When faced with challenging behavior, parents often ask themselves questions like: “Why is this happening?” “What should I do and how?” “Am I handling this the right way?” or “What can I do to prevent this from happening again?” Very often, parents don’t have the answers and struggle in many different ways. Behavior problems can disrupt everyday family life and slow down a child’s development. When problem behaviors repeat over and over, they can even lead to a child’s isolation. A label gets attached! A child who breaks rules, ignores instructions, shows aggression, or doesn’t use the toilet becomes “inconvenient” in a group or classroom, and their presence may no longer be welcome. Parents may be left alone with an unresolved behavior problem, trying to solve it by themselves.
This academy was created to support those parents—and anyone who wants to understand behavior, learn how to change it, and use the principles of behavior to help children succeed. All explanations and recommendations in the parent programs are based on the science and practice of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The effectiveness of these evidence-based methods has been confirmed by decades of research. These approaches consistently show positive results across all ages and for individuals with a wide range of developmental needs. Olga Shapovalova, the creator of the Academy, follows a positive approach to behavior change. This means reducing or replacing challenging behavior without punishment.
The Parent Academy offers:
- A chance to understand what behavior is, the principles that shape it, and how it can be changed.
- The opportunity to connect with other parents who are focused on positive support for their children.
- Learning the science of Applied Behavior Analysis—a field that explains how behavior develops and how it can be taught.
- Opportunities for personal growth and for helping your child reach their full potential.
- Education for anyone who wants to prepare their children for adult life and independence.
The Parent Academy was created to:
- Help parents discover learning opportunities for their child based on their individual strengths and needs.
- Provide parents with a new perspective—both on their child’s behavior and on their own.
- Give parents tools to improve behavior, recognize what is useful versus what is problematic, and ensure that new skills last over time.
