That’s where we can change the game.

One of the most helpful things we can do, for both teachers and kids, is to proactively share the most important information before school starts. Things like sensory needs, communication styles, regulation strategies, or even what truly lights that child up. When teachers aren’t left guessing or learning everything by trial and error, it lowers their stress and sets up the entire year for smoother interactions.

At Therapy Center of Buda, we’ve seen how powerful this simple shift can be. That’s why we created personalized info sheets designed to highlight the things that matter most about your child. How they learn. What helps them feel safe. What works when things get hard.

We’re offering these sheets to our current families during sessions over the next two weeks. But we didn’t want to stop there. We know so many other families could benefit, so we’re making them available right here too, for anyone who needs them.
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This school year can start with understanding instead of overwhelm.

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Children Are Learning. That’s the Whole Point.
A lot of the time, what adults label as “bad behavior” is actually just a child doing their best with what they’ve got. Clinical psychologist Mona Delahooke reminds us that when we see behavior as communication, it stops being something we need to “fix” and starts being something we can understand.

If a child is melting down, shutting down, or saying no, there’s a reason. They’re not trying to make your life hard. They’re trying to manage something inside them that feels too big, too fast, or just too much. What they need in that moment isn’t punishment or shame. It’s support.

Kids Do Well When They Can
That phrase, coined by Dr. Ross Greene, should be at the foundation of how we interact with children. If a child could meet the expectation, they would. So when they can’t, we need to shift from blame to curiosity. What’s in the way? What skills or support are missing?

Dr. Greene’s work reminds us that collaboration and empathy go a lot further than control and consequence. When we approach kids with understanding instead of demands, we don’t just get better behavior...we build better relationships.



​They're Not Projects. They're People.
We have to stop trying to shape kids into what’s easiest for adults. Alfie Kohn, who’s written extensively about parenting and education, points out that many of our systems reward obedience over authenticity. That’s not preparing kids for adulthood. That’s conditioning them to suppress themselves.

Children learn best when they’re trusted. Not when they’re micromanaged. Not when every move is measured and evaluated. And not when we act like their job is to perform for adult approval.

Especially for neurodivergent children, the pressure to “comply” can be exhausting. They’re often pulled through endless programs, therapies, and interventions designed to make them appear more socially acceptable. But that’s not the same as meeting their actual needs.

We don’t need more kids who can mask their distress. We need kids who are safe enough to be themselves.

Being Bored Isn’t a Problem. It’s a Need.
Unstructured time is not a waste. It’s where the good stuff happens. When a child is “doing nothing,” they might be regulating. Or processing. Or dreaming. Or coming up with something wildly creative. Or maybe they’re just resting...and that’s more than okay.

Most adults fantasize about having a day without obligations. And yet we pack children’s schedules with structured activity, then panic when they say they’re bored. But boredom is healthy. It invites invention. It allows the nervous system to settle. It makes space for autonomy.

Letting a child be bored isn’t neglect. It’s a gift.

Noncompliance Can Be a Sign of Growth
Kristy Forbes, an Autistic advocate and educator, teaches about “radical acceptance”—the idea that children are not broken, and they don’t need to be reshaped to fit into narrow boxes. Noncompliance isn’t always defiance. Sometimes it’s a child protecting their dignity. Sometimes it’s them listening to their body. Sometimes it’s a protest against a system that feels unsafe.

We need to stop treating resistance like a red flag. Kids who say no are practicing self-advocacy. Kids who question rules are learning to think critically. Those aren’t flaws. Those are skills they’ll need as adults.

The irony is, we often say we want children to grow up to be bold, independent thinkers, but we punish those traits when they show up in childhood.

Diversity.  We all know the obvious forms of diversity; race, nationality, gender, socioeconomic status, general background, etc. But, lately I find myself discussing a lesser known type of diversity; neurodiversity.  Neurodiversity is the concept that neurological differences (e.g., Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyscalculia, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, etc.) are respected as any other human variation.  Therapy Center of Buda has always embraced diversity and we celebrate the diversity of our families.  We don’t believe in “cures” and we don’t want neurodivergent people to look neutrotypical.  In fact, suppressing the communicative efforts, including stims and non-spoken forms of communication have long been proven to be counterproductive to overall communicative and daily living success.  Rather, listening to each individual and their wants, desires, requests, and rejections is a way to honor their communication styles.   

I played the video game Fortnite the other day with my teen grandson. As an educator, I’ve worked with thousands of kids with ADHD, social skills issues and similar challenges. And I wanted to know more about how Fortnite might affect them.

Fortnite is an online, multiplayer shooter video game. It’s free and can be played on a computer, on a gaming system like the Xbox, or on a mobile device. The most popular game mode is Battle Royale, where 100 players drop onto an island, try to find construction materials and weapons, and fight each other to be the last person (or team of people) standing. Players can talk to one another, and each game lasts 20 minutes. To get a sense of what it’s like, imagine an arcade version of the film The Hunger Games.

Fortnite has taken the world by storm. An estimated 50 million people play. There are news reports of kids playing at all hours of the day, late at night, and even under their desks at school. And many experts have weighed in on whether the game is good for kids.

by Bonnie Landau | Advocacy, IEP, Infographic, Special Ed Law

The IEP Team is suppose to help support your child, but sometimes their approach can be misleading. Knowing the law is key when advocating for your child. In my book, Special Ed Mom Survival Guide, I spend considerable time helping you learn about the law and how to apply it. In attending many IEP meetings as a special education advocate, I realized that the schools don’t quote the law when the deny services. Their information is hidden in messages that sound legitimate.
Here are 12 phrases I often hear that are really the IEP Team’s way of skirting around their obligation to provide services.

Have you heard that we are EXEMPT from the mandated Superior/COFK program?!

Siblings of children with special needs have their own challenges.  People who grow up with a sibling with special needs are often equipped with amazing qualities like patience, kindness, empathy for others, and loyalty, all amazing traits for anyone to have. Here are some terrific books to check out if you love a sibling of a child with special needs.
                                                                                    *Click on the desired book cover for more information*

TRUTH. Our words matter; chose them wisely. 

March is Trisomy awareness month, so it’s a perfect time to explain “what is trisomy?” Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46 chromosomes total.  Trisomy is a genetic disorder in which an individual has an extra chromosome (partial or whole). Early identification is important in order to best evaluate, treat, and monitor for any possible developmental deficits or possible medical complications.  Educating others of trisomy is important to not only provide a better understanding of the syndromes but to reinforce the notion that early intervention is vital for academic and social success.

Most common Trisomy disorders:

Don't we all want to give a synopsis of our kiddos for their teacher/s at the beginning of the school year? Basically give them a resume of likes/dislikes/what works and doesn't? Well, you are NOT alone! We made this handy PDF to fill in the blanks and even add a photo of your child.  When you meet the teacher/s, aides, therapists, or even babysitters just hand them this "All About Me" page so they are sure to know all about your kiddo.  Download is available for FREE, just click the Download File button below and start filling in the blanks!

Halloween is a really fun time…for most kiddos. But for those having difficulty with communicating, trick-or-treating can be very difficult task and so stressful that some will exclude themselves from enjoying such an activity.  We truly believe that although we all may have differences these are simply that and we must find different ways to include all children that would like to participate.  One of our therapists came up with this simple craft you can do at home WITH your child to help give him/her a voice to be included in trick-or-treating. 

Did you know that Therapy Center of Buda offers Autism Testing?  Our Certified Autism Specialist and your pediatrician work together to collect all necessary data to identify if your child is on the Autism Spectrum. 

We will provide you a comprehensive report and explain the outcomes. If needed, our specialist will personally provide you with recommendations and access to local, state, and federal resources that may help your child. Call us today for more information!

What you should know:

1. We utilize the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) a well know diagnostic tool to identify Autism in children and adolescents.
2. Before we administer the ADOS we conduct a comprehensive speech-language evaluation.
3. Testing is conducted over 2 consecutive days.
4. Parents remain in the room and participate in data gathering!
5. We bill your insurance!
6. We test individuals 12 months to 21 years old.
7. Your pediatrician must support the testing (meaning if you are utilizing your insurance benefits they must send a prescription indicating ADOS testing is recommended).
8. Not only will you get a comprehensive report following your visit/s, but our specialist will personally provide you with recommendations and access to local, state, and federal resources that may help your child.