The Hero Makers

04/25/2026

Love these tools 💗

Many children are not reacting to what is happening now - they are reacting to what has happened before. Trauma changes how a child’s brain and body respond to stress. Their nervous system stays on high alert, scanning for danger, even when they are safe. This is why small situations can lead to big reactions. What looks like anger, avoidance, shutdown or people-pleasing is often a trauma response - fight, flight, freeze or fawn. These are not choices. They are automatic survival patterns shaped by past experiences such as neglect, abuse, loss or ongoing instability.

When adults see behaviour without understanding trauma, children can be labelled as challenging or attention-seeking. In reality, many are trying to cope with fear, shame, overwhelm or a deep need to feel safe. Real support starts when adults respond with calm, consistency and connection, not punishment. Feeling safe in relationships is what helps the brain settle and allows children to learn, trust and regulate again.

Free CHILDREN’S TRAUMA RESPONSES WHEEL – FIGHT, FLIGHT, FREEZE, FAWN BEHAVIOUR POSTER

LIKE the photo and comment "TRAUMA" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.

04/22/2026

Guess what!?! We have another In Person Think Kids Essential Foundations: Collaborative Problem Solving©️class coming up May 28th & 29th come join us! A few new tools before the last dizzying weeks of school and be ready for a fun summer ahead.

03/22/2026

This is a great info-graphic! We hear this SO often. It is not the same.

A reward is NOT the same as a paycheck!

Re-posting as a friendly reminder that it is a false equivalence.

This infographic was made with the input from this community, and I am so grateful for your input.

03/20/2026

This is an amazing opportunity! If you’re wanting to support others on their journey, this is your chance!

Good news! Another Family Support Specialist Foundations happening in May.

This is an OHA-approved Traditional Health Worker (THW) certification for Family Support Specialists! This 42+ hour training equips Family Support Specialists with the skills needed to navigate, work and support family members as they navigate systems for their children. This Training will be done online.

Dates and Time: May 15 | 8:30am to 12:30pm
May 18 - May 22 | 9am to 3:30pm
May 26 | 9am-2pm
Location: Virtual
Ready to Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/family-support-specialist-foundations-may-15-18-22-and-26-2026-tickets-1982692356210?aff=oddtdtcreator

Seats are limited, so sign up soon!

03/17/2026

This is a great opportunity to learn about Sped Law FBA’s and what ODE can do for you!

03/06/2026

Come join us at Breaking Barriers this year!

500+ people will be in one room on April 21.

Parents who've been navigating the special education system solo.
Self-advocates who've never had a space built for them.
Professionals ready to do better and learn how.

That room is Breaking Barriers: Life Beyond Labels, and there's still time to get your seat.

Registration is open through April 15.
Don't be the one hearing about it after.

📅 April 21, 2026 | Deschutes County Fair & Expo, Redmond
🔗 Register: codsn.app.neoncrm.com/eventReg.jsp?event=9314

02/13/2026

We LOVE BEAM! 💗💗💗💗. Their programming is what ALL children deserve especially those struggling and who need the right kind of support. Youth cannot build skills alone.

Huge appreciation to Naomi Arellano-Summer at the Bend Bulletin for starting this conversation and helping shine a light on kids who are still struggling because the system was not built with them in mind.
These are amazing little humans. They work so hard. They deserve to have their stories shared. They deserve to be seen and valued for who they are, not defined by their hardest days.
BEAM exists because too many kids were losing access to their learning, their confidence, and their sense of belonging. Instead of punishment and exclusion, they need skill-building, connection, and adults who know how to respond with support.
This article highlights why that matters and why our community needs to keep paying attention.
Please help keep the conversation going. Share it with your people or anyone you know who it may resonate with. Link in story!

01/22/2026

We know a lot of times youth are asked to “take a break for 5-15 minutes then problem solve or get back to routines after an upset - don’t forget we need to “Regulate before we can Relate & Reason”

It takes the body time to calm after a meltdown — not just a few deep breaths.

When a child is overwhelmed, their nervous system can take 20–60 minutes to fully settle after a surge of stress hormones. That’s why calm can’t be rushed. They need safety, patience and connection — not pressure to “get over it.”

Understanding this is at the heart of brain-based parenting. Regulation isn’t instant; it’s built through co-regulation and trust.

This also demonstrates why a child needs longer than 5 minutes out of class after an incident.

There is a full range of calming strategy prompts in our toolkit below.

NOW AVAILABLE IN THE RESOURCE STORE
The Child Brain Explained: How the Upstairs & Downstairs Brain Shape Behaviour, a Toolkit for Parents & Educators

Electronic download available at link in comments ⬇️ or via our Linktree Shop in Bio.

01/13/2026

Housing Voucher week! Don’t miss your chance to apply!

01/13/2026

When our kids come home…

A Child’s Voice – After School, I Need You to Know
The Child Who Masks

Earlier today I shared the swan model.

The one that looks calm on the surface, gliding through the school day — while underneath, it’s paddling fast just to stay afloat.

This is that same child, speaking now.

When I come out of school, I’m not being “dramatic”.
I’m not suddenly difficult.
I’m not undoing all the good behaviour you were told about.

I’ve been holding it together all day.

I’ve pushed feelings down so I didn’t stand out.
I’ve copied others so I could fit in.
I’ve kept my stims small and hidden.
I’ve smiled when I didn’t feel OK.
I’ve tried to remember every rule so no one got cross.
I’ve ignored what felt too loud, too bright, too much.

And by the time I reach you, there’s nothing left in the tank.

What looks like defiance, tears, shutdown, or anger after school is often exhaustion from masking.

If this feels familiar, you’re not alone — and neither is your child.

To SAVE, click on the image, tap the three dots, and choose Save.
If you’d like the boy version, comment BOY below.

My Masking Toolkit supports parents and educators to understand masking, recognise the hidden load, and reduce the pressure children carry just to be accepted. Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

01/07/2026

It’s great to have SO many options! Don’t miss the deadline to apply it’s coming up soon.

In Bend-La Pine Schools, students and families have choices in their educational journey, and now is the time to consider these options. We have a popular Dual Immersion program where students learn in English and Spanish. We have Career Technical Education programs at all our high schools. We also offer opportunities at four magnet schools.

We call these opportunities Choice Options – programs that meet the individual focus and needs of our students. Families may apply today through January 23 for a Choice Option program for students who will be in grades 1-12 next year. The application deadline for kindergarten students, and for the Dual Immersion program, is March 20. Selections are made through a lottery process.

Additionally, families are welcome to submit an Area Change Request if they’d like their student to attend any other school outside of their attendance zone. The Priority Area Change Request window is open today through January 23. “Priority” means that we will let families know if their request is approved by the end of February. Unlike Choice Option requests, where admission is determined by lottery, Area Change Requests are decided based on student needs, space available, enrollment balance and appropriateness of program.

Entry into the Choice Options lottery, Dual Immersion lottery, and Priority Area Change Requests all require a current enrollment in Bend-La Pine Schools for the school year requested. Enrollment is open now for the 2026-27 school year.

Important dates to remember!
January 23, 2026, 3:00 pm: Choice lottery application closes for grades 1-12
January 23, 2026, 3:00 pm: Application closes for Priority ACR
March 20, 2026, 3:00 pm: Choice lottery application closes for kindergarten and Dual Immersion
For more details, go to bls.fyi/options2026.

01/05/2026

A wonderful resource for parents!

💚The next 3 sessions of the Parent2Parent Support Group is starting soon!

If you’re a parent or caregiver of a neurodivergent child (ages 0–18), this space is for you. Parent2Parent is a safe, supportive group where caregivers come together to share experiences, listen without judgment, and remind each other that you’re not alone on this journey.

✨ Childcare update: Childcare is currently FULL, but families may join the childcare waitlist. Spots are still available for the support group itself, even if you don’t need childcare. Register today https://forms.office.com/r/MT2fKrPvND