When Bodies Speak: A Parenting Guide for Children with Tics

by Hilary Taylor

A compassionate, practical, and deeply reassuring guide for parents raising children whose bodies move in ways the world doesn't always understand.

When your child develops a tic - a sound, a movement, a repetition that seems to appear out of nowhere - it can be disorienting, frustrating, even frightening. Is it stress? A phase? Something more? And how do you respond with confidence, care, and calm when everyone around you seems unsure?

In When Bodies Speak, parenting educator Hilary Taylor offers a warm, expert-informed guide for navigating the unpredictable landscape of childhood tics. Drawing on years of experience and heartfelt storytelling, this book blends neuroscience, emotional wisdom, and practical strategies to help you support your child without shame, fear, or overcorrection.

Inside, you'll discover:

• What tics are - and what they're not


• Why suppression often backfires, and what actually helps


• How to advocate at school, with doctors, and within your family


• Ways to nurture emotional regulation in both your child and yourself


• How to stay connected and steady through even the noisiest days


• What siblings need, and how to support the whole family system


• Tools for raising resilient, self-aware kids who aren't defined by their tics

Whether your child is newly experiencing tics, has a diagnosis like Tourette Syndrome, or you're still waiting for answers, When Bodies Speak will meet you where you are: with clarity, empathy, and the unwavering belief that your child is not broken - and neither are you.