Calm the Chaos: A Game-Changing Parenting Book

No more 1 size fits all parenting. Calm the Chaos gives you a framework so you can make a plan specific to the needs of YOUR family.

This book is filled with acceptance and the belief that we are ALL inherently worthy and valuable human beings. Can you imagine the shift in our world if we have a generation raised like this?

Also - doodles!! My brain feels so happy looking through the pages and having visual elements to anchor to. So much easier to make sense of!

I can't tell you the sense of relief and possibility this book brings up. As someone who's put in years of effort to bring safety, connection and emotional resilience to my family, I keep recognizing ideas and strategies that have made a huge positive impact for us. It's incredible to see these ideas captured in a clear framework that any parent can use in their own circumstances and situations.

A very easy to read book that walks you through a framework that will help in any and all stages of parenthood. I wish this book was around years ago when my kids were little. Thankfully I got to work with Dayna and apply this framework many years ago. Now it’s easily accessible to everyone in this book. It also has helped me as a teacher to work with my students. So whether you are a teacher, parent, grandparent, counselor, dr…Get this book!

This book is a fantastic resource for parents who are struggling with "that child" that nobody - not even the so-called experts - seems to know what to do about! In this easy-to-read and understand book she lays out a step-by-step process, not just to address and reduce challenging behaviors and calm the chaos, but also to really understand and meet the child's underlying needs as well as the parent's needs. I love all the detailed examples, visuals, illustrations, charts, and website supplemental materials that make this book easy to digest and implement -- Dana isn't just a great parent, she's also a great *teacher* who knows how to communicate concepts to make sure they stick. Most of all, I love that Dana is speaking to us parent-to-parent as someone who really GETS IT because of her lived experience. You just can't get this kind of wisdom and know-how from a therapist, social worker, or even someone with a PhD in child development... only a parent who has actually lived this life can truly know how complicated and challenging it can be to raise a child who is struggling with nervous system dysregulation, no matter what the diagnosis or brain difference may be. Reading this book feels like sharing a warm hug and a mug of tea with an understanding (and smart!) friend who knows exactly how you feel and has so much hard-earned wisdom to share. If you're a parent who feels that "we've tried everything already and nothing works".... do yourself a favor and get this book!

I just started reading this book and it has been amazing. She goes into easy simple steps that anybody can follow. I’m also loving the doodles that help you visualize what she is talking about. This book is for anybody who is feeling lost as a parent or a person. So we can all go from surviving to thriving

Tears, screams, laughs along the way while reading this. My book looks like a rainbow, as there are so many key points. The author has “been there and personal EXPERIENCE”. I have read this book now three times. I pick it up in the morning as a daily reminder to “ride the storm”.

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!

My book arrives tomorrow! Even tho I have enough parenting books, I knew that this book is special! Can’t wait to start reading, even tho the digital copy is available, I decided to wait. I recommend this book to everyone, I am so confident is a great book! I may write another review after I read the whole book!

I'm almost finished reading this book and it's a game changer. It's not a list of dos and don'ts it's a framework that can be applied to anyone and any situation.
Everyone working with kids needs this.

A MUST READ for any who parent, work with, live with, or know children!!
The Calm the Chaos road-map has made the biggest difference in my life as a parent and human. Each stage of the road map has met me with understanding and empowerment, allowing me to keep moving my family and myself forward into the direction of our shared values and goals. Having children who are neurodiverse (and being a neurodivergent parent) means there have been numerous obstacles and challenges along the journey that other parenting guides/literature/therapies fail to address or consider. Dayna has broken the barriers with this road-map, creating a framework that meets each person right where they are with compassion, understanding, and motivation. I have no problem recommending this book to friends, family, therapists, educators, or anyone who has children in their lives. I believe the world will be a much better place as we start to engage in relationships (parenting and otherwise) using the Calm the Chaos model.

This book is a parenting game-changer. I know because I found myself in a similar place, with a child who had behaviors neither I nor others understood. I wanted so desperately to be a "gentler" parent, but kept coming up short and losing my cool.

Dayna Abraham's book is the first mass-market resource I've found to acknowledge that parents can only give what they already have inside. Rather than feeling shamed for not being able to maintain my cool or like I've failed again, Calm the Chaos showed me how to look at ALL the needs in my family - my own included - and not just those of my most struggling kiddo. The way she works through plans with visuals and examples helped me to see the ways I could shore up myself and the rest of the family to meet our challenges together, as a team. "...your child needs to be seen, heard, understood, and empowered." Our whole family has benefited from this system and I can't wait to see what it does for others.

I could go on - but whether you're a verbal or visual learner, Dayna's thought of everything and truly laid out a map for building the family and life of your dreams, even if you have struggles that feel insurmountable.

Honest, easy to understand, easy to follow framework. If you are looking for anything related to parenting from the normal battles to the challenging struggles, this is your answer! Parenting today is changing, and this has all the pieces you need! Everyone who has kids or works with kids needs this book! It is packed with information, action steps, and tools to make your success easy every step of the way.

This is a book for a program that saved us. It is a path forward when there does not seem to be a path you can take. And it works for everyone. It breaks down how to help and be their kids even in the hardest times.

This is a must-read for parents with challenging kids. You can find a path that helps. And you have clear steps all along the way. You have questions to get you to the root of the problem. You have a guide that other systems lack. You have the first point to start at and you go from there. And it is not just about the kids it is also about making sure you are taking care of yourself as well.

This book is for parents, teachers, therapists, or anyone who wants to help communicate better with others. I will be sharing this book with everyone I can!

If you've read other parenting books you may be wondering how this one is different. First and foremost, Calm the Chaos does not exclude certain kids with the wave of an astrix. You know the one - "*this method may not apply to children who____" (fill in the blank with a diagnosis or situation, probably the one you're seeking help with in the first place). Not only does Dayna not dismiss these out-out-the-box kids, she provides inspiration and encouragement for genuinely celebrating their unique super powers.

If other books have left you thinking "Oh that all sounds great, but how do I *do* any of it?"... fear not! Dayna has taken all the best research and not just made it accessible to understand, but has also laid it out in a plan to actually implement. Step by step.

Finally, if you're wondering how you could ever have time to read yet another book and try yet another thing, Dayna has you covered. The book is already cut into bite sized pieces for you. You can be interrupted by kids and not lose your path. You can read for just 2-5 minutes at a time and not feel like you're treading water (or sinking). The action steps, especially in the beginning, are *steps.* Actual single steps, not projects. You don't have to set hours or days aside to move forward. You can take one step in the direction of hope, and it counts as progress.

Calm the Chaos is a book, a plan, like no other. The method was born out of dire necessity, and Dayna has refined it while guiding thousands of families through survival mode and into a thriving life. There is hope for every family to have success, peace, and joy. And now there is a roadmap to show you the way.

Wow, wow, wow! THIS is the parenting book that the world needed! Actually, this book helps you build and create spectacular, meaningful relationships with all kinds of people in your life and not just your kids.

Imagine building a life where your relationships are collaborative and mutually supportive. This is the reality that Dayna Abraham helps you create when you implement the simple Calm the Chaos framework. The beauty of the framework is that no matter if your days are a struggle, or if your loved ones all get along, you take the same steps (but in varying levels). This makes the process really easy to remember and actually implement. I've read a lot of self-help and parenting books, and sometimes the author makes things so complicated that within a few weeks, I forget what I'm supposed to do, and all my learning goes out the window. Not the case with Calm the Chaos!

Dayna's real examples of the application of the framework, in her own life and those of her students, show that the steps are doable, and her supportiveness, empathy, and understanding encourage you to keep trying. She combines the science behind her methodology in a simple and easy-to-understand way. Even the most frazzled, exhausted, and overwhelmed among us can easily understand the teaching and the steps needed to try it out in your life.

Highly, highly recommend!

"Calm the Chaos" by Dayna Abraham is a must-read for parents, educators, and anyone dealing with children. The book offers a practical framework that's adaptable to different situations. It provides step-by-step guidance for managing challenges and building connections. The drawings help illustrate the lessons. These strategies work for all kinds of relationships, not just parenting.

I am so grateful for this book. This is the parenting book I wish I'd had 14 years ago when my son was born. None of the typical parenting suggestions worked with him and as soon as he started school the challenges became even more apparent.

Reading Calm the Chaos and finding strategies that actually work with our child is re-affirming and relieving. And Calm the Chaos provides the scaffolding to help all parents, caregivers, teachers to take the next step in supporting the kids they care about. The storms are going to come. This book provides the resources needed to not only survive the storms but to thrive.

You know that child the one that does not seem to listen, destroys items, does not fall into “normal” category. Dayna Abraham has come up with an approach that you can follow and everyone wins. Simple easy steps help not only you but the child you are working with. Best part this was written by a parent with a child that educators had no idea on what to do with. Instead of giving up she started researching and what she found was kids do not always know how to communicate and sometimes when they are acting out it is the only way they can let you know something is wrong. Find out what those behaviors mean.. create plans and working together and learning how to communicate. This book will change your life.

I first learned about the author, Dayna Abraham, when I was having struggles with my oldest. I realized then that many of the parenting methods I had been raised with or seen growing up didn’t resonate with how I felt I should treat my own children. As I began researching, I found Dayna’s community Calm the Chaos and immediately felt like she was an answer to many late night prayers. Her course was revolutionary for my family and now almost five years later, I can honestly say I still use her framework daily and now know how to respond in a manner I feel good about and builds a culture of love and respect in our home while setting and holding to limits. This book is the perfect resource for new parents along with parents who are struggling to find their way or feel there has to be a better way…there is…and here it is! I love Dayna’s doodles throughout along with the fact that it is an easy read that can be picked up and read sporadically in-between all the many demands of parenthood. It can also be a resource to pick up and go back to easily as she has her framework mapped out using heading and subheadings along with a complete index. So excited Calm the Chaos is now in book form! I felt so validated and understood and hopeful in my children and parenting as I read this book. Dayna just gets it. She’s been there. She’s done the research. And now she has simplified it and made it accessible to all!

If you have ever typed a question about your kid into an internet search...this is for you
If you have ever searched Pintrest for ideas...this is for you
If you have ever asked a question in a Mom group...this is for you
If you have tried to read other parenting books...this is for you
If you haven't read any parenting books...this is for you
If you want to parent differently than you were...this is for you
If you have no idea how you want to parent...this is for you
If you got to this page, this book, this review...this is for you

Fantastic read written in an accessible way with fun illustrations.
I found this book truly fantastic with great takeaways and so relatable even for those who aren't parents.

I pre ordered this book, in search of something that would be similar to Dr. Chelsey hauge - zavaleta's advice. I've been binging her tiktok in hopes of repairing my relationship with my 4yo. For 2 years, we have had daily struggles and we recently learned he has autism. I am trying to repair 2 years of misunderstanding & learning to work WITH his brain.

It was delivered today and I am currently 75 pages in.
So far, the content is exactly what I'm looking for. Easily digestible, but scientifically sourced. Has reminded me of the relationship my son and i once had & reassured me that the past 2 years truly have been pure survival mode for both of us. There is grace & forgiveness & hope. The author is not condescending in any form. Beautiful.

That being said, it should have come with a trigger warning. The very first page mentions self harm & suicide. While I'm not usually one to be easily jarred, this was unsettling as soon as I open a book about parenting. I understand the reason behind it, the point needed to be made. But I was definitely not ready for it.

While the information is helpful, and exactly the style of parenting I wanted to know more about, the author sets the info up in a way that can be difficult to follow.
System - within a system - within a system, and then multiple tools that also have a catchy title. It makes it an entertaining explanation, but again, can be difficult to follow so the catchy tag lines may not serve their purpose as well as they might when she speaks to her clients.

Some of the stories about each tidbit feel a bit fluffy. For example, one story is just that a mom stopped taking things personally, and started to get curious. That's it. No explanation of her speech, her relationship after that moment. It doesn't take away from the chapter, but it doesn't add much either.

Overall, I'm excited to finish reading, to gain helpful tools. It IS the exact info I was searching for. I am grateful to have this book in my hands and would recommend it to anyone with a less squirrely brain than me.

This book is a game changer for parents, gardians, educators, counsellors or anyone caring for children and youth. Dayna has created an easy to follow framework with a roadmap to guide you step by step through the program. I was first introduced to the Calm the Chaos framework in 2020 and have been using it ever since. It has helped me move forward with my own goals as well as help my children with their struggles.
Dayna's goal was to make Calm the Chaos accessible to anyone and everyone and she has done so with this book. If you are struggling with how to help your kids, look no further, this book will help you move forward from where you are to where you want to be. You have got this!

This book is the first book that I have read that actually gives you things to do and try right away. They actually work!! Dayna Abraham gives details and ideas to go along with the steps. I kept catching myself saying that’s me or that’s my child. I can’t thank Dayna Abraham enough for sharing and writing this book for everyone to read. I highly recommend anyone that has kids, works with kids or even knows a kid to read this book. There is something for everyone. As you are learning ways to help your child you will learn things about yourself in the process. This book has opened up my eyes so much.

Calm the Chaos is a book that every human should read, whether or not you’re a parent, because it offers a revolutionary framework for how to interact with every person in your life, at every stage of life, regardless of whether that person is neurotypical or neurodivergent.

I’ve been a mom for almost 13 years, navigating the ups and downs of parenting 3 super kids, often on my own. Over the years, I’ve read so many parenting books and taken so many parenting classes. Some techniques made no sense to me and some made a lot of sense, but realistically, only on paper. I felt like a horrible mom, because all of those other books told me that I set the tone in my family, but none of those books told me how. I didn’t know how to be the perfect, Pinterest-ready mom that the world seems to think I needed to be. I was falling apart, completely stressed, overwhelmed and burned out and my relationship with my kids reflected it. Then a pandemic shut down the world and after months of complete chaos, we were disconnected, constantly yelling and fighting, and really didn’t like being around each other. At just the right moment as I was hitting my personal rock bottom, I was blessed to find Dayna Abraham and the Calm the Chaos Framework.

The YouCUE framework completely change my life, my parenting process, and how my family relates to each other. For the first time, I had the epiphany that I am a really good mom and it’s okay to not be perfect. With each step, I no longer deal with hours long meltdowns because now I understand that ‘all behavior is communication’. I’m not triggered by the chaos causers that happen in our family anymore, because I’ve learned to take care of myself, to ‘stop, breathe, and anchor’. I’ve learned to understand each of my super kids so I am able to meet them in their struggles, connect with them in the moment, and empower them to be solution finders.

If you’ve been wondering how to calm the chaos in your family, this is definitely the book to read. Dayna walks the reader through each step in the process so that you can tailor the framework to your family’s specific needs and struggles. The personal stories of Dayna’s journey and those of her students truly help you realize that you are not alone and that if they can calm the chaos so can you. You are not alone! You got this!