The Behavior Blueprint with Mandy Grass

If you are looking for an expert to simply tell you to "take a deep breath" and never yell at your kids, this is not the podcast for you. In this highly relatable episode, Mandy turns the behavioral lens inward to tackle parent emotional regulation. Using the same ABCs of behavior (Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence) applied to children, Mandy explains how to identify your own adult triggers and le...

On this episode, Mandy sits down with Julia Dzafic, the creator behind Lemon Stripes and The Medicated Millennial Mom. Julia opens up about her journey as a content creator, balancing flexible but demanding work hours, and managing a household with an 8-year-old, a 4-year-old, a dog, and 11 chickens. Mandy and Julia dive into what it means to have "Mom Brain" and the invisible mental load that kee...

Are you constantly nagging your teen to get out of bed or take out the garbage? On our next summer series epiosde, Mandy dives deep into the teenage brain to explain why natural consequences often don't work, especially when the consequence actually falls on the parent. Learn all about building external motivation when intrinsic motivation doesn't exist, how to successfully "scaffold" independence...

In this very special Father's Day edition of the show, Mandy steps aside to hand the microphone to three incredible, heavily involved dads from her inner circle. Joining the conversation are Drew (a CPA, avid golfer, and youth coach extraordinaire), Hunter (a serial entrepreneur navigating life with ADHD and an only child), and Mandy's partner Gerry (you know Gerry). The dads get completely honest...

Are you dreading the constant summer chorus of "I'm bored," "You never told me I had to do that," and endless screen time negotiations? You aren't alone. We all know how quickly summer can spiral into chaos, but this can be avoided if boundaries are established from day one! On this episode, Mandy shares the exact "Summer Contract" she created with her blended family. She breaks down how to differ...

Does it feel like May and June are somehow more exhausting than December? The end of the school year can be a nightmare for parents, but before you throw your hands up and abandon all structure on day one of summer, Mandy has the plan to help make this brief, but vital time period a manable one. Of course, the sudden loss of predictability often leads to irritable, fighting kids by day four. And s...

If you think managing one or two kids is chaotic, imagine blending a family with seven children, two giant dogs, and up to 14 extracurricular activities! In this special episode of The Behavior Blueprint, Mandy welcomes her partner, Gerry, to share their story, how they went about blended Gerry's four boys and Mandy's three girls into a modern day Brady Bunch! Find out the thought behind why they...

If you have ever listened to the show or seen one of Mandy's reels and thought, "does she actually do this in her own house?", this episode is for you! Mandy and two of her daughters are pulling back the curtain on their own family dynamics, as they share how they utilize shared journaling and the five-minute rule. In this special behind-the-scenes episode, Mandy, Lola, and Parker discuss how they...

You asked, and Mandy is answering! In this special Q&A edition of the Behavior Blueprint, Mandy takes listener questions straight from Instagram to provide the deep dive answers that just won't fit into a 90-second reel. Covering everything from the logistics of starting an ADHD medication journey to managing those massive soap messes in the bathroom, this episode gets into what is on your mind as...

If you've ever looked at your child's report card and known they are working twice as hard just to keep their head above water, this episode is for you. Mandy puts on her former special education teacher hat to share her own childhood dyslexia journey, as she gives the blueprint for navigating the confusing world of school evaluations and supports. Learn about the critical differences between an I...

Have you ever given your kids a chore to do, only to find the laundry hidden behind a dresser or the toys shoved into random corners? You are definitely not alone. In a special live coaching episode, Mandy sits down with Sarah, a mom of three and a public school superintendent, to troubleshoot her family's chore routines. Sarah previously used Mandy's strategies to fix a severe bedtime battle in j...

If you’ve ever thought, "I just don’t like my kid right now," know this...you aren’t alone and you shouldn’t feel guilty for it. Parenting is tough, especially when you find yourself caught in a cycle of tantrums, backtalk, and exhausting power struggles that leave you with a knot in your stomach at bedtime. On this episode, Mandy breaks down how to move from the seemingly neverending conflict to...

Do you find yourself caught in a cyclical argument over something completely provable? Lying can be one of the most triggering behaviors for parents, but it’s often a child's most effective tool for getting what they want or avoiding what they don't. In this episode, Mandy breaks down the "why" behind the lies. Mandy shares strategies from her own blended family, that will give you the blueprint t...

Is bedtime a battle in your house? From constant delay tactics to kids popping in and out of their rooms 400 times, sleep related behaviors can drive any parent to the brink of insanity. In this episode, Mandy lays out the bedtime blueprint, focusing on the routines and boundaries that happen before the lights go out! Tools & Resources Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠thefamilybehaviorist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Social Media: Follow...

Have you ever wondered what is actually going through your child’s mind when they get distracted, overwhelmed, or stuck in a cycle of anxiety? In this special episode, Mandy is joined by a very important guest: her nine-year-old daughter, Lola! Lola gets incredibly honest about her journey with ADHD and anxiety, offering a rare look at the kid perspective on diagnosis, medication, and parenting. T...

Does it feel like you’re playing hostage negotiator in your kitchen every morning before everyone is out the door? Whether it’s one child breathing "too loudly" or a battle over a toy no one cared about three seconds ago, sibling conflict can be A LOT. On this episode, Mandy breaks down what is actually driving those sibling squabbles and how parents accidentally keep the cycle going. From underst...

If technology has become the biggest battle in your home and you find yourself negotiating screen time more than bedtime, this episode is for you. We’ve all been there...the timer goes off, you ask for the iPad, and suddenly it’s a total standoff. So why do our kids fight us so hard on this? In this episode, Mandy breaks down the behavioral science behind the screen time struggle. Learn why tech i...

Do you feel like your child only seems to "act out" the second you pick up your phone, start a conversation with another adult, or try to focus on a sibling? If it feels like you are constantly being pulled away from what you’re doing by disruptive behavior, this episode is for you. In this episode, Mandy explores one of the most common functions of behavior...attention. Find out why children ofte...

If you have a daughter who is bright, empathetic, and verbal, but constantly interrupts, struggles with emotional regulation, or seems easily distracted, this episode is for you! ADHD in girls often doesn't look like the stereotypical hyperactive image we expect, which means it frequently goes unnoticed or misunderstood. In this episode, Mandy dives into the unique ways ADHD presents in girls. fro...

If you find yourself constantly saying, "we don't hit!" only to have it happen again five minutes later, this episode is for you! Hitting is a form of communication, and if we only focus on stopping the physical act, we are missing the most important part: why it’s happening in the first place. In this episode, we explore the four functions of behavior and how they apply to physical aggression. Of...

Are your mornings more chaotic than routine? You aren’t alone. In this episode, we dive deep into why routines need regular maintenance and how to use tools like visual schedules, behavioral momentum, and Alexa reminders to take the mental load off parents. Mandy even gets real, revealing her own household’s recent "routine regression" and shares the exact behavioral strategies she used to get sev...

If you want to shape your child’s behavior instead of constantly reacting to it, you have to understand why it is happening. In this first episode of The Behavior Blueprint, board-certified behavior analyst and parent coach Mandy Grass introduces the framework that drives real behavior change by helping parents understand the function behind behavior. You will learn the four functions of behavior...

The Behavior Blueprint: Real Talk for Real Families is a parenting podcast hosted by Mandy Grass, a board-certified behavior analyst and mom of 3, blended mom of 7. Through a mix of solo episodes and unscripted conversations with real parents and influencers, Mandy breaks down the why behind kids’ behavior and shares practical, science-backed strategies families can actually use, without judgment,...