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For parents, educators, and caregivers who are a kid’s best bet - discover a developmentally grounded roadmap to raising resilient, confident, and socially thriving humans.
Discover the 4 irreducible needs every child requires to grow well.
There is nothing like the immaturity in our kids to test the maturity in us. Understanding what lies beneath their behaviour transforms what we do.
- We make sense of the child—or teen—rather than react to them and can figure out what they need to grow.
- We lean on insight rooted in developmental science to help us work at the roots of the problem
- And we remember we are answer our kids are looking for
When we have a clear understanding of what’s happening beneath the surface — emotionally, developmentally, or relationally, something shifts in us.
It's about developmental insight - profound enough to change everything, and practical enough to apply today.
Because when we understand what’s going on underneath, we don't just manage our kids, we create the conditions for them to grow.
Raising a child is more than just a list of things we do, it's about who we are to them and we become because of loving them.
When we lead with insight and connection, we become what every child needs most:
Someone who makes sense of them.
Someone who doesn’t give up.
Someone who is their answer.
Growing kids who flourish begins with making sense of what they truly need to thrive. It asks us to understand our unique role in providing these conditions — whether we are a parent, teacher, care provider, or helping professional.
What We Believe About Growth
It starts with relationship - but that alone isn’t enough.
While relationship is the root of resilience, emotional maturity, and social development, kids also need other key conditions to grow well.
We need to prioritize safety - not pressure.
Because safety unlocks growth.
We need to seek to understand.
Because when we understand, we lead with heart - and kids follow.
A child or teen can’t grow if they don’t feel safe enough to feel.
That’s why we champion the adults in a kid’s life to be their best bet - not perfect, but present, attuned, and growing too.
Discover the 4 irreducible needs every child requires to grow well.
Want to go deeper?
Dr. Deborah MacNamara offers engaging talks for parents, educators, and professionals on key topics in child and adolescent development, emotion, and relational health. Deep insight meets everyday application—for learning that stays with you long after the event.
Speaking
Explore Deborah’s award-winning books: Rest, Play, Grow, Nourished, and her children’s picture book The Sorry Plane. Grounded in developmental science and brought to life through story, they offer insight and guidance for the adults kids need most.
Books
Meet with one of our developmental counsellors to make sense of your child or teen. We help you understand what’s underneath the behaviour, so you can respond with insight, connection, and confidence.
Counselling
Human development isn’t a checklist.
It’s a journey.
And caring for someone - whether you're a parent, teacher, or professional - isn’t just something you do. It transforms you too.
Because when you make sense of toddlers to teens, you don’t just help them grow.
You grow alongside them.
This is a place to put the pieces back together.
To understand what’s stuck, what’s working - and what helps both of you flourish.
Join us in reclaiming the story of human development, one insight at a time.
Listen to the latest episode of the Kid’s Best Bet Podcast for stories, science, and support - wherever you are on the journey.
Articles
Read relevant conversations and trending research on child and adolescent development, and parenthood.
The Roots of Anxiety
Three things to know about aggression in kids
