“I just want my child to be happy!” A statement I hear from almost every parent who has come to me to help their child and from most other parents I’ve spoken to about their children. This makes sense; of course we want our kids to be happy! What doesn’t make sense to me is [...]
Bring Back the Wonder….
November 1, 2011 Leave a Comment
There was an article in my local newspaper recently that stated, ” More parents are using IPad, other tech gadgets to keep young kids occupied, entertained while at home, out and about.” The author, Rasha Madkour, writing for Associated Press, goes on to quote many parents who wouldn’t go out without their iPads or phones [...]
Going for Perfection: Siblings of Kids with Learning Disabilitiies
October 20, 2011 Leave a Comment
Lisa sat quietly playing with dolls. It was after school and she had already done her homework. She was feeling sad. Her best friend at school had gone off to play with some other kids today at recess and Lisa was all alone, just as she was now. She felt lonely and rejected. She was [...]
9 Ways to Make Homework Time Easier
September 16, 2011 Leave a Comment
Homework is a fact of life for most students. I won’t get into my opinions, and the research that supports them, about how homework doesn’t really support learning or the need for down time after 6-7 hours of school. Let’s just talk about the reality of homework and how to make it an easier experience [...]
11 Things To Do To Help Your Child Strengthen Self-Esteem
September 1, 2011 Leave a Comment
“Nobody likes me!” “I hate myself!” “Everybody does ‘it’ better than me.” “There is no reason to live.” These are alarming and frightening things for a parent to hear. Are they true? How seriously should you take them? What should you do? You want to take it seriously enough to investigate further. Figure out how [...]
Insights into Adolescent Behavior and Learning
August 15, 2011 Leave a Comment
(Adapted, with permission, from Turning Point: Some Pivotal Insights into Behavior and Learning, by Judith Bluestone – creator of the HANDLE® paradigm.) The developmental stage of adolescence is a complicated one to say the least. It is a time when pulling away and the desire for independence live alongside vulnerability and a need for structure [...]
Protection and Independence – What is the Right Balance?
July 12, 2011 Leave a Comment
All parents face this question over and over again during their children’s lives. How do you keep your child safe and yet give them the opportunity to fall and get up again, learn from mistakes and build qualities of resilience? The solution, of course, changes with situation, age and developmental maturity. For those of you [...]
Kids with Sensory Issues Experience the World Differently, But How?
June 21, 2011 Leave a Comment
We are pretty egocentric actually! We see the world form our own perspective and kind of assume that everyone around us sees it or experiences it similarly. Often it doesn’t even occur to us that there is any other way to experience a situation or interpret what is going on. This can give us a [...]
A Sure Fire Way to See Beyond the Muck
May 3, 2011 Leave a Comment
If you are like I am, you can get into places where all you can see is the muck, the difficulties, the things that aren’t working. Believe me, I know how easy it is to get there and stay there when your child is having academic or behavioral challenges. Or, let’s be real, when s/he [...]