Alexander Den Heijer was speaking of plants in this quote but it has moved something within me. I believe it applies to people as well.

As parents and caregivers, it is our role to create an environment that cultivates regulation & growth. It begins with you. When another person displays a non-preferred behavior, I believe we should question their perspective and why they reacted that way.

This questioning will lead us down a new path that allows us to think intentionally about our own words and actions, thus questioning why they responded the way they did. As a Special Education Teacher in public schools for ten years, I often reflected on how I was or was not supporting my students. I never thought there was something wrong with them, nor was there anything wrong with me but my actions and words did not always yield the results I wanted to see. I needed to change something. I cannot change the child. I can change the choices I make. We work to provide an environment that makes our children feel safe, cared for, and accepted. A place where they know they can feel all the feels, have full autonomy and be respected.