Happy Friday, Reader! Last night, my daughter spent hours carefully making Valentine’s Day cards for every single one of her classmates. She was so proud of them. And then, this morning, she left them on the kitchen counter. She didn’t realize it until we were pulling into school. She was crushed. I was frustrated — because now we were making a second trip to school to drop off a stack of cards that had been right there by the door. It would have been easy to chalk it up to carelessness or...
19 days ago • 2 min read
Happy Friday, Reader! It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post or put out a Friday Focus newsletter, but after talking to some families who are stressed to the max this week, I decided I couldn’t put this off any longer. If you're watching your child drown in incomplete assignments right now while holiday chaos swirls around you, I want you to take a breath. This is the hardest time of year for students with executive functioning challenges, and what you're seeing isn't a motivation...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Happy Friday, Reader! Tell me if this sounds familiar: You tell them to clean their room. Or start that essay. Or work on their science fair project. They just… stare. Maybe they groan. Maybe they lash out. Maybe they disappear entirely. Meanwhile, you're wondering: Why is this so hard?! Just get started! Here’s the thing: when a task feels too big, too unclear, or too overwhelming, kids freeze. It’s not laziness or defiance—it’s their brain hitting a wall. And here's where the battle begins:...
11 months ago • 1 min read
Happy Friday, Reader! Does this sound familiar? You’re exhausted—not just from the daily grind but from being the only one who knows what’s happening this week. The soccer game, the dentist appointment, the school project due Friday—you’re juggling it all while everyone else seems clueless. And when plans fall apart? You’re stuck dealing with the frustration, the tears, and the last-minute scrambling to fix it. The mistake? Assuming kids will remember their own schedules. Assuming a shared...
12 months ago • 2 min read
Happy Friday, Reader! Fridays are often laundry days at my house – a task that presents a massive challenge to my executive functioning. Unless we’re completely out of clothes, I’m unlikely to feel naturally motivated to do it. The ordeal involves sorting and organizing mountains of laundry, and with all of the washing and drying, I have to maintain sustained attention to the goal (or end up with a mildewy mess). The challenges are endless and persistent, and the work never really feels like...
12 months ago • 3 min read
Happy Friday, Reader! I’m excited to be continuing my current streak of weekly newsletters. Writing was part of one of the items on my personal vision board, and that brings us to the topic of this week’s tip of the week! Tip of the Week: Build a Vision for Yourself For years, I thought that building a vision board was a woo-woo arts and crafts project. But the more that I learn about ADHD and executive function challenges, the more I realize the importance of visualizing one’s future self...
about 1 year ago • 2 min read
Happy Friday, Reader! Things were a little bit quieter at BSL this week as several local school districts had a February break. While my staycation still featured daily visits to the office to support students, sometimes it’s good to have a moment to slow down and catch a breath. Whether this week was a break or business as usual for you and your family, I hope this Friday message finds you well and that you are getting the space you need for self-care. Tip of the Week: Focus on Your Circle...
about 1 year ago • 3 min read
Happy Friday, Reader! Happy Valentine’s Day to all those who celebrate! I still have a kiddo in elementary school, so this week was all about assembling the Valentine cards for classmates – a process we had to do twice due to some executive function challenges at our house. Here’s how that story goes: We found the perfect Valentines in January. We spent over an hour last weekend assembling them, writing everyone’s names on them, and bagging them up to take to school. No last-minute cramming...
about 1 year ago • 4 min read
Happy Friday, Reader! Undoubtedly, it has been a while since I’ve sent a Friday newsletter – a trend I hope to change in 2025! There have been several things keeping us busy at Building Savvy Learners: We opened the doors to a brick-and-mortar location in Decatur, allowing us to provide in-person services in addition to our virtual ones. We expanded our offerings to include small group classes to middle school and high school students. In the fall semester, that meant we were able to work...
about 1 year ago • 3 min read