“Why is my child acting this way?” A Parent’s Guide to Child Development

Designed for parents, caregivers, and educators of children ages 3–13.

Have you ever thought, “Why is my child acting this way? Is this challenging behavior normal?"

You’re not alone.

This webinar helps you understand what’s typical for your child’s stage, what might be outside the expected range, and how to adapt your parenting so life gets easier for everyone.

We’ll discuss what’s common vs. behaviors to watch more actively, when a rough patch is a phase, and when to consider additional support.

• Ages & Stages overview. Clear snapshots of developmental expectations from Pre-K to middle school in the domains of attention, emotions, social skills, language, executive function, and self-regulation.
• Behavior = communication. How to figure out what’s behind the behavior (sensory, skills lag, stress, sleep, language, transitions).
• When to call in the experts. Decision points for seeking professional help and/or school-based evaluations, and how to start. If something feels “off,” we’ll show you how to pursue help thoughtfully, without jumping to worst-case scenarios.
• Adapting your approach. Initial steps you can take to align expectations and routines with your child’s current developmental capacities, and guidance on in-depth parenting programs designed to support that journey.

You’ll walk away with:

• A stage-by-stage cheat sheet for Pre-K, early elementary, upper elementary, and middle school.
• A regulation menu to discover what actually helps your child’s nervous system settle.
• A conversation template for partners/caregivers to align on expectations and responses while also acknowledging their own parenting stressors.

Moderated by Dana Spencer, PEP Parent Educator

Presented by Gabriele Nicolet, MA, CCC-SLP and Jen Dryer, MA | Co-Founders of Raising Orchid Kids