Teens
Does Online Socializing Help Kids Build Social Skills?
Your teenager may spend hours texting friends, sharing videos, talking while gaming, or connecting over FaceTime. Yet, when you suggest inviting someone over, going to an activity, or spending time with friends in person, they may be less interested. So….. Does all of that online communication really count as socializing? The answer is not simply yes…
Read MoreIs My Child Lazy? What Their Behavior May Actually Be Telling You
Few words worry parents more than lazy. It often starts with observations that seem difficult to explain. Your child avoids homework, but happily spends hours building with Legos. They can focus for hours on a video game but struggle to even begin a writing assignment. They promise they’ll clean their room, but somehow never get started. Or…
Read MoreHelping A Child Find Their Own Voice
We all want children who can make decisions, solve problems, express their needs, and eventually navigate adulthood without relying on someone else to tell them what to do. We want our children to become independent, but also confident and happy. But how we should build and support a child’s ability to find their own voice is…
Read MoreHelp Your Child Build Study Skills
Supporting your child’s learning at home can feel like a delicate balancing act. You want to help—of course you do—but you also want your child to grow confident, independent, and capable. The good news is that with a few intentional strategies, you can create a homework routine that builds study skills, lowers stress, and supports…
Read MoreSupporting Your Teen’s Growing Independence
As a parent, you’ve worked hard for years to keep your child safe, healthy, and supported. When your child has neurodevelopmental differences (e.g., autism, ADHD, or a learning disorder) or if your child has a medical condition, your protective instinct can feel even stronger. You’ve likely spent much of their childhood coordinating appointments, advocating at school, and stepping in when the world wasn’t quite ready to meet their needs.
Read MoreThe Limitations of a Psychoeducational Evaluation
It’s distressing to sit with parents after they’ve taken a long winding path, and they’re still searching for answers about their struggling child. They are frustrated and anxious. They may question the diagnosis given to their child or worry about minimal progress with tutoring or therapy. When the child had a prior psychoeducational evaluation, they…
Read MoreAnxiety and ADHD
Recent estimates from a very large US study (>45,000 participants) with the CDC shows that around 35% of children and 43% of adolescents/teens with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder (Danielson et al., 2024). Next to behavioral/conduct problems, anxiety is the most commonly associated disorder with ADHD. Why and how are anxiety and ADHD related?…
Read MoreAnxiety and Math
The impact of anxiety on math achievement has received significant attention in the field of educational research. There is no doubt that anxiety symptoms and math performance are negatively related (as one goes up, the other goes down). In some kids, problems in math may cause anxiety. But in other kids, anxiety may contribute to…
Read MoreAnxiety and Dyslexia
The relationship between anxiety and dyslexia is complex. Studies show that social anxiety is the most common type of anxiety that individuals with dyslexia experience. Social anxiety might manifest when a child is expected to read aloud or participate in discussions about the reading material. Being around others who do not have dyslexia can present…
Read MoreADHD in Girls Looks Different
Imagine an 8-year-old girl in the back of the classroom, sitting quietly, gently swinging her legs under the desk, and staring out the window during class. Meanwhile, the class is working on a timed science quiz, and she hasn’t started yet. She is daydreaming, lost in her own world, but eventually gets to work. The…
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