Do you ever feel like you’re constantly trying to help your PDA, autistic, or high-needs child meet what feel like basic daily expectations…Going to school.Brushing their teeth.Doing homework.Being kind.Cooperating with everyday tasks.And when they resist, avoid, melt down, or escalate — you find yourself wondering:How will they ever function on their own if they can’t do these things now?Most parents feel completely responsible for making sure these things happen. So we push. We explain. We negotiate. We try consequences. We try to stay calm.But the more we push…the more they resist.In this episode, I share the powerful realization that shifted everything for me when my son stopped going to school — and how the expectations that felt completely reasonable were actually keeping both of us stuck in a cycle of pressure, avoidance, escalation, and shame.You’ll learn:• Why “should” expectations can quietly dysregulate both parents and children• The hidden expectation many parents carry when trying to regulate themselves• Why regulating yourself to change your child can keep the cycle going• How dropping expectations doesn’t mean lowering standards• The practice that helps you move from pressure and resistance into safety and connectionThis episode will help you understand why staying regulated with your PDA or high-needs child can feel so difficult — and the shift that allows both you and your child’s nervous systems to settle.📖 Read the full blog version of this episode here.

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Ep. 36 Why Staying Regulated With Your PDA Child Means Letting Go of “Shoulds”