Clues, Not Labels

What it is

"He's defiant." "She's manipulative." Labels end the conversation. Clues start one. Clues, Not Labels is a kind, strengths-based behavior log for caregivers, teachers, and helpers. You write down what actually happens (before, during, and after), notice what's going right, look for the pattern, try one small change, and walk into the next meeting with one clear page the whole team can use.

What's included

• Every Behavior Has a Story: how the log works in 4 steps, plus a "short on time?" path
• Five Detective Rules, and Camera Words, Not Label Words: 6 examples that swap a label for what a camera would see
• The Case File: describe one behavior clearly, where it happens, strengths, and the skill you hope to build
• A Sample Week: a filled-in example so you can see what a useful log looks like
• The Clue Log: a before / what happened / after log with a 1-to-5 size scale and "calm in __ minutes"
• Quick-Tick Log: tick boxes for busy days and busy classrooms
• The Time Map: two weeks to see which times of day are hard and which are calm
• Sleep, Food and Schedule: a weekly check of sleep, meals, screens, medicine (as given), and changes in the day
• What Else Is Going On?: life changes and body clues to rule in or out, with a nudge to check with the doctor
• Ask the Expert: Them: questions to ask the child or teen at a calm time, in their own words
• What's Working: a log for the bright spots, and the strengths you keep seeing
• Count the Clues and Pattern Finder: tally what came before and what helped, then make a few kind guesses about the need underneath
• The Try-It Plan: one small two-week experiment, with a before-and-after check
• Home and School Notes: two cut-apart notes so home and school share the same clues
• Team Summary: one page to bring to the meeting, strengths first
• You Count Too: a check-in for the grown-up, and when to get more help
• Notes and Next Steps

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