When our kids are having an epic meltdown, our first instinct as adults is usually to start talking, rationalizing, or explaining. But what if trying to teach a lesson during a tantrum is actually making things worse? In this episode, I’m joined by my dear friend Courtney English, a pediatric occupational therapist and mom of two.

Courtney explains that talking to a dysregulated child is like trying to have a casual conversation with a fearful flyer during heavy airplane turbulence—their brain simply cannot process your words because it is focused on survival. Instead, we dive into the magic of proactive regulation, how to properly transition your kids after a long day at school, and how to use "heavy work" to ground a disorganized brain.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Airplane Analogy: Why trying to teach a lesson or logic with a child during a meltdown is perceived as a threat to their nervous system.
• The After-School "Recipe": Why kids fall apart the second they get home and how to lower the demands using crunchy snacks and connection.
• The Power of Heavy Work: How active movements like jumping and crashing provide proprioceptive input, sending clear signals of safety to the brain.
• Connection Through Play: Why getting down on their level for just five minutes of child-led play can fill their cup and completely shift the tone of your day.
• The 3-Step Bedtime Circuit: A simple red, yellow, and green sensory circuit to help transition your child from high-arousal energy to a calm state.

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week: Try Courtney’s 3-Step Bedtime Sensory Circuit tonight!

1. Red (Meet the Need): Make a Blanket Parachute. Put some stuffed animals on a blanket and shake it together to get that last bit of high energy out.
2. Yellow (Organize): Toss the stuffed animals onto the bed. Having a visual target starts to slow down their brain and organize their system.
3. Green (Calm): Finally, tuck them in. Use the stuffed animals to give your child deep pressure squeezes on their arms or legs to down-regulate their nervous system for sleep.

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 2: The Watchdog Brain (Why "Calm Down" Doesn't Work)
• Episode 3: Anxiety, Perfectionism, and the “Smoke Detector Analogy”
• Episode 4: The Power to Choose: Turning Power Struggles into Problem Solving

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Connect with Courtney English: Follow her on Instagram and check out her website for incredible, easy-to-understand regulation tips.
• Courtney's Regulation Posters: Grab her visual guide posters to help identify Red (meet the need), Yellow (organize), and Green (calm) activities.
• The best way to build strong foundational skills for 4 and 5 year olds through hands-on play.
• Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids eBook: A deeper look into the regulation strategies that help you connect with your child on an emotional level.

Whether you’re in the classroom, the carpool lane, or halfway through your coffee, let’s stop guessing and start teaching the way kids actually learn. Think Like a Kid is your weekly chat to unlearning the "sit still and listen" methods of the past and giving your child a true educational advantage.

Hosted by Danielle Mimbs–mom of three, former teacher, and Learning Behavior Specialist, each episode delivers brain-based strategies and creative STEAM ideas that turn learning into play. We ditch the one-size-fits-all approach to focus on how kids actually learn: through movement, curiosity, and connection. It’s time to make learning fun again and give your child the best head start to early learning! How? By thinking like a kid!

If we continue to parent and teach the same way we were raised, we are preparing our children for a world that no longer exists. With AI and automation rapidly changing the landscape, our goal has to shift from memorizing cold facts to teaching kids how to think. That is exactly what STEAM is all about and it is far simpler than you think.

In this episode, we break down why the "A" in STEAM (Arts) is the missing piece of the puzzle and how we can start wiring our kids' brains for resilience and innovation before they even turn six. I’m sharing how a simple shift in your questioning can transform a standard block tower into a lesson in engineering, and why I actually want my own kids to feel comfortable breaking the rules and making mistakes.

In this episode, we cover:

• What STEAM Actually Is: It is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, but it’s really about teaching creativity and resilience.
• The "Jobs of the Future": Why teaching foundational thinking skills matters more than academics when preparing kids for jobs that don't even exist yet.
• The Sponge Years: Why the most critical window for building confidence and problem-solving skills is between birth and age six.
• Unlearning the "Right Answer": Moving away from the "sit still and get it right" culture to a mindset that encourages questioning and risk-taking.

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• STEAM Made Simple Website: My online business where I help you teach foundational skills to kids at the earliest ages.
• The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: The ultimate tool for parents who want to give their child an educational advantage through play.
• Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids eBook: Learn how to nurture the emotional regulation needed for kids to bounce back from failures.

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:

Try a "No-Model STEAM Challenge." Give your child an assortment of blocks, tape, paper, and recyclables. Give them one simple prompt: "Let’s see what you can make". The hard part for you? Do not build it for them, do not tape things for them, and do not show them a "right" way to do it. Just wait it out and watch their creativity grow as they struggle through the process.

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 1: Why I Didn't Like School (My "Why")
• Episode 2: The Watchdog Brain (Why "Calm Down" Doesn't Work)
• Episode 4: The Power to Choose: Turning Power Struggles into Problem Solving

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you’re looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum. It’s the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

Do you ever feel like your day is just one long power struggle? Whether it’s over a favorite plate or a standard request, kids crave a sense of control. When they feel powerless, that "watchdog brain" we’ve been talking about takes over, and that's where the rebellion starts.

In this episode, we’re talking about how to flip the script by giving kids agency before they demand it. I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite resources the What Should Danny Do?

Series to show you how to help your child rehearse big decisions before emotions take over. By removing the child from the situation and letting them choose the path for a character, the learning actually sticks.

In this episode, we cover:

• Control vs. Discipline: Why kids struggle because they lack a sense of control, not necessarily discipline.
• The "Safety" of Choice: How agency and appropriate choices calm the amygdala and improve regulation almost immediately.
• The Power to Choose: Using the "Ultimate Superpower" to teach impulse control and confidence through neutral, non-judgmental language.
• Natural Consequences: Letting kids see the "negative path" in a safe, story-based environment without being shamed.

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: The best way to build strong foundational skills for 4 and 5 year olds.
• Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids eBook: A deeper look into the regulation strategies that make these choices possible.
• Book Series: What Should Danny Do? and What Should Darla do? by Adir and Ganit Levy. Link: https://a.co/d/06XVl7q7

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:

Instead of a "good choice/bad choice" lecture, try the "Two-Choice Neutral" strategy. When you see a conflict brewing, calmly offer two neutral choices: "You can choose to [action A], and then [consequence X] will happen, or you can choose to [action B], and then [consequence Y] will happen." Use a neutral tone for both. You are giving them the power to navigate the situation rather than forcing compliance.

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 2: The Watchdog Brain (Why "Calm Down" Doesn't Work)
• Episode 3: Anxiety, Perfectionism, and the “Smoke Detector Analogy”
• Episode 6: The CCP Model: A Game Changer for High-Energy Toddlers

If you loved this conversation, make sure to follow and subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you’re looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum. It’s the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

Anxious tendencies and perfectionism often live in the same "safety system" of the brain as the watchdog we discussed in the last episode. For many high-capacity kids, making a mistake isn't just a small error, it actually feels like a total loss of control and a "danger, danger" signal to their entire system. This can lead to kids who refuse to even pick up a crayon or start a task because they can't guarantee a perfect outcome.

In this episode, we talk about why "logic" doesn't work when a child is in the middle of a perfectionist meltdown and why we have to wait for a calm, proactive moment to build resilience. I’m sharing a simple book and a few playful "monster truck" hacks that help rewire the brain to see mistakes as a safe part of the process.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Safety System: Why anxiety and perfectionism are actually internal alarms meant to protect, even when there's no real fire.
• The Smoke Detector Analogy: Understanding that a child’s anxiety can’t always tell the difference between a house fire and some burnt toast.
• High-Capacity Avoidance: Why smart kids would often rather not start a task at all than risk a failure.
• Purposeful Mistakes: Using tools like the book It Looks Like Spilt Milk to give kids a new perspective on accidents.
• Baby Steps (Exposure): How to use "micro-steps" to help a child's brain feel safe enough to try again.

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: The best head start for early learning that prioritizes curiosity and hands-on play.
• Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids eBook: My roadmap for navigating big feelings and understanding your child's watchdog brain.
• Book Recommendation: It Looks Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw: https://a.co/d/0iOcVvhD

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:

Your challenge this week is to find opportunities to make "safe" mistakes in front of your child. Whether you drop a piece of mail or "accidentally" spill some milk, model a calm reaction and show them how you can make a "beautiful mistake" out of it. You can also try Monster Truck Art: tape a marker to a toy car or send a truck with painted tires down a slide onto paper. It teaches their brain that they aren't the one "failing" they're just playing!

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 1: Why I Didn't Like School (My "Why")
• Episode 2: The Watchdog Brain (Why "Calm Down" Doesn't Work)
• Episode 7: Why Your Lesson Plan Doesn’t Matter If You Skip SEL

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you’re looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum. It’s the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

"Your goal is not to fix the behavior. Your goal is to make their brain feel safe again."

In this episode, we dive into a concept I believe every child has a right to know. We explore why emotional intensity is developmentally normal, but often overstimulating for the adults in the room. By giving children a picture of what is happening in their brains, we help them feel more connected to themselves rather than alienated.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Watchdog Metaphor: The Amygdala's only job is to keep your child safe, but it often gets confused and barks at things that aren't actually dangerous.
• Logic is Offline: Why the "reasoning" part of the brain (the prefrontal cortex) is closed for business while the watchdog is barking.
• Deep Awareness: Why "intense" kids are often just deeply aware of tone, facial expressions, and transitions.
• Co-Regulation Strategies: How to use predictability, a calm tone, and eye-level connection to bring the watchdog back to a simmer.

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids: This is your roadmap for understanding the sensory seekers, avoiders, and triggers we discussed today. Purchase the eBook Here

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:

Introduce the Watchdog to your child during a calm, playful moment:

1. Draw the Watchdog together: Let your child give it a name and make it super silly.
2. Explain its job: Tell them, "It's here to protect you, but sometimes it barks when you don't even need protecting."
3. Spot it in real time: When things start to get heated, calmly wonder out loud, "Hmm... I wonder if your watchdog is barking?"
   

Recommended Episodes:

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you’re looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum. It’s the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

"I was the 'she's fine' kid. The one who wasn't failing, but certainly wasn't thriving."

In this inaugural episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why I became a teacher and why I’m so obsessed with helping you understand the kid in front of you. I didn’t grow up dreaming of a classroom; I grew up feeling invisible in a system that didn't know what to do with "average".

Today, I’m sharing how a psychology degree and a "lightbulb moment" changed everything, leading me to a career dedicated to connection-based learning and sensory-aware parenting. We're talking about why "one-size-fits-all" is a myth and how you can start Thinking Like a Kid today to make life a whole lot easier.

In this episode, we cover:

• The "She’s Fine" Danger Zone: Why being average in school can lead to adult anxiety.
• Connection Before Correction: Why real learning only happens when a child feels seen and safe.
• The 3 Magic Questions: A simple exercise to do with your child today to learn their love language and their triggers.

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids: This is your roadmap for understanding the sensory seekers, avoiders, and triggers we discussed today. Purchase the eBook Here

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:

Choose one of these three questions to ask your child today. Just ask, and then this is the hard part…just listen.

1. When do you feel the most loved?
2. What is something grownups do that makes things harder for you?
3. What helps your brain or body feel calm again after you get upset?
   

Recommended Episodes:

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you’re looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum. It’s the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.