Development-First Parenting

Supporting development and raising regulated kids starts by getting out of survival mode.

Helping overwhelmed parents raise calmer, more capable, confident kids through practical guidance and grace-filled encouragement grounded in how children grow, connect, regulate, and learn.

Hi, We're Ali and Kendra

We’re pediatric therapists, moms, and the founders of Skidamarink Kids

After years of working with children and families and navigating our own parenting challenges, we noticed something. Many parents are overwhelmed not because they are failing, but because modern parenting advice often skips the developmental and nervous system foundations children need first.

We help families better understand how children grow, connect, regulate, communicate, and learn. Because when parents understand that, parenting starts to feel calmer, more connected, and a whole lot less overwhelming.

Everyone talks about early intervention. We believe in building strong foundations from the beginning.

Development Happens in a Sequence

Parenting from peace instead of panic - Grace over perfection - Building Strong foundations from the beginning

Too often, we focus on performance before foundations. We push advanced skills before a child’s brain and nervous system have built what they need for learning, self-regulation, communication, and focus.

Children thrive when development happens in order:

Connection before communication
Regulation before learning
Movement before mastery

Many families today are living in chronic stress and survival mode, which makes it harder to stay connected, manage emotions, and respond with intention. Development-First parenting helps you support the foundations your child needs to grow, connect, regulate, and learn well.

Whether you’re feeding a baby, helping a toddler through a meltdown, or setting a boundary, every interaction is a chance to support healthy development. The goal isn’t compliance or the next milestone. It’s the foundation that helps children thrive over time.

This isn’t about perfect parenting or passive parenting. Children still need boundaries, leadership, and guidance. But children learn regulation through regulated relationships, and small, intentional shifts can change the feel of your home over time.

Our mission is simple: we want to help children experience childhood differently. We’re here for all families, and for those who share our faith, we offer encouragement along the way, because faith has been a big part of our own transformation.

Practical Support for Real-Life Parenting

Emotional Regulation & Meltdowns Support for big emotions, nervous system regulation, co-regulation, transitions, and calmer responses.

Development-First Parenting Simple ways to support healthy developmental foundations through movement, connection, sensory experiences, and play.

Feeding & Communication Practical support for infant feeding, picky eating, communication development, language growth, and mealtime connection.

Sensory & Nervous System Support Strategies that help children feel calmer, safer, more organized, and better able to learn and engage.

Faith & Encouragement for Moms Grace-filled encouragement for overwhelmed parents learning to move from fear and pressure toward peace and intentionality.

Parenting Was Never Meant to Feel Like Survival Mode

We believe children flourish in emotionally safe, connected, grace-filled homes, and parents do too. Faith helps us parent with more peace and less fear, and it reminds us we were never meant to carry the overwhelm alone.

Our hope is to help families build calmer, more connected homes rooted in regulation, intention, and grace.

Start Where You Are

Support for every stage of your journey:

👉 Just getting started?

Explore free guides to understand your child’s development and learn what’s actually causing your concerns. Explore practical development-first parenting strategies, nervous system support, feeding tips, emotional regulation tools, sensory activities, and faith-based encouragement for everyday family life.

👉 Need daily support?

Use the app to stay consistent at home. Tantrum Tamer App: Daily support for routines, big feelings, and peaceful family life.

👉 Ready to Get your Family Out Of Survival Mode?

Out of Survival Mode, Raising Regulated Kids in a Dysregulated World in depth self-paced course using a development-first framework to getting your family unstuck.

You Are Not Failing. There Is Another Way Forward.

Small intentional shifts matter more than you know.

When families better understand how children grow, connect, regulate, and learn, parenting can begin to feel calmer, more connected, and less overwhelming.

We’re so glad you’re here.

What Parents Are Saying:

Kendra, I’ve always felt that there just wasn’t enough support or easily accessible information out there for me to help my son until I met you. All of his therapists have been a blessing but nobody seemed to have the knowledge and passion that you possess. People need answers that go beyond standard OT, PT and ST sessions and you’re addressing these pivotal blind spots."

Tantrum Tamer has been a game changer for me and my 2 littles. This app has been an all around resource to give me the knowledge and foundation on milestones, normal behaviors, and self regulation methods all while giving me the ability to give my children a space to learn their big feelings. It is customizable, user-friendly, and most importantly fun and educational!

As a first time mom, Kendra and Ali helped put my heart at ease. They gave me tools and knowledge beyond google to help John meet his milestones. I worried that I wasn’t doing enough with my baby. Kendra was so kind to help. Each session I left feeling hopeful and gained so much understanding. For example she gave me tools to help John gain stability to crawl, learn hand gestures, develop right side of brain, pull up on furniture, work on refluxes, and to overall how to interact with my baby. I am very grateful for Kendra and her team to help guide me as a new mom and to answer all my questions.

This app helps provide structure to routines with kiddos, provides support and links to parents for further edu, and makes it fun for the littles to choose! The sensory visuals for breathing are especially helpful when trying to regulate!

As a pediatric occupational therapist I love this app and it is a great resource for me to recommend to my families. I especially love the visual animations to help a young child with slow breathing to calm. It also includes information on the fear paralysis primitive reflex and video to teach parents how to perform the integration exercise. It has a sensory section and how to help with over stimulation. Lots of topics, resources regarding behaviors and a reward system that can be individualize to each child. I highly recommend this app.

Kendra’s program is absolutely fantastic! The motor skill exercises were straightforward and easy to understand. Not only were we able to see progressions in just a few short weeks, our son always had a good laugh with the exercises, so it was a bonding moment for him and ourselves. My husband and I both truly believe that these simple exercises played a huge role in our son’s development and where he is today. Our pediatrician is still surprised at every checkup!

Certifications and Accomplishments

Trusted by Families and Caregivers

35+ Combined Years of Pediatric Experience

We support child development with confidence

Helping children grow and thrive since 2004

Kendra Worley

Master in Occupational Therapy 2001

Licensed in Texas since 2002

Keynote Speaker 2025

Tantrum Tamer App Creator 2024/2025

Alison Ellison

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Certification since 2012

VitalStim® Therapy and Beyond: DINES

Specialty Certificate Program since 2019

Certified EI Provider since 2025

A Note About Our Content

We’re here to empower you with general information about child development and activities that may benefit your child. Our goal is to help you support your child’s growth proactively with knowledge and practical strategies.

However, every child is unique. The information we share is educational and not intended as medical advice or a substitute for professional evaluation. If you have specific concerns about your child’s development, please consult your pediatrician or a qualified healthcare provider. Early intervention tailored to your child’s individual needs is always best.