SEL Social Emotional Learning
It’s not a motivation problem. It’s a capacity problem – and the difference changes everything. If you’ve ever watched a behavior chart fail spectacularly for one particular kid while it seems to work fine for everyone else in the class, you’re not imagining it. And the parent, teacher, or clinician in that room isn’t doing … Read more
What’s really happening when a child with ADHD struggles at camp – and what actually helps. Every summer, parents wonder: Will my child be okay at camp? It’s a fair question. Camp is unstructured, social, and full of transitions – exactly the conditions that are hardest for kids with ADHD. I sat down with … Read more
In my recent article 504 Plans and IEPs: Helping Your Child Get the Support They Need, Jodi walked through the what – what these plans are, how they differ, and how to navigate the process as a parent. I want to build on that with something equally important: What schools are actually required to do when … Read more
A Reflection on Boomers, Millennials, and the New Language of Family Over the past few decades, I’ve had the privilege of working with parents raising young children – watching them wrestle with behavior, school systems, emotional regulation, and the daily work of building connection. Now many of those children are adults raising babies of their … Read more
Katrina Carter-Journet (a.k.a. K. L. Carter) is a STEM professional in the aerospace industry and the author of Let’s Chase the Moon, a space-themed children’s story that celebrates curiosity, focus, family, and the unique ways children with ADHD see the universe. I was so taken with her book that I wanted to introduce her to … Read more
How shifting from directives to observation reduces power struggles and builds regulation. A mother once said to me, “All I do is ask him nicely to put his shoes on, and he explodes. I don’t understand. What’s wrong with me asking him to do something?” She wasn’t yelling. She wasn’t threatening consequences. She wasn’t being … Read more
What teachers are grateful to learn when understanding finally clicks. At the beginning of my teacher trainings, before we talk about strategies or classroom systems, I always start in the same place. I ask educators to consider the social and emotional impact that ADHD and executive function challenges have on learning, motivation, behavior, and even … Read more
How schools can uphold high expectations while better supporting students with ADHD and learning differences. I recently received a thoughtful message from an educator working at a private high school known for its rigorous academic standards. Like many teachers and learning specialists in competitive environments, they’re facing a real tension: how do we uphold high … Read more
Why trust and connection matter more than willpower. Many of us have heard of the famous “marshmallow test,” where children were offered a choice: eat one marshmallow now, or wait and get two later. For years, this study was held up as proof that self-control, the ability to delay gratification, was the key to future … Read more
Why ADHD Parent Coaching Works, and Why We Need More Trained Professionals Parents today are more informed than ever about ADHD. They’ve read books. They’ve followed experts. They’ve tried the charts, the consequences, the routines. They’ve been told to “be consistent,” “lower expectations,” or “just hold the line.” And still, so many families are struggling … Read more
Finding connection even when physical closeness isn’t what they need I was hiking a mountain with a friend recently when she wandered a bit off the trail to pause and hug a tree. Living in Boulder these past several years has expanded my perspective in ways I didn’t expect. Practices I once might have dismissed … Read more
Every teacher I know wants to help their students succeed. They want calmer classrooms. They want fewer power struggles. They want to understand why a student who is bright and capable can’t get started, can’t stay regulated, or can’t seem to “do what they know how to do.” And yet, most teachers were never trained … Read more
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