Public Behavior Moment Guide

• Loud vocalizations or crying
• Dropping to the ground or refusing to move
• Eloping or pulling away
• Big body movements or self-soothing behaviors
• Sudden shut-down or quiet withdrawal

Unsolicited advice, stares, or comments add sensory and social load for both you and your child. Reducing that input is part of the support.

• Drop into a low, steady voice
• Use fewer words, more presence
• Pause before responding
• Match your breathing to a slow count

• Don't narrate your child's behavior to strangers
• Position yourself between your child and onlookers when possible
• Avoid photos or video
• Speak about your child the way you'd want others to

• Hold it visibly without raising your voice
• Let it do the talking
• Keep your focus on your child, not the crowd

• Safety is at risk
• The environment cannot be modified
• Your child is no longer able to recover in place
• You need to regulate too

• Behaviors are escalating in frequency or intensity
• Safety concerns are emerging
• You feel depleted or unsupported
• You want a plan tailored to your child