Calm the Chaos: A Fail-Proof Road Map for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids

For a book about challenging kids, it sure made me laugh... and cry. I felt understood in a way I never have before. And after reading it, I feel something I haven't felt in a very long time... Hope.I have been doing this for a very long time. I keep researching in the hope I will one day find a magic solution that will fix my family. I have tried all. the. things. What I didn't know though, was how to put them together. This book shows you exactly how to put the things you know together and form an actual plan. Not a trick here or a tip there.Dayna walks you through exactly what to do, with such engaging stories and humor that is not only a fantastic roadmap to get out of survival mode at long last, it feels fun and doable as well. And while it might seem long, its not really as it's chock full of helpful (and amusing) diagrams, doodles, checklists and action steps. Each section will only take you a couple of minutes each to read. You have not read a parenting book like this. One that doesn't make you feel like you've been doing it wrong, but rather gets exactly where you are coming from, speaks to you with compassion and understanding, and will help you see your parenting and your child in a whole new way.And the key here is that the framework has been written to be adapted to your situation. It offers a science based therapeutic approach that can be used with trauma, anxiety, ADHD, ASD, ODD, PANDAS and a whole lot more. I have tried in vain to get the help we needed from professionals in the NHS. This approach has been more successful than any of them put together. Finally, I no longer feel like I have no idea what to do. My son developed OCD earlier in the year, and after an initial panic, I put the framework to work and within a few months we had it down from eating up 5 hours of our day to more like 5 minutes.I can't recommend this book enough - as someone who actually has experience of using this framework in my family.

Calm the Chaos: A Fail-Proof Road Map for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids by Dayna Abraham is a must-have read for all parents, professionals and anyone in-between who has a part to play in any child’s journey. I came across Dayna’s work earlier this year and have been hooked ever since, personally and professionally. As a parent, I wish Dayna’s book had existed 20 years ago. Now as a speech and language therapist working with families in the UK, I believe her book is a must-have read.In the book, Dayna shares with the reader how she wanted to find a way to support her son to stop blaming himself for not fitting in and for him to not blame the world for not understanding him. Dayna has eloquently drawn on her personal and professional experiences to create a book filled with raw honesty, compassion and clarity.The format of the book follows a framework which guides families on how to put into practice things they may instinctively already know but are unsure how to make happen. The book is written in an easy-to-follow and accessible way; I can hear the author speak to me! Calm the Chaos is packed with up-to-date, evidence-based strategies and practical solutions, supported by easily understood and beautifully crafted illustrations and includes real-life stories of things that have already proved successful for the many families Dayna has been working with.I highly recommend this book – it just makes so much sense!

I rarely write book reviews, though I enjoy reading them, because I'm a somewhat chaotic person - but this one needed reviewing before I've even finished it!I'm 6 chapters in and finding it so helpful. It's set out so clearly in stages, sections, repeat patterns that you can tap into and doodles to clarify, break up the text and give you that essential visual hook. I really like the clarity. The way it is presented in small chunks within chapters is so helpful if you have ADHD or similar traits.This is not a mighty tome where you tire part way through. It's engaging and practical and you want to pause to try putting things into action. And when you pause and put things into action, it is such a buzz because IT WORKS for once, so you want to come back and read the next thing. Or, if you are me, re-read what you just put into action, because you can't quite believe it worked and THEN read on.I'm reading this as a chaotic parent, not so much that my kids are particularly challenging. It's helping me find ways of staying calm that I've been searching for for maybe 3 decades now - and that is having a knock-on effect on our family. So my husband reports. He's happier too.Totally worth it.

I have been following Dayna's team for a while and was excited for the book to come out, so that I could link others to it. This is the best 'parenting' (I think really you could call it a communication skills book, with particular reference to parenting) book I have read, and I've read a lot! If you have a child who is neurodivergent, quirky, 'difficult', struggling, or none of the above, this book can help. It provides specific examples of what to say and do 'in the moment', to avoid acting on impulse and saying the first thing that comes into your head, or doing what you usually do. It also teaches you how to really get curious as to the underlying reasons for behaviours. The behaviour funnel is my favourite part. If you've done parenting courses that haven't worked, try this, it's more an approach to life than a 'course'

I am interested in child psychology, and am one of those people who started researching developmental stages and parenting approaches when my first was still an embryo.Although I’ve come across many valuable resources throughout the years, no one has been able to fully support me during the real-life challenges that come with being a parent, especially since the kids leave the toddler stages. Until now. There is so much I love about this book. I love how it builds on connection, understanding and love. I love the actionable and very concrete steps it provides. I love how it addresses the well-being of EVERY family member (yes! Yours too!). Working in academia I love how it is science based.What really is amazing though is that the strategies work. They’ve made my family (and myself) happier calmer and more empowered. I truly recommend this book.

Dayna gets it! She is able to meet the parents where they are and guide them to a compassionate and healthy interaction with even the most challenged child or situation. I have found her insights and strategies invaluable in helping me be a better parent. This is my most referenced book and one I refer to often in helping my family through a very chaotic time in my life post-cancer treatment. I have followed Dayna's framework outlined here to guide my family through that tumultuous time and to build a deep connected relationship with my children. Every individual who works with children: parent, pediatrician, or counselor would benefit from this book.

I just started reading this book, and it already feels like the place I needed to be. I love that it feels like talking to a friend about your struggles, and your family's unique challenges, and seeing how there's hope. This book will definitely help all the families with out of the box kids, especially because we need the world to know this kids have their own superpowers, and that we have what it takes to learn and grow together. It makes all the other parenting books I've read make sense and fall into place

30 pages in I am convinced that this is the answer I’ve been searching for. The concept is completely adaptable to meet you where you are in any situation you find yourself in. Highly recommend to anyone and everyone!