I HATE shrimp – especially the tiny ones used to make shrimp cocktail. I hate how they look, how they smell, how they feel in my mouth, and how they taste. I have a visceral reaction to shrimp, and needless-to-say, as an adult, I NEVER eat them. At our Parent Information Night last week, a parent shared that her smart, athletic, social 10 year old has a visceral reaction to learning. He HATES anything related to reading, writing, math, or schoolwork. So what is it all about when an otherwise capable, accomplished child or adult responds this way? Is this…
I think everyone has times when they just wish someone could step into their shoes and really understand how they feel. I have a feeling our students with learning and attention challenges may feel this way a lot. When they are told to try harder, and they’re already trying as hard as they can, it’s got to be frustrating. Because the end product takes so long to complete or has so many more errors than expected, it may seem like they are not trying their best. Often, nothing could be further from the truth. Kids with learning challenges often put…
It’s mind-boggling for me to think about, but 33 years ago, when I was still in my twenties, I opened the learning center to help smart but struggling students become better readers. While our understanding and techniques have developed tremendously over the years, the joy of watching frustrated children and adults transform into confident learners is every bit as strong! No matter how many times I’ve seen it, I still get just as excited every time! We are now in our 7th year at the Irvine center and have just expanded to meet the needs of our growing population of…
I’m sitting in Starbucks writing and sipping a hot cup of coffee, listening to a dad and young son enjoying doing homework. Did you get that? ENJOYING doing homework. The little boy needed a fair amount of guidance and Dad was very patient, but the instruction was received with smiles and understanding. I think that’s what all parents want. To be able to work with their child on homework in a stress-free way, moving through it without resistance or tears. When kids have learning challenges, homework is often more of a battle than a bonding experience. At my Parent Information…
Moms are very astute when it comes to their children, so when something is not right, moms usually know. Typical children feel overwhelmed or unhappy about homework at times. They may even come home saying they feel stupid or hate school once in a while. But when an otherwise happy, energized child routinely whines, sobs, and wilts at the thought of homework or school, or berates himself for his stupidity, it is very likely that learning is harder than it should be. While doing homework with their children, parents often notice things that don’t seem quite right and wonder if…
I was at the ice rink to watch a hockey game, but a 4-year-old girl and her 2-year-old brother totally upstaged the game as they exuberantly raced up and down in front of the bleachers! Aren’t little kids great! They embrace life with gusto and pull everyone around them into their adventure. As kids grow, we expect them to lose some of their 4-year old recklessness, but we hope that the unbridled self-esteem will stick with them. More than anything else, I think it is confidence and self-esteem that gets lost when kids get into school and find that it…
Could Your Child’s “ADHD” actually be an Auditory Processing Disorder? Does this describe your child? Struggles to focus in a noisy environment Trouble paying attention in class Zones out in conversations Has difficulty following directions Fidgety and easily distracted Delayed response to questions Social, emotional, or behavioral problems Lower academic performance Sounds like ADHD, right? But what if it’s not? Auditory processing is one of the many underlying learning/processing skills that are critical to learning and functioning efficiently at one’s potential. When any of these underlying skills are weak, it can stress the attention system, mimicking ADHD. This is particularly…
I am continually astounded when I hear from many speech/language therapists and reading specialists that they know little to nothing about auditory processing. How can that be when auditory processing is the very foundation of language and reading? Skills like speaking, reading, and other academic skills are like the branches and leaves of a tree. They are the most obvious, noticeable part. But a tree will not survive without a good root system and trunk to carry the nutrients. Learning of any kind also needs a “root system” and truck. The information coming in through the senses has to be…