How to Advocate for Your Child Without Being “That Parent”

How to Advocate for Your Child Without Being “That Parent”

From The Growth Lab Podcast by Luba Patlakh-Kaplun

March 14, 2026 · 12 min · Season 3 · Episode 10

About this episode

Luba Patlakh discusses how to advocate for your child effectively without being confrontational.

Somewhere along the way, parents were made to believe that advocating for their child means being difficult, confrontational, or “that parent.” In this solo episode of The Growth Lab , speech-language pathologist and child advocate Luba Patlakh challenges that narrative and explains why advocacy is not aggression, it’s clarity. Drawing from years of experience supporting families through IEP meetings and school systems, Luba shares the mindset shifts and practical language that can completely change how these conversations unfold. From asking the right questions to regulating emotions in high-stress meetings, this episode gives parents the tools to advocate with confidence, stay steady in difficult rooms, and ensure their child’s needs are truly heard. (00:00:46) Empowered Parental Advocacy for Child Services (00:10:41) Power of Clarity in Effective Advocacy

People in this episode

Host: Luba Patlakh

Topics covered

  • advocacy
  • parenting
  • child services
  • communication
  • emotional regulation

Keywords

  • advocacy
  • parenting
  • IEP meetings
  • communication skills
  • emotional regulation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Growth Lab, IEP

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