Understand Your Child. Respond with Confidence. Build Lifelong Skills.
Helping parents move beyond simply managing behavior to understand what's underneath it…and what their child may still be learning.
Children are learning. Parents are learning too.
None of us were meant to do it alone.
Parenting can feel overwhelming...
Parenting is one of the hardest, and most important jobs we'll ever have!
If you've found yourself wondering...
Why is my child acting this way?
Am I responding the right way?
Why do the same struggles keep happening?
You're not alone.
Children don't come with a manual. But when we understand why behavior is happening, we know what to do next.
Behavior isn't just something to manage.
It's information.
When we understand the WHY behind the behavior and what skill is missing, we know what to teach next.
Hi, I'm Kirsten.
I'm so glad you're here.
For nearly 20 years, I've worked alongside children and families, helping them build the skills that support calmer days, stronger relationships, greater independence, and more confident kids.
As an Early Intervention Special Education Teacher, Certified Parent Coach, and Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator, and Certified Positive Discipline Classroom Educator, my work is strongly influenced by Positive Discipline and grounded in child development, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and brain science.
And after years of working with families, and raising my own family… I've learned that knowing the parenting advice is often the easy part.
Figuring out what to do with it in the middle of a hard moment is much harder.
That's where I can help.
Together, we'll slow things down, understand what's happening, and build a toolbox of practical strategies that fit your child, your family, and your values.
Kirsten Nichter, MSEd
Early Intervention Special Education Teacher • Certified Parent Coach • Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator • Certified Positive Discipline Classroom Educator
My Approach to Parent CoachinG
I don't believe we need to reinvent parenting.
There are already so many valuable approaches, tools, and resources available to families.
My work is strongly influenced by Positive Discipline, including the idea of being kind AND firm… building connection while also providing the boundaries, expectations, and leadership children need.
My training through the Jai Institute for Parenting also shapes my work, especially the focus on the parent's own nervous system, emotions, and reactions.
Because sometimes we know what we want to do as parents, but in the hard moment, our own frustration, worry, or overwhelm gets in the way.
So we look at both: what's happening inside you AND what's happening underneath your child's behavior… so you can respond with more intention, connection, and confidence.
I bring those principles together with nearly 20 years of experience working alongside children and families, including:
Parent and child emotional regulation
Attachment and connection
Child development
Executive functioning
Brain science
Understanding behavior as communication
Independence and responsibility
Connection AND accountability
Teaching skills rather than simply stopping behaviorAnd I've developed practical tools along the way … including PRESET and Parent Pause™, to help parents take these ideas and actually use them in everyday life.
Because you don't need another parenting script.
You need to understand what's happening well enough, for you and your child, to know what to do next.
Parent Pause™
Parent Pause is a simple way to slow parenting down and think about what's happening before jumping straight to consequences or trying to stop a behavior.
UNDERSTAND
What's happening here .. for both of us?
What's happening inside of me?
What might my child's behavior be communicating?
What skill might they still be learning?
↓
PRESET
What can I do before the hard moment?
Prepare.
Set expectations.
Create structure.
Practice.
Give your child the best opportunity to be successful.
↓
PARENT PAUSE
What does this moment need from me?
Pause before reacting.
Notice what's happening inside you.
Connect AND hold the boundary.
Keep everyone safe.
You don't have to solve everything in the middle of the hard moment
↓
TEACH
What does my child need to learn?
When everyone is calm, that's when we can teach.
Emotional regulation.
Communication.
Problem-solving.
Executive functioning.
Responsibility.
Independence.
Repair.
These aren't just skills for better behavior.
They're skills for life.
What Parents Are Saying
“Parenting is hard and life is busy, but Kirsten has a way of making everything feel more manageable and less overwhelming.
Her strategies and suggestions are practical, easy to incorporate into everyday life, and can truly make a lasting difference for your entire family.
In just a short amount of time, our routines and overall family dynamic have changed so much for the better, and I’m incredibly grateful!”
— Lindsay
You Don't Have to Parent Perfectly.
And your child doesn't have to behave perfectly.
We're all learning.
Parent coaching gives you a place to slow down, understand your own reactions AND your child's behavior, ask questions, and build a toolbox that works for your family.
Whether you need one conversation, ongoing virtual coaching, or more hands-on support, we'll find the level of support that makes sense for you.
Understand what's happening - and have a plan for what to do next!
Ready to parent with more confidence, compassion, and clarity?
Book a FREE consultation call and find support tailored to your child’s development and your family’s values.
