Meet Our Coach
Hi! I’m Stef, a former special education teacher turned parent coach. I earned my Master’s degree in Special Education from American University and spent eight years teaching in both public and private school settings. During that time, I supported children and families navigating ADHD, Autism, anxiety disorders, oppositional defiance, learning disabilities, OCD, and intellectual disabilities.​After transitioning from the classroom to full-time parenting, I quickly realized that my professional training was just as valuable at home. For the past eight years, I’ve used my deep understanding of behavior, brain development, and evidence-based strategies to build routines, systems, and expectations that support a calm, successful home life for my neurodivergent family of four.​With both children—and parents—in our home diagnosed with ADHD, our journey hasn’t always been easy. I met my children where they were, thoughtfully scaffolding routines and expectations until they were able to manage them independently. By breaking down expectations into meaningful, achievable steps and maintaining consistency as a family, we created lasting change. Today, our children, now 6 and 8, are confident routine followers, home helpers, and capable problem-solvers—supported by clear expectations and steady encouragement.​Throughout my parenting journey, I’ve shared my knowledge and experience with other families and discovered that strategies designed for neurodivergent brains are often just as effective for all children. As the go-to parent in my community for navigating challenging parenting situations, I’ve developed a genuine passion for coaching and knowledge sharing. Seeing families gain confidence and experience more ease and success at home is incredibly rewarding.​Stef is here to partner with you—offering practical, compassionate support to help improve your family’s quality of life through proven, parent-centered strategies.
Parent Like A Teacher Philosophy
Parent Like A Teacher is the brainchild of a Special Education teacher, Stefanie Thordarson, who is passionate about helping families create a functional home environment and nurturing parent-child relationships. We take proven strategies that work for classroom management and teaching, then tweak them to fit your family’s needs. We believe that all family members are a part of the solution. Our mission is to empower parents with classroom-approved techniques that can be easily integrated into their daily routines. We understand the challenges of parenting and that all families are different, and aim to provide individualized, practical guidance to make the journey more rewarding and enjoyable.
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