Parenting can feel like a whirlwind of tasks, emotions, and questions—especially when you’re supporting a child in ABA therapy. Between back-to-school changes, shifting routines, and the everyday ups and downs, it’s easy to focus so much on your child’s needs that you forget to check in with yourself.
This month, we’re hitting pause to remind you of a few important truths. Whether you’ve had a rough week or you’re just looking for a breath of encouragement, here are five things you may need to hear (even if you’d never say them to yourself).
1. You’re doing a better job than you think.
It’s so easy to doubt yourself as a parent—especially when things don’t go according to plan. Maybe your child had a tough session, a meltdown in the grocery store, or a morning that felt like one challenge after another. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re showing up for your child in real ways, even when it’s hard.
Progress in ABA therapy, like in life, isn’t linear. There are wins and setbacks, easy days and hard ones. What matters most is that you continue to be present, even when it’s messy. That’s where growth happens—for your child and for you.
2. It’s okay to ask for help.
You don’t have to do it all alone. Whether it’s reaching out to your child’s BCBA, leaning on a family member, or simply talking to someone who understands what you’re going through—asking for support isn’t a weakness. It’s a sign of strength.
The path you’re walking is unique, and it’s okay to say, “I need a minute” or “Can you help me with this?” Often, the people around you want to help. They just might not know how unless you tell them.
3. Small steps are still progress.
Your child learning one new skill, trying something again after a hard moment, or expressing a need in a different way—these are meaningful milestones. It’s easy to get caught up in big goals or compare your child’s path to someone else’s. But growth doesn’t have to be fast to be real.
Celebrate the small stuff. A successful morning routine, a calm transition, or even your child trying something new is worth acknowledging. These little moments are the building blocks of bigger change.
4. You deserve to feel proud of yourself.
You’re not just managing therapy schedules and routines. You’re advocating, learning, adapting, and loving in a thousand invisible ways. That deserves recognition.
If no one’s told you this recently: You’re doing an incredible job. It’s okay to feel proud—even on the days that feel chaotic. Especially on those days.
5. There’s no one right way to be a great parent.
Some days might look like picture-perfect structure. Other days might be about getting through it however you can. Both are valid. Supporting your child in ABA therapy doesn’t require perfection—it requires patience, understanding, and showing up consistently.
You might use visuals one day and forget them the next. You might nail the morning routine one week and feel like you’re starting over the next. That doesn’t make you inconsistent. It makes you human.
Final Thought
Parenting is hard work. Parenting while supporting your child through ABA therapy adds another layer of complexity, learning, and emotional energy. So this month, we invite you to be gentle with yourself. To recognize your efforts. To take a breath and remember: you’re not alone, and you’re doing better than you think.
You don’t need to do everything perfectly to be the parent your child needs—you just need to keep showing up.