Free · Bright Steps Behavior GPS

The Behavior GPS Parent Emergency Toolkit

Print it, keep it on the fridge, and fill it in as the week goes. Spot the clue. Know what to do.

1. 7-Day Behavior Tracker

One line per hard moment. Seven days is enough to see a pattern.

Day / Time
What happened right before
What the behavior looked like
What I did
How long it lasted
What helped

2. Behavior Documentation Cheat Sheet

Write facts, not feelings. Dates and numbers travel further than adjectives.

Date and exact time
Setting (room, class, store, car)
Who was present
Observable behavior — what a camera would see
How the adult responded
Outcome and recovery time

3. "What Happened Before?" Trigger Guide

Check the ten minutes before the behavior. The clue usually lives there.

Hungry, tired, or thirsty?
A transition or a change in plan?
A demand that was too big or unclear?
Too loud, too bright, too crowded?
Waiting or being told to stop something fun?
A hard moment earlier that never fully reset?

4. "What Can I Say?" Parent Script Sheet

Short lines. Low voice. Say one, then wait.

"You're safe. I'm right here."
"I'm not leaving. You don't have to talk yet."
"Do you want to start with this part or that part?"
"I won't let you hurt anyone, and I won't let anyone hurt you."
"First shoes, then out the door. I'll do it with you."
"Something is hard right now. We'll figure it out."

5. Morning and Bedtime Routine Checklist

Three visible steps each. Same order, every day.

Morning Step 1: ____________
Morning Step 2: ____________
Morning Step 3: ____________
Bedtime Step 1: ____________
Bedtime Step 2: ____________
Bedtime Step 3: ____________

6. Top Accommodations Quick List

Bring this to your next school meeting and ask for what fits your child.

Two-minute warning before every transition
One-step directions with a visible checklist
A named calm-down space with a return plan
Movement or sensory break on a schedule, not as a reward
Reduced or chunked work when the task is long
A written safety plan shared with every adult
A functional behavior assessment request in writing

7. Before We Stress, Let's Assess

Run this before you respond. It takes about 20 seconds.

Is anyone unsafe right now?
Is my child's body activated, or are they trying to tell me something?
What is the smallest next step I can offer?
Am I about to add words, or take words away?
What will I write down after this is over?

You found the clue. Now get the complete plan.

Behavior GPS turns your answers into personalized next steps for home, school, and hard moments.

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Behavior GPS provides educational behavior-support information. It does not provide a medical diagnosis, emergency service, legal advice, or a replacement for licensed professional care.