An Approachable Guide to Smoother Transitions

Why every transition is actually three demands at once — and how to make all three easier for your child.

This 25-minute family course by Morgan van Diepen, M.Ed., BCBA reframes why transitions are so hard (it’s not defiance — it’s three back-to-back demands), uses research norms to set realistic expectations, and then walks you through three practical strategies.

What You’ll Learn

  • The three-demand framework: why every transition asks your child to stop, give up, and move — all at once
  • What neurotypical norms actually look like (so you know what’s realistic to expect)
  • Priming: advance warnings that prepare your child before the transition hits
  • Easy-Easy-Hard: structuring the sequence to reduce demand burden
  • Tell-Show-Help: a guided prompting approach for following through
  • Step-by-step visuals and family practice activities for each strategy

Supporting material included: Behavior Norms in Neurotypical Children.

Access Resource