Blog
Opposite & Challenging
In many households there are temperamentally rigid and inflexible children who cause a great deal of distress. With their limited coping skills, such children become quite volatile and reactive to frustration. Jeff and Rose are the bleary eyed parents of three...
Misunderstanding the “D-Word” (Yep, #Dyslexia)
Not sure how it happened, but it seems that there has been a wave of parents that think that their child has “dyslexia.” They also often note that many people in their family, such as the parents and grandparents also have or had dyslexia (even though most were never...
“A Day in the Life” (2022 Version)
“Woke up, fell out of bed Dragged a comb across my head Found my way downstairs and drank a cup And looking up, I noticed I was late Found my coat and grabbed my hat Made the bus in seconds flat Found my way upstairs and had a smoke And somebody spoke and I went into...
Part III: “Helping Your Struggling Reader & Dyslexic Child at Home”
Within the last two blog posts, we discussed the foundation needed to understand how to work at home with your struggling child. While moving forward there is one overriding principle that is important to stress, that is - TAKE YOUR TIME - DO NOT RUSH. Understand...
Part II: Helping Your Struggling Reader & Dyslexic Child at Home
In last week's post we started the discussion of how to help struggling children at home, many of whom are dyslexic (Helping Child at Home: Part I ) The case of Ruth helps further set the stage. Ruth, a Case Study To illustrate the experience of a child on the rough...
Helping Your Struggling Reader at Home – Part I
Imagine you are a child about to ride a bicycle, with a group of other children led by a teacher. You are anxious because you kept a big secret from the teacher and your friends. You don’t know how to ride a bike yet. You’ve tried, but you just can’t get the hang of...
“Maybe I Have ‘Golflexia'”
Let’s say you have a passion for golf, but by everyone’s estimation (yours included), you are a petty bad golfer. It is obvious that your swing is not fluid and there are clear flaws that get repeated the more you play. In order to address your poor golf skills...
“P.A.D. – ‘Pain Avoidance Disorder’ & the Reality of School”
In the landscape of modern childhood there is something that I have come to call, “P.A.D.” or “Pain Avoidance Disorder.” For children showing P.A.D., basic tasks/chores asked of them are viewed as enormous impositions and they will go to great lengths to sidestep the...
Math Word Problems – “I’m Just Not That Smart”
Mathematic word problems are quite popular in school. Starting in the early grades they become the primary vehicle for developing mathematic skills. Unfortunately, for many of the children, even if they show good mathematic facility, they start to believe they are...
Our Explanations & Theories of Struggling Children
While meeting with parents to discuss the concerns they have regarding their children’s struggling, numerous theories and explanations are often offered as to why children do what they do. Typically, the theories are linked to medical explanations or what I refer to...
Reaching “Decoding Nirvana” – Stage III
If your child is reaching Stage III of reading development, congratulations, you’ve reached the Promised Land!!! You’re in Decoding/Fluency Nirvana. Typically, Stage III corresponds to about the middle of third grade continuing through the upper grades, when the...