Tara Yarberry, BCBA

04/11/2026

04/08/2026

Backyard Behavior Bits:
Real-life tips for real-life families—right at home.

Last week we talked about catching the good stuff
This week, we’re focusing on something just as powerful… what happens before the behavior.

This week’s Backyard Behavior Bit
~ Set the stage for success ~

Many challenging moments can be eased with a simple heads up

Try giving a clear, calm preview before transitions or changes:
“In 2 minutes, we’re cleaning up and heading inside.”
“First we brush teeth, then we read a book.”

This helps your child know what’s coming, which can reduce stress, resistance, and those big reactions.

Think of it like giving their brain a roadmap

Where could a little “heads up” help in your daily routine? Let us know below!

04/03/2026

Backyard Behavior Bits:
Real-life tips for real-life families—right at home.

Parenting doesn’t happen in a bubble… it happens in the backyard, the kitchen, the car, and everywhere in between. And let’s be honest—those are the moments when behavior really shows up.

That’s why we’re bringing you bite-sized behavior tips you can actually use in your everyday routines—no jargon, no pressure, just practical support.

This week’s Backyard Behavior Bit:
~ Catch the good stuff! ~
When your child is doing something you want to see more of (even something small), call it out right away:
“I love how you used your calm voice!”
“Nice job waiting!”

The more attention we give to positive behaviors, the more they grow.

What’s one small win your family had this week? Drop it below—we love celebrating with you!

03/30/2026

GEEK SPEAK The National Library of Medicine gets technical with this Motivating Operation tutorial:

Motivating operations (MOs) exert a powerful influence over operant relations and hold significant implications for those working in applied settings. In this paper, we describe the concept of the MO and provide “real world” examples. Particular ...

03/29/2026

Relias has a fantastic breakdown of how to conduct preference assessments in ABA here:

Learn how to conduct a preference assessment in ABA settings in order to provider better services to your clients.

03/27/2026

Starting a behavior change plan often means going big with reinforcement—rewarding every time the behavior happens. This is a great way to get the behavior rolling… but it can be pretty exhausting! Don’t worry—you don’t have to keep it up forever. To help the behavior stick long-term, we gradually fade into an intermittent schedule, giving rewards less often while still keeping the change strong and lasting.

The ASD Toddler Initiative puts it well in this brief explanation of fading reinforcement:

As the toddler moves towards meeting the outcome criterion, the team and family begin to fade or move from a continuous schedule of reinforcement to an intermittent schedule of reinforcement. Return to Step 1.6 for a review of intermittent schedules of reinforcement.