If it sometimes seems that your child is not working or studying at their best, it may be that they need a study break. The concern that many parents have about taking study breaks is – how am I going to make sure he gets back to work? Experience and science have shown that our brains need time to rejuvenate after doing the same type of activity over an extended time. Helping your child know how to take effective, limited … Read more
When a child is diagnosed with ADHD, Parent Coaching can make all the difference in improving the quality of your and your child’s lives. Parents usually receive standard recommendations for raising kids with ADHD, such as accommodations and modifications for school, perhaps therapeutic interventions for the child, and sometimes medication. Many times, parents are unaware of the social and emotional impact that ADHD has on learning, motivation, behavior, and the whole family system. That’s where Parent Coaching helps. By relying on … Read more
If your child has an IEP or a 504 Plan for ADHD or other learning challenges, you may need some new tools and ideas to help your child adjust to working remotely. My daughter, Carly Goldrich-Wolf, MS. Ed. offers some solid guidelines on how to smooth out the challenges your child may face with distance learning. As a special Education Teacher, Carly knows firsthand, the struggles that kids with ADHD and other learning challenges are facing. In the article she … Read more
Taking time to reflect and evaluate how satisfied we are with our lives may seem like something only adults do. I have found that helping children (of all ages) examine key areas of their lives in an intentional exercise can be very beneficial. Positive change is most likely to occur when we first assess our current situation. I have found that the “Wheel of Life” assessment is a safe, non-judgmental, non-evaluative tool that allows for reflection and creates a structure and … Read more
I recently wrote this article for ADDitude Magazine online. I hope you find it helpful. Your child may be ignoring your requests for very good reasons. Instead of insisting on compliance and obedience, find out the source of their resistance by engaging in teachable moments. “My son just doesn’t listen to me.” “My daughter snaps back when I ask her to do something.” “Why doesn’t he show me a little respect?” I hear comments like these all the time from … Read more
Parents ask me all the time, “How can I help my child choose the best career for them? What are the best jobs for people with ADHD? Will my child succeed in the future? Will they be able to support themselves when they are adults? Will they get a college degree? Will they get a job? Will they be able to afford to live on their own?” Careers and ADHD I firmly believe that Career Development should begin early in … Read more
I have known Nancy Weinstein, of Mindprint Learning©, for many years. Now that parents are seeing their children’s struggles more intimately during home learning, I have been asked by so many of them, what they can do to better understand their children’s challenges. I thought it might be helpful to ask Nancy to explain a bit about what she does and, more specifically, to help you understand how difficulty with Flexible Thinking, one of the measures used in her assessment … Read more
I’m excited to share that PTS coaching and Esteem Therapeutics are working together to bring my parent education and coaching services to their ADHD parenting app. I was attracted to collaborate with the founders of Esteem because, like me, they recognize that parents need education and support to help their children thrive, not just treatment for their children. Over the last few months, we have been strategizing together on how we can help as many people as possible. An App … Read more
Two years ago, when I first moved to Colorado from New York, I met Beth Blacker, Founder and Chief Clutter Controller of It’s Just Stuff. I love her enthusiasm and passion for helping anyone struggling to create and maintain organizing systems for daily life. As a specialist in ADHD, I certainly know how complex and deeply rooted these struggles can be. In this article, Beth shares some really good organizing tips and advice for children with ADHD (& their parents) and … Read more
As High School and College students embark on their journey into a new school year, whether in-person/on-campus, virtually, or a combination of both, I’d like to offer this very important reminder regarding ADHD stimulant medication, and its use, misuse, overuse, and safekeeping. We know that a significant number of kids take stimulants, either not prescribed to them or prescribed inappropriately, in an effort to deal with academic pressures. Some also use stimulants as part of a weight-loss strategy or to … Read more
Science has come a long way in the last decade. Mainstream medical, psychological, and educational organizations have concluded that ADHD is a real, brain-based medical disorder. Getting a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment can significantly improve the lives of those who struggle. This guide will help clarify what is involved in getting a proper diagnosis and the various treatment options that have been recognized as effective. Diagnosing and Treating ADHD What is involved in a proper diagnosis? A proper diagnosis … Read more
I am often asked if I think ADHD is over-diagnosed. My answer – yes. I also believe it is underdiagnosed. The problem is that there is still not one agreed-upon cohesive and comprehensive protocol for diagnosing ADHD; a real, life-impacting disorder that affects a significant percentage of people. And yet there are still many practitioners who do not include an ADHD screening in their assessments. I believe, and evidence supports, there are enormous lifelong risks to mental health, physical health, employment, … Read more
Have you ever walked into the room, and your child’s whole demeanor changed? You watch her face go from relaxed to stressed. Or his body tenses up in anger or frustration. You have not uttered a word, yet your child has heard an entire lecture and is already reacting. You think to yourself, “Don’t Look at Me in That Tone of Voice”. Ok, perhaps there was something you planned on reminding your child of, or maybe you weren’t happy that … Read more
Several of the parents I am working with have been struggling to have their children work independently, without the structure and guidance of their teacher. And for many parents who need to get THEIR OWN work done at the same time – well, it’s been a lot to deal with! For many clients, we have been successful in developing routines and practices that have been very effective. I would be lying, however, if I said it was easy or always … Read more
Last month I took part in a panel discussion at the Innovative Learning Conference in San Mateo, California. This conference brought together top people in the fields of learning, neuroscience, and clinical practice, including Ned Hallowell, Thomas Brown, Akihiko Takahashi, and Adam Gazzaley. Following our panel discussion, we collaborated to answer some of the questions that we did not have time to address during our talk. I am sharing the questions and answers below, along with some additional helpful resources. … Read more
Now that the school year is in full swing, I am often asked by parents if they should seek an evaluation for their child to address concerns that either they have or that someone at their child’s school has raised. I have asked a licensed psychologist, Dr. Cynthia Johnson, if she could answer a few questions to help parents determine when, where, and how to go about having their child evaluated. The Importance of Evaluating a Child for ADHD If … Read more
Whether your child is five, fifteen, or twenty-five, the issue of career development is an essential and valuable discussion. I believe this to be true for “typical” children, along with every other person. Why – because how we view ourselves, how we picture our future, and what we are exposed to as we learn and grow into our future selves has a tremendous impact on the trajectory of our lives. Now before you start thinking that I want young children … Read more
This blog post originally appeared on WootTutor.com As parents, we want nothing more than for our children to reach their potential and thrive in the world. Fortunately, science now helps us understand what gets in the way of some people being able to achieve their goals, large and small. You may have heard the term “Executive Function.” It is part of the brain located in the prefrontal cortex, and it is the last part of the brain to develop. Executive … Read more
For over ten years, I have been working with parents of children who have ADHD, executive function challenges, learning challenges, and behavioral challenges. When parents initially contact me, they are often seeking support to help their children directly. Our skilled Coaches do provide direct support to teens and college students. But, parents sometimes become disappointed to find that their child is not ready or willing to fully engage in the coaching process, yet. While parents may feel it would be … Read more
Russell Barkley, recognized authority on ADHD, gave a powerful keynote presentation at the November 2018 International Conference on ADHD titled Advances in Understanding the Symptoms of ADHD. He outlined the numerous and potential serious impairments that ADHD can have on major life activities. When not properly treated and managed, people with ADHD do not learn to regulate their moods, impulses, and actions. This makes them more susceptible to health issues (not properly managing weight, exercise, alcohol, drugs), anxiety, depression, risky behaviors, … Read more
In a previous article, What makes sleep so difficult for kids with ADHD, We explored the difficulties that children and adolescents may have with falling asleep. As we have mentioned in many sessions with parents and professionals, research shows that between 25 and 50% of people with ADHD have clinically reported sleep difficulties. These can be attributed to biology, stimulant medication side effects, lack of consistent bedtime routine, and characteristics related to the ADHD itself. For many parents, getting their children … Read more
Life lessons often come from places you least expect. Now before you become concerned that I am going to preach the virtues of running or changing your diet, no worries – that’s not my agenda. I would like to share, however, what I have learned this past year, NOT about Time Management, but TRUE PRODUCTIVITY. After all, isn’t that the real goal of managing time, to increase your overall success in accomplishing what you want in life? If anyone would have … Read more
We are thrilled to announce that you can now work toward obtaining your ICF Certification by Becoming an ADHD Parent Coach through PTS Coaching and the Center for Coaching Certification! Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M., ADHD-CCSP and Cathy Liska of the Center for Coaching Certification have collaborated to create a pathway toward ICF Certification and ICF ACC designation. You can pursue your ICF Certification by Becoming an ADHD Parent Coach through PTS Coaching. By completing their trainings you will have … Read more
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