Hi, I’m Kirsten, and I’m so glad you’re here!
I am on a mission to help Parents Understand Their Child, Respond with Confidence, and Build Lifelong Skills!
If there's one thing I hope you know before we ever meet, it's this...
You don't have to be a perfect parent.
Parenting is one of the hardest, and most important jobs we'll ever have! There are moments filled with joy and connection, and there are moments that leave us wondering if we're doing enough or making the right decisions.
I've been there too.
As a mom of three, I know what it's feels like to celebrate the wins, question yourself after the hard moments, and wonder if there's a better way.
That's one of the reasons I love the work I do.
My Story
For nearly 20 years, I've had the privilege of working alongside children and families as an Early Intervention Special Education Teacher.
I've worked with children of all abilities, personalities, and developmental stages. And throughout those years, one belief has remained constant:
Children do well when they have the skills to do well.
That idea has shaped not only my career, but also the way I parent my own children.
Over the years, I've also realized something about parents:
We usually don't need more parenting advice.
There is plenty of it out there.
What we often need is someone to help us slow things down, understand what's happening beneath the behavior, and figure out what all that parenting advice actually looks like with our child, in our family, in real life.
That's the work I love to do.What Makes My Approach Different
Most parenting advice focuses on changing behavior.
I believe behavior is information.
When we understand why a child is struggling, we can identify the skill they're still developing and intentionally teach it.
Rather than simply managing behavior, I help parents build emotional regulation, communication, executive functioning, flexible thinking, problem-solving, confidence, and independence through everyday life.
Because parenting isn't just about getting through today.
It's about preparing our children for tomorrow.
My Approach
My work is strongly influenced by Positive Discipline and its focus on being both kind AND firm.
Children need connection, encouragement, and adults who understand what they're experiencing.
AND they need boundaries, expectations, accountability, and opportunities to build the skills they'll eventually need without us.
I combine Positive Discipline principles with my background in:
Child development
Special education
Executive functioning
Emotional regulation
Brain science
Nearly 20 years of working directly with children and families
And my own experience raising three children
I don't believe we need to reinvent parenting.
I believe we need to understand our children, understand ourselves, and have practical tools that help us put what we know into practice.
Along the way, I've developed tools like PRESET and Parent Pause™ to help parents slow down, think ahead, and respond more intentionally in everyday parenting moments.
Behavior Is Information
One of the biggest shifts I help parents make is moving from:
"How do I get my child to stop doing this?"
to:
"What is making this hard — and what does my child still need to learn?"
Behavior gives us information.
When we begin to understand what's underneath it, we can respond differently.
That might mean helping a child build:
Emotional regulation
Communication
Executive functioning
Flexible thinking
Problem-solving
Impulse control
Responsibility
Independence
Sometimes we need to set a boundary.
Sometimes we need to change the environment.
Sometimes we need to step back.
Sometimes we need to teach.
And sometimes we realize that what our child needs most in that moment is connection.
Parenting isn't just about getting through today.
It's about intentionally building the skills our children will need tomorrow.
My AND Approach
If you've spent any time with me, you've probably heard me talk about "the AND."
I don't think parenting is about choosing between two extremes.
It's learning to hold two things at the same time.
Feelings AND skills.
Compassion AND boundaries.
Connection AND accountability.
Support AND independence.
Kind AND firm.
Your child can be disappointed AND you can hold the boundary.
You can understand why a behavior happened AND still expect your child to take responsibility.
You can help your child AND know when it's time to step back and let them try.
You can make a parenting mistake AND repair it.
That's the messy middle of parenting.
And honestly, I think that's where so much of the important work happens.
My Credentials
My approach comes from years of working directly with children and families as well as continued training and education.
Kirsten Nichter, MSEd
Early Intervention Special Education Teacher
New York State Certified Teacher
Certified Parent Coach
Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator
Certified Positive Discipline Classroom Educator
MSEd in Special Education
Nearly 20 years of experience working with children and families
I continue learning because our understanding of children continues to grow… and because I believe the families I work with deserve thoughtful, informed support.
A Little More About Me
Outside of coaching, you'll usually find me with my family, coaching youth sports, practicing yoga, reading, or enjoying time outdoors.
Sports have always been a big part of my life.
I played two sports through college and have spent more than 25 years coaching young athletes.
While I loved competing, what mattered most weren't the wins.
It was who I became because of the experience.
Sports taught me resilience, teamwork, leadership, perseverance, responsibility, and how to get back up after making mistakes.
Those lessons continue to shape the way I work with children and parents today.
I believe children learn best when they're given opportunities to practice, struggle a little, make mistakes, feel supported, and keep growing.
Because eventually, our job isn't to do everything for them.
It's to help them develop the skills and confidence to do more for themselves.
Why I Do This Work
❤️ I believe we all deserve someone in our corner.
A child deserves an adult who believes in them and can see beyond the behavior.
And a parent deserves someone who will listen without judgment, help them understand what's really going on, and give them practical tools they can actually use.
My goal isn't to help you become a perfect parent… because perfect parents don't exist.
It's to help you feel supported, connected, and confident as you raise the incredible human in front of you.
Parenting isn't about getting everything right.
It's about continuing to learn, growing alongside our children, repairing when we get it wrong, and intentionally building the skills that will help our families thrive.
I'd Love to Walk Alongside You
Whether you're navigating toddler tantrums, emotional regulation, executive functioning challenges, school-age struggles, independence, or simply want to feel more confident in your parenting, you don't have to figure it out alone.
Sometimes you may need one conversation.
Sometimes you may want someone alongside you for a season.
Either way, we'll start with where you are.