What You Need to Know at Every Stage of Life If you've ever wondered whether you or someone you love might have ADHD, you're not alone. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions in the world — and one of the most misunderstood. For many people, receiving a formal diagnosis is a life-changing moment that finally gives a name to years of struggle. For others, the idea of seeking a diagnosis feels daunting or unnecessary. So

Understanding the Developmental Stages of Curiosity Children's questions evolve as they grow. Understanding these developmental milestones helps you provide age-appropriate answers that nurture their learning. Ages 2-3: The Beginning of "Why" At this stage, toddlers are just discovering the power of questions. Their "whys" are often: Simple and repetitive More about testing language than seeking deep understanding Focused on immediate, concrete things they can see and touch S

When a child faces emotional, behavioral, or learning challenges, parents and educators often wonder who can best support the child's needs. The mental health and educational fields include several professionals with overlapping but distinct roles. Among these are therapists, school psychologists, and licensed clinical psychologists. Each plays a unique part in supporting children's development, but understanding their differences can help families and schools make informed d

I recently co-authored a chapter on progress monitoring for a newly published educational textbook—a project I'm genuinely excited about! Progress monitoring is an incredibly powerful tool that helps educators figure out if an intervention is actually working or if it needs tweaking. In my work as a school psychologist, I’ve found that while schools share this data with families, parents often have deeper questions about what it means and how to use it to advocate for their c

Helping children understand their emotions can be a challenge for many parents. Young kids often struggle to express what they feel inside, especially when it comes to recognizing the physical sensations that accompany emotions. Teaching children to identify these bodily signals can improve their emotional awareness and communication skills. One fun and effective way to do this is through a holiday-themed activity using a gingerbread man as a guide. This blog post will walk y

What the Study Found: Your research tested a simple but powerful reading strategy called "partner reading with paragraph shrinking" with eighth-grade students in their regular science and social studies classes. The intervention, which lasted just three weeks, led to significantly improved oral reading fluency and higher comprehension scores in both science and social studies content. One of the most encouraging findings is that the positive effects occurred regardless of whe

When it comes to nurturing young minds, every step counts. Children face challenges that can sometimes feel like towering mountains. But guess what? With the right support, those mountains become hills, and hills become gentle slopes. That’s where child therapy services come in! They’re like a friendly guide, helping kids navigate their feelings, build resilience, and grow stronger every day. Today, I want to share how child therapy services can be a beacon of hope and growth

Quick Research Summary: Dr. McKinzie Duesenberg-Marshall co-authored a peer-reviewed study examining reading interventions across more than 1,500 students. The research found that students who received targeted interventions had significantly higher reading growth than those who received typical school interventions — and performed similarly to students who were already proficient readers. This is huge! It means when reading help is matched to what a child actually needs, str