One of the biggest secrets in ABA — and honestly one of my favorite things to tell parents — is this:
You’re already doing ABA. Even if you’ve never heard the terms.
Seriously.
ABA strategies didn’t appear out of thin air. They were built based on real human behavior — and parents have been using them naturally for decades.
If you’re a caregiver reading this, I promise you already have instincts that align with ABA. What ABA does is just give those instincts names and structure.
You already use priming — all the time
Priming is just giving someone a heads-up.
Parents do this constantly:
- “Hey, we’re leaving in 10 minutes.”
- “Trash day is tomorrow — don’t forget the bins.”
- “After this show, we’re heading out.”
That’s ABA.
That’s priming.
Kids behave better when they know what’s coming.
Adults behave better when they know what’s coming.
You’ve been preparing your family for transitions long before ABA was in the picture.
You already use the Premack Principle — especially when kids dig their heels in
Parents love to say they “don’t do behavior strategies,” and then two minutes later they say:
- “Clean your room and THEN you can play.”
- “Do homework and THEN you can go outside.”
- “Take a shower and THEN you get the tablet.”
That’s the Premack Principle.
You’re already using ABA’s motivational tools without even knowing it.
(And if you’ve ever promised a reward to get your partner to do something?
Yeah… that counts too.)
You absolutely use environmental arrangement
Environmental arrangement means changing the environment to reduce problems.
Every parent I’ve ever met has done things like:
- Hiding toys kids fight over
- Moving snacks out of reach
- Rearranging the living room to prevent chaos
- Keeping bedtime items in one place
- Organizing homework materials so they’re ready
That’s ABA through and through.
It’s one of the most powerful behavior strategies — and parents use it instinctively.
So here’s the truth: you’re not starting from zero
When a family starts ABA, it often feels overwhelming. New vocabulary, new expectations, new strategies. But the reality is:
Most ABA methods are simply structured versions of what parents already do naturally.
You’re not learning from scratch.
You’re refining skills you already have.
You’re becoming more consistent and intentional.
You’re building on the instincts you’ve been using for years.
Why this matters
When caregivers realize they already use ABA strategies:
- They feel more confident
- They stop feeling like they’re “doing it wrong”
- Collaboration with providers becomes easier
- Generalization improves
- Stress goes down — for everyone
You’ve been doing ABA without the fancy terminology.
Now you get to use those same strategies with purpose.
A final message to every parent, caregiver, and guardian
If you’ve ever:
- Given a warning
- Offered a reward
- Changed the environment
- Set up routines
- Used timers
- Prepped someone for what’s next
Congratulations — you’ve used ABA principles.
Not in a clinic.
Not in a session.
Not in a workbook.
Just in real life. Naturally. Intuitively.
And that’s exactly why ABA works:
It’s based on what parents have already been doing forever.
You’re more capable than you think.
And you’re already farther along in this journey than you realize.
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