The CARE Framework: Where to Start When You're Running on Empty
Most of us come to the challenging moments with our child already running on empty. We snap. We second-guess. We Google solutions at midnight and try something new the next morning. And when it doesn't work, we wonder what's wrong with us.
Nothing is wrong with you. You're just missing a place to start.
That's what the CARE Framework offers — a sequence developed right here at Balance in Behavior. And the sequence is everything.
The Four Steps of CARE
C — Connect. Come back to yourself first. You can't regulate your child from a dysregulated place.
A — Attune. Reach toward your child. Not to fix or redirect — just to be present. Warmth and connection before strategy.
R — Read. From connection, you can actually see what's happening. What does your child need? What is the behavior communicating?
E — Engage. Now act — from understanding, not reaction. Every response is more effective when it comes from this place.
Inside out. Every time.
Start With Connect
We put together a short video to walk you through the first piece of the CARE Framework — Connect. It's a good place to start.
Keep Going
Go deeper on Connect: Regulation: The Foundation Everything Else Is Built On
Go deeper on Read: Understanding Behavior With the ABC Framework
Free guides: Visit our resource library.
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