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Kids & Family

The Behavior Blueprint with Mandy Grass

Ever wonder why parenting advice sounds great on Instagram but completely falls apart by bedtime? The Behavior Blueprint: Real Talk for Real Families is a podcast for parents who want to understand what’s really driving their child’s behavior, and what actually helps.Hosted by Mandy Grass, a board-certified behavior analyst, parent coach, former teacher, mom of three, and blended mom of seven, the show breaks down behavior through a science-backed, real-life lens. Each episode explores the function behind behavior and the patterns that keep families stuck, without blame, shame, or oversimplified advice.Through a mix of Mandy’s solo episodes, honest reflections from her own parenting life, and unscripted coaching conversations with influencers, mom-founders, and everyday families, listeners gain practical tools they can use immediately—at home, at school, and at bedtime.This isn’t about fixing kids or chasing perfection. It’s about understanding behavior, building realistic plans, and helping families create calmer, more connected homes, one small shift at a time.

Latest Episodes:

The 4 Reasons Your Child Might Be Hitting and How to Stop It Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

Join The Behavior Club for step-by-step plans, live coaching, and a parent community:

www.thefamilybehaviorist.com/club

Why does my toddler hit? In this solo episode, Mandy Grass, BCBA and mom of seven, walks through the four jobs hitting usually does: getting something, getting out of something, getting connection, and feeling better. She shares examples from toddlers to big kids, including hitting a sibling, hitting Mom or Dad, and hitting in public or at school.

You'll learn:

How to be a "behavior detective" and spot the job behind the hitting in 3 days

Mandy's Block, Move, Say, Show plan for the first five seconds, whatever the job

What to teach instead for each of the four jobs

Why hitting sometimes does more than one job, and how to plan for it

What to do after: reconnect, repair, and rehearse

If hitting is severe, starts suddenly, or keeps getting worse, talk to your pediatrician or a behavior professional.

Follow Mandy on Instagram:

www.instagram.com/thefamilybehaviorist

Comment BLUEPRINT on Instagram and I'll send you the episode.

Did this episode help? Please leave a rating and review. It helps other parents find the show and tells Mandy what topics are landing.

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Sleep, Behavior and the Time Change: A Plan for Halloween Week Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

Join The Behavior Club for monthly live coaching, step-by-step plans and a parent community: https://www.thefamilybehaviorist.com/club?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=sleep-time-change
Emily and Randi, co-founders of Teaching Sweet Sleep, discuss the connection between sleep and behavior in young children. They share how sleep impacts emotional regulation, tantrums, and everyday challenges, along with practical ways parents can establish healthier sleep habits.
They also discuss how they went from two teachers and moms to building a pediatric sleep consulting business and launching My Sleep Teacher, a personalized sleep support platform for toddlers and preschoolers.
Learn more about our guests:
Teaching Sweet Sleep: https://www.teachingsweetsleep.com
My Sleep Teacher: https://www.mysleepteacher.com
Follow Mandy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefamilybehaviorist
Comment BLUEPRINT on Instagram and I'll send you the episode.

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Is It Defiance or Connection? How to Spot Attention-Seeking Patterns Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

Are you stuck in a cycle of defending yourself against accusations like, "you never let me do anything" or "you love my sister more than me?" On this episode, Mandy explains why simply ignoring these behaviors is a recipe for disaster. Get the blueprint on why negative attention is so predictable, why endless reassurance can accidentally reinforce bad behavior, and how to stop engaging in those extended debates with your child.

Tools & Resources

Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠thefamilybehaviorist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Social Media: Follow @TheFamilyBehaviorist on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠.

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review! Your feedback helps other parents find the show and lets Mandy know what topics are landing for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why Does My Kid Only Act Like This With Me? Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever wondered why your child is an absolute angel for their teacher, coach, and grandparents, but turns into a monster the second they get home with you? On this episode, Mandy validates the frustration of being the "chosen" parent and flips the script to show why this dynamic is actually fantastic behavioral information.

From a six-year-old who only swears at his parents, to a child who begs for a phone at dinner, Mandy uses some real examples as she unpacks the concept of intermittent reinforcement and the dreaded extinction burst. Get the blueprint for tackling this behaviuor head on, by implementing consistent, shapeable boundaries!

Tools & Resources

Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠thefamilybehaviorist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Social Media: Follow @TheFamilyBehaviorist on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠.

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review! Your feedback helps other parents find the show and lets Mandy know what topics are landing for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why You Keep Arguing With Your Kids and How to Stop Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

On this episode, Mandy dives into the psychology behind the ultimate parenting trap: power struggles. Learn why it takes two to play tug-of-war and why simply telling your child "because I said so" often makes the argument worse. This blueprint reveals that even when a fight starts over access to a toy or escaping a chore, it almost always morphs into an attention seeking behavior. So tune in and find out how to recognize your own role in the reinforcement loop, why your kid follows you when you walk away, and how to finally "put down the rope" without being a permissive parent!

Tools & Resources

Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠thefamilybehaviorist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Social Media: Follow @TheFamilyBehaviorist on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠.

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review! Your feedback helps other parents find the show and lets Mandy know what topics are landing for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to Correct Your Child Without Crushing Their Confidence Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

Did you know that by age twelve, a child with ADHD may receive roughly 20,000 more negative or corrective comments than their neurotypical peers? On this episode, Mandy gets brutally honest about how easily parents fall into the trap of overcorrecting kids with ADHD. It is time to get correct about correcting, as Mandy dissects the exact moments where her own anxiety led to unnecessary nagging. So tune in and get the blueprint on how to identify when you are overcorrecting, how to separate an ADHD trait from intentional rudeness, and finally, how to replace constant verbal nagging with visual prompts and positive reinforcement.

Tools & Resources

Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠thefamilybehaviorist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Social Media: Follow @TheFamilyBehaviorist on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠.

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review! Your feedback helps other parents find the show and lets Mandy know what topics are landing for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live Coaching: How to Handle ADHD Mornings, Blended Family Custody Transitions, and Sibling Conflict Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

On this episode, Mandy welcomes Elizabeth, a mom of three, for a live coaching session to troubleshoot her blended family's chaotic mornings and sibling dynamics. Elizabeth shares the struggles of raising a 5-year-old who is constantly distracted during his morning routine, along with managing the intense conflicts of her husband's 14-year-old twin boys. Get a detailed look at what a parenting coaching session looks like in real time, as Mandy gives Elizabeth a personlized blueprint on this very special edition of the show!

Tools & Resources

Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠thefamilybehaviorist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Social Media: Follow @TheFamilyBehaviorist on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠.

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review! Your feedback helps other parents find the show and lets Mandy know what topics are landing for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to Build ADHD Systems Your Kids Will Actually Use Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

As Mandy continues this month's focus on ADHD, on this episode, she brings back her favorite resident expert, her daughter Lola! Lola recently received a diagnosis of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) alongside her ADHD and takes the mic to publicly rate Mandy's parenting strategies. From the systems that actually help her get out the door to the ones that just feel like nagging, Lola provides incredible insight into what an ADHD brain truly needs.

Tools & Resources: Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠thefamilybehaviorist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Social Media: Follow @TheFamilyBehaviorist on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠ Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review! Your feedback helps other parents find the show and lets Mandy know what topics are landing for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why Kids With ADHD Forget Everything—and How to Help Without Constant Reminders Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Kicking off September's ADHD series, Mandy tackles the frustrating reality of raising kids who constantly lose their planners, forget their soccer cleats, and procrastinate on homework. On this episode, Mandy bridges the gap between her personal life and her professional expertise as a behavior analyst and special education teacher. Learn the crucial difference between simply accommodating an ADHD child (like providing extended time via a 504 plan) versus actively teaching them the missing behavioral skills so they can eventually manage their own time.

Tools & Resources

Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠thefamilybehaviorist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Social Media: Follow @TheFamilyBehaviorist on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠.

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review! Your feedback helps other parents find the show and lets Mandy know what topics are landing for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to Stop the Picky Eating Power Struggle Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

If you are exhausted from operating the "Clean Plate Club," acting as a short order cook, or having massive meltdowns over a grilled cheese sandwich, this episode is for you! Mandy steps into the highly controversial territory of picky eating, viewing those mealtime battles through a behavioral lens.

Mandy breaks down the behavioral functions behind why kids refuse food and why parents are so easily conditioned to give in. Find out what a realistic, structured plan to stop the endless negotiating looks like. This episode serves as a blueprint for neutralizing the mealtime embarrassment and slowly expanding your child's food repertoire without sending anyone to bed hungry!

Tools & Resources

Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠thefamilybehaviorist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Social Media: Follow @TheFamilyBehaviorist on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review! Your feedback helps other parents find the show and lets Mandy know what topics are landing for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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