Blog
ADHD…Maybe!
Practically every week I hear an array of concerns regarding distractibility and inattentiveness. There's always the question lurking of, "Does my child have ADHD/ADD?" While talking to parents I try and broaden the narrative, reviewing other factors that may be...
The Curriculum Ship Leaves Port
It’s early September. The “Curriculum Ship” is leaving the dock. This ship moves full steam ahead with its goal of getting to the distant shore on the other side by about June 1st. About 70% of the kids can ride the ship pretty well. While there may be a few ups...
The Billionaire & the Gift of Dyslexia
This week on my Twitter feed, I came upon an article that talked about a billionaire who felt that his dyslexia was a "gift." In his mind, it was the primary reason for his success as a businessman. Many businessmen and women get their inspiration to start their own...
Hooks in the Mental Closet
As part of an assessment I recently asked 17- year-old near senior, Bethany, “Who wrote Hamlet?” Looking bewildered, she said, “I have no idea.” Then, when asked to define the word “tranquil,” she could not further no guess. Bethany had no association to the word....
“Help, I’m Being Held Hostage to My IQ!”
(The following is a modification of an earlier post.) Sometimes I think that we have the notion that all of us before being born line up in heaven to receive our IQ scores. You can almost imagine hearing the announcement from one of God’s helpers, "If you are about to...
Slow “Clock Speed” & “RPMs” – “My kid is making me crazy.”
I evaluated a middle school kid recently who was recently “diagnosed” with ADHD. You know the drill. The school told parents that, “We’re not doctors and can’t diagnose, but we think you should see your child’s doctor.” (Translation: “Go to your doctor now and get...
What’s in Your Child’s Pie Chart?
When talking to parents about their children I am continually using metaphors, imagery that can help parents to better understand their children. One of the favorite images I use refers to the “pie cart” of childhood. How we divide up the pie is the concern that I...
The Spirit of Huck & Tom Lives On
"It was kind of lazy and jolly, laying off comfortable all day, smoking and fishing, and no books nor study. Two months or more run along, and my clothes got to be all rags and dirt, and I didn't see how I'd ever got to like it so well at the widow's, where you had to...
Marinating…#Dyslexia #LD
About 50% of the kids in the early grades are pretty immune to whatever they get in school. Whatever reading or learning method comes their way they handle it and make good progress in the key areas of development. I call these the “Smooth Road Kids.” Everybody’s...
Treatment Bewilderment
Too often parents feel bewildered by the array of options that are presented to them about their struggling child. Getting clear on what you are targeting and why is essential. Common sense needs to prevail. Eight year old Jackie, a spunky third grader, struggled...
Listen Up, Dads of ‘Fun Dad Nation’
Every generation creates its own parenting style based on many different factors and variables shaping our view of what it means to be a parent. Back in the early 1960's probably the predominant style of dad was depicted well in the AMC TV show, "Madmen" and its main...