Blog
Parenting at the Root of the Problem (Not So Fast)
In addition to the myriad of labels and diagnoses offered as explanations for a child's behavior, it is often assumed that parenting is a significant variable, if not the sole reason for a child's behavior. As proof of this, when we see a child who appears to be...
The Summer Slide
It’s that time of year when parents start looking to the lazy, hazy days of summer. With that in mind, many parents start worrying about the “summer slide,” concerned that their kids will regress and fall backwards without the normal day-to-day structure of school....
Firming Up the Rudder
We recently wrote a post on "executive functioning." (Previous Post on Executive Functioning) As I have noted, I like to think of executive functioning as the rudder to a ship. It’s the steering mechanism that helps you do stuff, like start tasks, finish tasks,...
“Please, Sir, May I Have Some More Food”
Parents will tell me of their ongoing efforts to get the school to do what they feel their child needs. There are usually three or so common outcomes. One outcome is the school will show data that the child is “meeting benchmarks” or meeting standards in spite of the...
More on “Executive Functioning”
We freely toss around terms or jargon that don't immediately translate to the average person on the street. “My child has ADHD.” “I’m sure she’s dyslexic.” “Since preschool, he’s shown sensory integration issues.” “Well, you know he’s on ‘the spectrum.’” (Wait,...
More Travels In Boy Brain
A glimpse inside 12 year old boy brain: “They’re at it again. Talking about that 504 Plan, whatever that is. I heard something like extra time. My mom seems to want it. Why would I want extra time? I want less time. I just want to get it done.” “They’re taking...
Facing the Writing Challenges
Open-ended writing can be dreadfully difficult for school-struggling children. On so many levels, they find the task to be overwhelming. For those who are struggling, the more common classroom writing tasks that encourage the child to write as he/she feels is...
More Boy Delusions
Recently I talked to you about the delusion of the modern American (male) child and their fundamental inability to face pain (Delusions of the Modern American Boy ). Not wanting to be redundant (hey, I’ve written nearly 350 blog posts over 10 years so it’s hard not to...
“Great Time Presenting to Fusion Academy”
On Tuesday, March 21st, 2019, Dr. Selznick spoke at the Fusion Lunch and Learn event. Among other topics, he discussed how dyslexia is assessed, how to approach remediation, and tips to help children conquer the most common learning disability. [rev_slider...
Taking An Effective Action – Overcoming Your Inner Gumby
Last week we revisited the notion that many parents embody “Gumby Parenting” (my term) as a way of interacting with their child and managing challenging behavior (I am a Gumby Parent). Gumby Parenting leads to an array of child manipulations. We talked about...
“I am a Gumby…Don’t be a Gumby”
On a weekly basis since 2009 I’ve tried to crank out a new blog post. While I may have missed a week or two here and there, I think there are nearly 350 of posts on www.shutdownlearner.com, drawing inspiration from kids and families to help generate ideas. Over the...