Blog
Compound Interest Mentality
Change does not come easily for any of us. Think about how deeply ingrained our personalities, habits and proclivities are. Fundamentally, we are who we are. Parents spend a lot of time trying to change children and I sometimes find that their efforts may be a bit too...
Skill Thinking vs. Disorder Thinking
When I assess a child my focus often centers on where skills (and the skills can range from cognitive/academic to emotional/social) are breaking down for the child, which then guides goals and "next-step thinking." The skills can range from those in the cognitive,...
Back in the Anger River
I’ve said it to parents many times over the years - “Below the ADD/School Struggling Swamp, lies the “Anger River.” The Anger River results in much school resistance, avoidance and lowered motivation Parents will do various back flips to address meltdowns and school...
Doing the FAPE Dance – “FAPING”
Let’s say you have a 7 year old child who struggles greatly with reading, spelling and writing and has been diagnosed with a learning disability (e.g., dyslexia). The school has classified the child for special education and an IEP (Individual Education Plan) is being...
“I’m Not the Lead Actor…I Play a Supporting Role”
Let’s say you have one of those 14 year old boys who shows signs of what is now commonly being referred to as “executive function deficits,” or EFD. You probably know some of the signs of EFD – poorly organized, poor planning, little task initiation, weak...
“Spelling Doesn’t Matter Anyway”
Let’s say your 6th grade 12-year-old child, of average to above average intelligence spelled the following words: bref (brief) susess (success) edcccate (educate) resolt (result) kicten (kitchen Then he wrote the following story to a picture prompt “Once a o pon a...
A Case of the “Didja’s”
Modern parenting is plagued by a bad case of the “Didja’s.” You know. While the content may vary somewhat, here is a sample of some common Didja’s: “Didja (i.e., “Did you”) start your homework?” “Didja finish your homework. “Didja put your stuff away?” “Didja brush...
Parent Outrage Quotient
Outrage is an emotion parents often feel when it comes to how they perceive their struggling child is ultimately handled/managed by the school. Part of the outrage stems from a lack of understanding in terms of how the school operates when it comes to the issues of...
That Place on the Bell-Shaped Curve
I regularly get referral questions from parents anxious to know whether their child has a learning disability or or is “dyslexic.” Often the story goes that the child has shown signs of struggling since the early grades and even though the special education team has...
“Where There’s Smoke…”
I recently evaluated an 8 year old third grade girl who had significant reading, spelling and writing issues. Previously evaluated by the special education team and a local hospital, the mom was informed that her child was “average.” Closer inspection of the child’s...
“Suck It Up, Buttercup!”
There are different phases to an assessment that I will do with a child. One of the phases I like the best, is the “informal feedback” portion. That is the point where I’ve gotten a feel for the child and start sharing some impressions with the mom (occasionally the...