Let’s do some quick math.  Your child comes to therapy for one hour.  There are 168 hours in a week.   That means therapy is less than 1% of your child’s week.  Less than 1%.

Now don’t panic. This isn’t me saying therapy doesn’t work. (I’m literally a therapist. That would be an awkward blog post.)  Therapy absolutely helps.  But here’s the truth that sometimes gets overlooked…

Most of the growth doesn’t happen in my office.

It happens on a random Tuesday night when your child melts down because you cut their sandwich into triangles instead of squares.

It happens during homework.
It happens when they refuse to put on socks because “they feel weird.”
It happens when your teenager grunts at you, slams a door, and somehow you’re expected to know exactly what that grunt meant.

Those everyday moments are where new skills are practiced, relationships are strengthened, and progress slowly begins to take shape.

So what can you do during the other 167 hours?

Instagram parenting is cute.  Real parenting looks like trying to remember a coping strategy while your toddler is screaming, the dog is barking, dinner is burning, and someone just spilled an entire cup of chocolate milk across the kitchen.  

Again.

When a behavior happens, your first job isn’t to stop it.  It’s to become curious.

Instead of asking, “Why are they doing this to me?” try asking:

• What happened right before this?
• What was my child trying to communicate?
• Were they tired, hungry, overwhelmed, embarrassed, or anxious?
• What helped the situation?
• What made it worse?

You don’t need to write a novel.  Keeping a few notes on your phone or in a notebook can help you notice patterns that are easy to miss in the moment.

Many parents are surprised to discover that the behavior isn’t random at all. Certain situations, environments, or expectations often show up again and again.

Those observations become incredibly helpful during therapy sessions.

One of the biggest mistakes parents make is waiting until a child is completely overwhelmed to teach a new coping skill.  Imagine trying to learn how to swim while you’re already drowning.  It doesn’t work very well.

The same is true for emotional regulation. Practice taking deep breaths when everyone is calm.

Role-play asking for help before the next frustrating homework assignment.

Practice taking a break before the next disagreement with a sibling.

The calmer the practice, the easier it is for your child’s brain to access that skill when emotions become bigger.

Most kids don’t wake up one morning and suddenly have perfect emotional regulation. (If yours does, please let me know your secret.)  Growth usually looks much less exciting.

Those little moments don’t always feel impressive.  But they add up.

Parents naturally notice what still needs work.  We’re wired to look for problems that need solving.

But don’t forget to notice what’s getting better.  Maybe your child’s meltdown lasted 20 minutes instead of an hour.

Maybe they asked for help instead of throwing something.  Maybe they recovered more quickly than they did last month.

Those wins matter.

Progress often happens in small steps before it becomes obvious in big ways.

Celebrating those moments helps children recognize their own growth and reminds them that change is possible.

Therapy is one piece of the puzzle.

The conversations at home, the practice between sessions, and the small moments of connection throughout the week all help support your child’s growth.

That’s one of the reasons we created Parent Hub.

We wanted families to have support between sessions, not just during them.

Inside Parent Hub, you’ll find practical strategies, printable resources, videos, live Q&A sessions, and a growing library of tools designed to help you navigate everyday challenges with more confidence.

Because those other 167 hours matter.

And you shouldn’t have to figure them out alone.