fbpx

Picture

Since becoming a new mom, I’ve felt like my brain has turned to mush. I’m pretty sure part of it has. Scientists- where is the research on mommy mush brain? I’m POSITIVE it’s a thing.

In another lifetime, I spent my days managing a center that provided ABA therapy for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. I ate, slept, and breathed Applied Behavior Analysis.   I provided direct services to kiddos, worked with parents, trained ABA therapists, and consulted with schools. I worked hard, got peed on regularly doing toilet training and had one killer black eye 3 weeks before my wedding. I wore my badges of ABA therapy with pride.

As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), I probably should still be totally immersed in my field. I am more immersed in dirty diapers, sleep schedules, making homemade baby food (what possessed me to start this trend in our home), and singing ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’.

Well, it’s time my two worlds combined- I present to you my thoughts on bringing ABA to the world of Stay at Home Moms and all Moms of Littles.

ABA has been proven through peer- reviewed research to be an effective intervention for ALL kinds of populations, not just for children with disabilities. ABA WORKS. It just works. For everyone. That is the message I want to bring to Moms of Littles.

As Moms, we see all kinds of things from sleep training to how to introduce solid foods to potty training. These methods and theories are pretty much never backed by science or research yet everyone gets all up in arms about them.

I only want to present scientifically proven methods to increase positive behaviors by modifying environmental events. In plain English: we can’t change our kids’ behaviors, but we can change the things around them to encourage positive behavior change.

Stay tuned for more frequent (put me on a reinforcement schedule, please) blog posts geared toward using ABA in your everyday life.

I’m particularly talking to you, beloved SAHMs and Moms of Littles. You are my people now.  Let’s stick together in our sweatpants and headbands. Let’s join forces and use research-based strategies to improve our everyday lives and share in those successes together! We can do this!