiencing difficult emotions and a child experiencing emotional harm. Being upset by a boundary doesn’t automatically make that boundary traumatic.

Ironically, boundaries actually make children feel safe - no matter how much they may protest. It’s when we don’t put boundaries in place that children feel confused, overwhelmed and unmoored.

When we rush to make every uncomfortable feeling go away, we can unintentionally send the message that those feelings are too big for our children, or for us, to handle. And in reality, it’s our job as parents to help our children see that they can move through challenging feelings within the safety of our presence.

Here’s the reminder I shared that she can say to herself in hard moments: “I am in charge of the decisions, and my child can have their own feelings about them.”

Holding a boundary doesn’t mean dismissing those feelings. We can acknowledge the disappointment, offer comfort, and still stick to what we’ve decided.

In this week’s video, I’m sharing a little more from that conversation and how we can help our children navigate difficult emotions without feeling like we need to make every uncomfortable moment disappear.

When you’re in the middle of a power struggle with your child, it helps to have a few words you can actually reach for.T...
09/17/2026

When you’re in the middle of a power struggle with your child, it helps to have a few words you can actually reach for.

That’s something we keep coming back to in our workshops: helping parents understand what’s behind their child’s behavior and giving them alternative ways to respond in the moments that can feel so hard.

These reviews come from parents and organizers from our workshops this year. Reading their reflections on the real-life examples, conversations, and resources they found useful means so much to us. 💚

Thank you to everyone who has welcomed us into their school community, asked a question, or shared an experience. Those conversations are such an important part of the work.

If you’re planning a parent workshop for your school or community this fall, send us a message. We’d love to hear what your families could use support with.

The first two weeks of school can leave parents with a lot of questions and plenty of nerves.How are they settling in? W...
09/10/2026

The first two weeks of school can leave parents with a lot of questions and plenty of nerves.

How are they settling in? Who are they connecting with? Are they comfortable? And unfortunately asking “How was school?” doesn’t always get us much further than “fine.”

Try asking one question at a time and give them the time to think, and see where the conversation goes.

Their answers can offer a small window into how they’re finding their place, working through challenges, and experiencing their new school day.

Save these for the next time “How was school?” gets you nowhere. And for more ways to check in during these first weeks, read our latest blog at the link in bio.

09/03/2026

Excitement is building as we get ready for the start of a new school year 🍎

As we all get ready for the year ahead we encourage families to take a moment to acknowledge what will also be lost. Summer means less structure, more time together - and when it ends, kids feel that loss too, even if they don’t have the words for it.

When we don’t name it, the sadness moves and takes shape in the meltdowns, the clinginess, the “I don’t want to go” that seems to come out of nowhere for parents.

You don’t have to choose between excitement for what’s ahead and honoring what’s behind, there’s plenty of room for both.

We put together a quick guide in our latest blog on exactly what to say in those first two weeks (because “you’ll be fine!” isn’t cutting it 😅) — check it out in our link in bio!

As school gets underway and your child settles into new classrooms and routines, we wanted to leave families with a few ...
09/02/2026

As school gets underway and your child settles into new classrooms and routines, we wanted to leave families with a few extra reminders to keep in their back pocket.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve looked at the skills that help children manage much more than academics: moving through transitions, handling big feelings, caring for their needs, following through, and finding their place within a group.

We’re bringing those five areas together as a quick reference:
• Physical skills
• Emotional regulation
• Self-help and self-management
• Executive functioning
• Social skills and community responsibility

Not every skill will feel equally comfortable, especially at the beginning of a new school year. When something feels hard, these categories can offer another way to understand what a child may be practicing and where a little more support could help.

Save this one to return to as the school year unfolds.

08/28/2026

Along with what they know academically, children bring physical stamina, emotional flexibility, growing independence, and self-management skills into the classroom. Together, these skills help them stay available for learning throughout the day.

In Part 3, Anna shares four questions that can help parents notice how these skills are developing:

- Can they sit upright at a table without sliding down or needing to prop themselves up after a few minutes?
- Can they move through disappointment without it derailing the rest of their day?
- Can they try something on their own before asking for help?
- Can they keep track of their own belongings?

Like so much of school readiness, these skills develop gradually. A child may manage them one day and need much more support the next, especially when they’re tired, rushed, or adjusting to a new routine.

The goal is to notice the patterns, understand where support is still needed, and create small opportunities to practice before school begins.

Which of these feels easiest for your child right now? Which one is still taking practice?

ParentingWithIntention SmallBraveSteps

08/25/2026

You don’t need to do anything extraordinary with the time that’s left this summer.

Cooking together, losing a game, planning an outing, finishing a project, or caring for something all give children opportunities to practice the skills they’ll rely on at school.

One of the hardest parts of building independence is knowing how much to help. Too much support, and they don’t get enough practice. Too little, and they may not yet have what they need.

That’s where the gradual release model comes in:

I do.
We do.
You do.

Our new blog, You Don’t Need to Do Anything Extraordinary This Summer, explores how parents can use this approach in ordinary moments to build frustration tolerance, planning, follow-through, and confidence.

It also includes five practical activities, with ideas for children ages 3 to 13.

Read the new blog at the link in our bio, then tell us: What is your child ready to do with a little less help?

08/24/2026

Part 2 of our school readiness series shifts the focus from what your child knows to how they move through the world around them.

As summer winds down, notice how your child handles everyday moments:
* Can they move through a busy space without constantly bumping into others?
* Can they get dressed independently, including managing buttons, zippers, and shoes?
* Can they shift from something fun to something they may not want to do?
* Can they read basic social cues, like when to join and when to give someone space?

These skills may not look academic, but they shape how a child navigates routines, participates in the classroom, and learns alongside others.

Your child doesn’t need to do all four independently. The goal is to notice what is beginning to feel easier, where support is still needed, and what you can continue practicing in small ways before school begins.

Which of these have you noticed growing this summer?

Letters and numbers are easy to spot, but some of the most important signs of school readiness show up in the smaller mo...
08/21/2026

Letters and numbers are easy to spot, but some of the most important signs of school readiness show up in the smaller moments throughout a child’s day.

They show up when a child waits while someone else takes a turn, listens in a busy room, asks for help when something doesn’t make sense, stays with a task that feels difficult, or tries again after getting it wrong.

Children build these skills gradually and may still need plenty of support along the way. Paying attention to these moments helps us recognize the growth already happening while better understanding where they may need more practice.

Which of these feels easiest for your child right now? Which one is still a work in progress?

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