What I Learned from Life Will Get Better

Allison Lloyd
May 10, 2025
3 min read

Simple Strategies for Parents of Kids with Attention, Anxiety, Mood, and Behavior Challenges

Part of my series: 25 Parenting Books That Changed How I Parent

Let’s be honest: parenting a child with big emotions, high anxiety, constant movement, or mood swings that could rival a hormonal teen (and maybe they are one) can feel like running a marathon without water. That’s why I picked up Life Will Get Better by Nicole Beurkens, PhD, it felt like a reminder of parenting basics that I didn’t know I needed.

This book is packed with simple, evidence-based tools parents can actually use and not lofty theories or impossible Pinterest routines. It’s broken into bite-sized focus areas, so I’ve pulled together the most important strategies for busy parents like us who are doing the best we can and still wondering if we’re doing enough.

Here are the seven areas Dr. Beurkens highlights and the real-life takeaways you can start using today.

1. 🧠 Cognition, Mindfulness & Positivity

Kids need help slowing down and noticing what’s good. Mindfulness isn’t just sitting cross-legged on the floor it’s learning to pause, notice, and breathe.

✅ Try this:

Ask your child: “What’s one good thing that happened today?”
Keep a “Good Stuff” family journal on the table.
Watch your own bias toward negativity because your kids are always listening.
Model positive self-talk. (“I made a mistake and I can fix it.”)

2. 😴 Sleep

If your kid is melting down by 5 p.m., check how they slept last night. Sleep is foundational and often overlooked.

✅ Try this:

Stick to a consistent bedtime (yes, even on weekends).
No screens 1–2 hours before bed.
Deep pressure helps: weighted blankets, back rubs, or body pillows.
Create a cozy bedroom vibe: dim lights, calming scents, soft textures.
High-protein bedtime snack? Game-changer.

3. 🚶 Movement

Movement isn’t just for gym class. It’s essential for mood regulation, focus, and physical health.

✅ Try this:

Schedule movement breaks during screen-heavy days (these happen more and more at school as kids get older).
Get your kids involved in chores (yes, even sweeping counts).
Replace 15 minutes of screen time with a backyard walk, dance party, or stretching.
Movement boosts learning. Let them wiggle while they work!

4. 🍎 Nutrition

What goes into your child’s body directly affects how they behave and how their brain works.

✅ Try this:

Cut back on sugar and artificial ingredients — it makes a difference.
Start the day with protein: eggs, yogurt, nut butter on toast.
Prioritize water and whole foods over processed snacks.
Notice how food affects mood, every kid’s body is different.

5. ❤️ Support for YOU

You can’t pour from an empty cup. Supporting yourself is supporting your child.

✅ Try this:

Make time for emotionally safe people. Your village matters.
Take a break without guilt (even if it’s just a solo grocery run).
Consider therapy or coaching for yourself, not just your kids.
Remind yourself: You are doing enough. And you are allowed to get help.

6. 🧩 Connection

Connection is the foundation. Kids who feel safe and seen at home cope better everywhere else.

✅ Try this:

One-on-one time without distractions (even 10 minutes counts).
Listen more than you speak.
Narrate your own emotions so your kids learn what healthy expression looks like.
Keep showing up. Even when it’s hard.

7. 🧭 Parents are the Example

This one shows up in almost every parenting book I’ve read: Our kids don’t just need advice. Kids need an example.

✅ Try this:

Practice the coping strategies you want them to use.
Let them see you mess up and recover.
Be honest about your feelings, it gives them permission to do the same.
Lead with compassion, not control.

Final Thought:

As I read Life Will Get Better, I realized how much overlap there is across great parenting books. Connection, modeling, and consistent calm from parents are the common thread again and again. These aren’t easy things, but they are powerful. And they’re within reach, even in a messy, imperfect household like mine.

I’m reading 25 parenting books this year and sharing the best of what I learn. My hope? To make your parenting journey feel more supported and a little less alone. Because even when things are hard: Life better when we work together.