PRACTITIONER OF THE WEEK · 2026–2027
The year ahead in Social Stories.
Every Tuesday, one real family moment and one credentialed expert to make sense of it. Here’s every topic through December 2027, and the weeks still looking for their practitioner.
63 weeks planned · 3 booked · 60 open
2026 · Q4 — Fall into the holidays
8 weeks open this quarter
October 2026
He eats five foods. They're all beige.
Picky eating without the dinner-table standoff.
Published
Jill EglyMS, RDN, Registered Dietitian NutritionistShe cries at the door. He cries in the car.
Separation anxiety, from both sides of the goodbye.
Published
Marissa RobinsonLMHC-D, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
November 2026
A new baby is coming
Preparing a big sibling for the small one.
Booked
Madeline ShillLCSWDoctor, dentist and haircut visits
Prepping for the chair, the needle and the clippers.
Sharing and early friendships
'Mine!' is a stage, not a character flaw.
Gratitude at four
Raising thankful kids without forcing a 'thank you.'
December 2026
Two homes and co-parenting
Holidays split two ways, and one kid in the middle.
Explaining a pet's death
Honest words for a first goodbye.
Bilingual homes
Two languages, one confident talker.
The big holiday visit
New houses, lots of hugs and a later bedtime.
Reading together
Building a reader before they can read.
2027 · Q1 — Fresh starts and new routines
13 weeks open this quarter
January 2027
Mornings without the yelling
Out the door with shoes on, mostly.
Bedtime battles and sleeping in their own room
Getting your bed back, gently.
Hitting, biting and gentle hands
What the hit is trying to say.
Waiting is hard
Teaching patience to the 'now' generation.
February 2027
Thumbs, pacifiers and letting go
Weaning the comfort habit without the tears.
Valentine's week: being left out
When nobody picks them.
Personal space and the hugging kid
Bubbles, arm's length and body boundaries.
When the potty gets scary
Fear, regression and the toilet that flushes too loud.
March 2027
Too loud, too bright, too much
Sensory overload in everyday places.
Screens without guilt
A screen plan you can actually keep.
Bedwetting without shame
Dry nights come on their own clock.
First plane ride
Security lines, ear pops and the tray table.
Little lies, big feelings
Why four-year-olds fib and what to say.
2027 · Q2 — Growing independence
13 weeks open this quarter
April 2027
What is a social story, really?
Why the format works, especially for autistic kids.
Stuttering and speech fluency
What to do (and not do) when words get stuck.
Getting dressed by themselves
Buttons, zippers and the shirt on backwards.
Food allergies at school and parties
Keeping kids safe without making them scared.
May 2027
Teacher appreciation week: ready for preschool
What teachers wish kids knew on day one.
Mother's Day: the mental load
The invisible job list, and who carries it.
Dogs, bugs and outdoor fears
Helping a cautious kid enjoy the outside.
Learning to swim
Water confidence before water skills.
June 2027
Losing without falling apart
Board games as practice for big feelings.
When the schedule disappears
Summer transitions for kids who love routine.
Father's Day: dads and play
The roughhousing is doing more than you think.
First sleepover
Ready, not ready, and the 10 p.m. pickup.
Training wheels off
Motor confidence, falls and getting back on.
2027 · Q3 — Summer and back to school
13 weeks open this quarter
July 2027
Fireworks and loud noises
Ear muffs, warnings and a quiet exit plan.
Long car rides
Surviving the road trip with a toddler.
Storms and weather worries
When thunder means bedtime is over.
Moving house
Packing up a room and a whole little world.
August 2027
Daycare drop-off tears
The goodbye ritual that makes it easier.
Getting ready for kindergarten
Practice runs for the biggest first day.
Riding the school bus
Big steps, big kids, big yellow bus.
Back-to-school sleep reset
Moving bedtime back without a fight.
Making a first friend
How small kids find their people.
September 2027
Labor Day: working-parent guilt
Daycare, careers and the story we tell ourselves.
Starting speech therapy
What the first session looks like.
Getting glasses
Seeing clearly, and feeling seen.
From crib to big-kid bed
The night they discover they can get up.
2027 · Q4 — Holidays, family and big feelings
13 weeks open this quarter
October 2027
Costumes, masks and Halloween fears
Not every kid loves the spooky stuff.
ADHD and the 'too much' kid
Energy that needs a job, not a label.
Naming feelings
A bigger feelings vocabulary, a calmer kid.
Halloween night, sensory edition
Candy, crowds and doorbells.
November 2027
Clocks fall back
Early wake-ups and the long November evenings.
Grandparents in the village
When Grandma helps raise them.
What to do with mad
Anger is allowed. Hitting isn't.
Thanksgiving at the big table
New foods, new people, no pressure.
The 'I want it' season
Wish lists, ads and wanting everything.
December 2027
The big holiday visit
Travel, crowds and a calm plan.
Two houses at the holidays
Splitting the holidays without splitting the kid.
Shy at the holiday party
Warming up on their own time.
Write your own social story
A simple template for next year's big moments.
FOR PRACTITIONERS
How it works.
Your name, credentials and practice link in front of our subscribers, plus a permanent contributor profile.
- Pick an open weekChoose a topic that fits your practice.
- Tell us about youReply with your credentials and practice link.
- We’ll write back within a few daysYou review every word credited to you before it sends.