40 Hours a Week for a Toddler? The Unfiltered Truth About Starting ABA

We talk a lot about the “Void” here. Usually, it’s the void of sleep, the void of a missing paycheck, or the void of sanity. But this week, I stepped into a new one: the world of ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy.

Kaizer is two and a half. He’s tiny, he’s brilliant, and as of last Wednesday, he has a 9-to-5.

The Schedule from Hell

Let’s look at the math, because apparently, the people designing these programs think toddlers are tiny corporate executives.

Kaizer’s schedule looks like this:
* 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM: Therapy
* 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM: A "break" (a.k.a. when he’s supposed to squeeze in a nap)
* 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM: More therapy until his therapist leaves for the day

That is roughly 35 to 40 hours a week. For a kid who still takes naps and thinks bubbles are a miracle.

Grateful, but… Conflict is Real

I want to be honest, open, and real with you guys: I am struggling with how I feel about this.

On one hand, I am immensely grateful. Kaizer’s early intervention team has been a godsend—they helped us get furniture and household items when we finally moved into our apartment after six months of hotel living. They’ve seen us at our lowest, and they’ve shown up for us.

But this isn't early intervention. This is a private company only specializing in ABA therapy, and this feels excessive. It feels like a lot of pressure on a nervous system that is already navigating a lot of change.

The "Reparenting" Lens

I've wrote about protecting our kids' peace while we heal our own trauma. When I look at this 40-hour work week, my "Menace" instincts kick in. Is this for him, or is this to make him "fit" better into a world that doesn't understand neurodiversity?

I’m not a guru. I don’t have the answers yet. We are only a few days in, and I’m watching him closely to see if he’s still the same kid at 5:01 PM that he was at 8:59 AM.

I Want Your "Stories from the Void"

I know I’m not the only parent in this community who has stared at an ABA intake packet and felt a pit in their stomach.
* Did you do the full-time hours?
* Did you see progress, or did you see burnout?
* How did you advocate for your kid when the "experts" told you this was the only way?

I’m naming the feeling: Conflicted. Not ungrateful. Not lazy. Just a mom trying to make sure her son isn't being asked to carry more than his little shoulders can handle.

Drop your experiences in the comments. No toxic positivity allowed—just the real, raw truth.

Read my update on ABA and life here.