Calm the Storm: Supporting Kids Through Hurricane Prep & Evacuation
Caley Kukla Caley Kukla

Calm the Storm: Supporting Kids Through Hurricane Prep & Evacuation

When a hurricane is on the horizon, it’s not just about preparing our homes and stocking up on supplies—it's also about taking care of our family's emotional well-being. For children, hurricanes can bring a mix of confusion, fear, and anxiety. It’s perfectly okay to feel overwhelmed yourself, but you can still support your children while managing your own emotions and taking care of all the necessary preparations. It’s a lot to juggle, so I’ve put together some practical tips to help navigate this time with calm and confidence.


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Back-To-School Support: Routines, Regulation, and Relationships!
Caley Kukla Caley Kukla

Back-To-School Support: Routines, Regulation, and Relationships!

Transitioning back to school can be challenging for both parents and children. The start of a new school year brings with it a wave of changes—new expectations, new peers, new teachers, and new environments. With so much "new" to navigate, it’s no wonder we often see an increase in challenging behaviors, like tantrums, whining, rigidity, separation anxiety, or even controlling tendencies.

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Reflections From The NICU
Caley Kukla Caley Kukla

Reflections From The NICU

Last year, my personal and professional worlds collided in a way I never imagined.

Through my work in early intervention, families often come to me during their most vulnerable moments, and after 12 years of this work, I suddenly found myself in my own vulnerable moment, sobbing in a hospital lobby.

The NICU gave me a different perspective on parenting, healing, and support. I hope these reflections can help someone else who is experiencing fear, helplessness, or overwhelm during their parenting journey.

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The Transformational Parenting Practice of Slowing Down
Caley Kukla Caley Kukla

The Transformational Parenting Practice of Slowing Down

As I rushed through errands with my infant in tow, I was reminded of how parenthood has taught me to embrace a slower pace. This transformation didn't come easy. I used to fight against the interruptions, which only spiked my anxiety and strained my relationship with my children. But I've learned that slowing down creates a more peaceful and connected environment. By accepting the natural pace of childhood, prioritizing what truly matters, and practicing self-compassion, we can foster a nurturing space where both we and our children can thrive.

Want to break the cycle of urgency and find more connection in your parenting?

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Screen Time & Children: Understanding meltdowns and anxiety around screen time
Caley Kukla Caley Kukla

Screen Time & Children: Understanding meltdowns and anxiety around screen time

With my first child, we didn’t really introduce a screen until around age three. 

When I did, I made some observations about his behavior while watching a show:

He quickly became “glued” to the television, glassy eyes no blinking.


His eyes would water (from not blinking!).


Meltdowns were usually guaranteed to happen when it was time to turn it off.

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5 Lessons Learned From Time-Out
Caley Kukla Caley Kukla

5 Lessons Learned From Time-Out

Time-out is a popular recommendation for discipline in early childhood, but is rejected by the gentle parenting community. Where do gentle parenting and this traditional parenting technique overlap? Here are five points to that parents can implement in their own parenting practice.

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The Day After Celebrations
Caley Kukla Caley Kukla

The Day After Celebrations

Power struggles are an attempt from both parties to control a given situation. They are also a strong energetic exchange. The child senses that the leadership energy is weak, uncertain, uncomfortable, so they lean-in to the situation. If there’s a vacuum of leadership, someone else must step in to vill the void. In this case, the child attempts to become the person in charge.

The parent senses this attempt at dominance and tries to pull the control back. And the tug-of-war ensues.

If the child feels confident energy, they don’t feel the need to explore the dynamic. The leader is confident, so the child feel confident. The child feels safe.

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How To Use Confident Momentum To Avoid Power Struggles
Caley Kukla Caley Kukla

How To Use Confident Momentum To Avoid Power Struggles

Power struggles are an attempt from both parties to control a given situation. They are also a strong energetic exchange. The child senses that the leadership energy is weak, uncertain, uncomfortable, so they lean-in to the situation. If there’s a vacuum of leadership, someone else must step in to vill the void. In this case, the child attempts to become the person in charge.

The parent senses this attempt at dominance and tries to pull the control back. And the tug-of-war ensues.

If the child feels confident energy, they don’t feel the need to explore the dynamic. The leader is confident, so the child feel confident. The child feels safe.

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When Your Child Says: “I don’t like it!”
Caley Kukla Caley Kukla

When Your Child Says: “I don’t like it!”

Here’s a “secret” that will change your life: “I don’t like it” usually doesn’t actually mean the child doesn’t like it. They just don’t have enough nuanced language to express what they’re really thinking.

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Side Stepping Power Struggles
Development Nicholas Kukla Development Nicholas Kukla

Side Stepping Power Struggles

#Realtalk to start: I know all of this stuff. I teach all of this stuff. And I can still step right into power struggles. This is a conscious practice, not a perfected formula. The following list helps us raise our awareness, instill values in our children by teaching overarching lessons instead of micromanaging daily routines.

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Confident Leaders
Nicholas Kukla Nicholas Kukla

Confident Leaders

I call this strategy “Confident Leader” and I most commonly recommend it for two common “battles” with young children. The first is transitions. Transitions can be overwhelming, and anxiety provoking for young children, even in the normal, daily routines. 

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Scripts for the Struggle
Power Struggles Nicholas Kukla Power Struggles Nicholas Kukla

Scripts for the Struggle

I’ve realized through my short parenting journey that nothing brings out the ugly scripts in my head quite like parenting. Even knowing what I know through thousands of hours of training, college courses, and work experience, nothing could have prepared me for the relentless and vulnerable context parenthood creates.

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Calm Down
Nicholas Kukla Nicholas Kukla

Calm Down

Do you remember the last time you lost your cool? Maybe you had a hard day. Maybe you felt overwhelmed and afraid. Maybe you were just exhausted and couldn’t deal with one more setback or obstacle. When you started venting to a friend or partner, what would have happened if they said “Just calm down. It’s no big deal”?

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Mama Mantras
Motherhood Nicholas Kukla Motherhood Nicholas Kukla

Mama Mantras

For my family action plans, I even listed out possible mantras for parents to use so they can stay calm while the child works through their big emotions. So here are some of my favorite mantras that I use for myself:

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Seven Tips to Stay Sane with Siblings
Motherhood Nicholas Kukla Motherhood Nicholas Kukla

Seven Tips to Stay Sane with Siblings

Even with my background in early childhood development, special needs, and behavior management, this past year challenged me. I’ve learned a few things along the way AND had many opportunities to put theory into practice and thought I’d pass along some wisdom. So here’s some practical tips for staying sane with siblings:

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Goodbye, Nap Time! Hello, Quiet Time!
Transitions Nicholas Kukla Transitions Nicholas Kukla

Goodbye, Nap Time! Hello, Quiet Time!

I would like to start this post by taking a moment of silence to mourn the loss of nap time.

(Quiet sob)….

Now that we have mourned, how do we move on? This transition is rough on parent and child. So how do we soften the blow of losing nap time? Meet quiet time - a very important routine of early childhood for parent and child’s sanity. Quiet time can replace nap time by simply keeping the nap time routine in tact, but allowing the child a little more freedom of activity.

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