Dr. Melmed Recommends

What a delightful surprise! A very informative and wonderfully entertaining handbook for children that explores the causes and effects of stress and offers young people practical approaches and techniques for dealing with stress factors in their daily lives.

In today's pressure-cooker society, this book is a must. Children will love it. Parents will appreciate it. Teachers and counselors will recognize its value as a tool for affecting children's lives in positive ways.

In this informative book, Dr. Moser explains the grief process to children and helps them understand that grieving is a normal response. He also lets them know that their grief may last more than just a few days or weeks. He offers practical approaches and easy-to-follow methods that youngsters can use, day-to-day, to cope with the emotional pain they feel.

Children are sure to be comforted by the friendly manner and the sensitivity that Dr. Moser imparts in his writing. The illustrations created by David Melton are bright and colorful, adding just the right mood of optimism and encouragement for young readers.

Counselors, teachers, and parents are bound to recognize Thursdays! as an important resource to have available for the children who are in their care.

The truth may be sacred, but many people-both children and adults-think lying is easier. Some people lie so often that it becomes a habit-a very bad habit-that reduces their own sense of self-esteem and makes others not trust them.

In a clear and easy-to-understand narrative, Dr. Moser discusses the problems of lying and the importance of telling the truth. He offers thoughtful examples and suggests ways that can help children tell the truth.

Dr. Moser's text is informative, entertaining, witty and easy to read. David Melton's illustrations are outstanding. They are bright and clever, and often hilarious.

Children are sure to love this book. Parents are bound to appreciate it's common-sense approach. Teachers and counselors will recognize this book as a valuable tool for affecting the lives of children in positive ways.

When their parents divorce, children often become very upset and feel that everything is falling apart.

In this wonderful book, Dr. Adolph Moser writes directly to children on a one-on-one basis and discusses the problems they experience when their parents divorce. He clears up any misunderstandings that children may have and suggests ways by which they can help themselves get through a very difficult time.

While this book can be very helpful to those children who read it by themselves, it can be even more beneficial when they read it with both of their parents-one parent at a time. Both the text and illustrations can open avenues for meaningful discussions between parents and children that can help them gain better understandings of each other's feelings and show them ways to solve many of their problems.

The purpose of The ADD/ADHD Checklist is to better understand children and teenagers with ADD/ADHD and the kind of support and intervention that is necessary for their success. Written in a simple, concise, easy-to-read checklist format, the book is packed with practical advice and information on a wide range of topics and is organized into the following five sections:

1. CHECKLISTS FOR BASIC INFORMATION ON ADD/ADHD
2. CHECKLISTS FOR PARENTS
3. CHECKLISTS FOR TEACHERS
4. ACADEMIC STRATEGIES FOR HOME AND SCHOOL
5. OTHER IMPORTANT CHECKLISTS FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS

As the author reminds us, "It is never too late to help a child with ADD/ADHD. If I am able to convey any message throughout my book, I wish it to be one of hope and optimism. When we work together, each and every one of our children can succeed!"

"Sandy Rief's vast knowledge of youngsters with ADD/ADHD is readily apparent in her impressive new book. In a refreshingly concise, easy-to-read style, she provides a wealth of information about ADD/ADHD that will serve as a wonderful resource for parents, teachers, and other professionals. The recommendations she offers for both the home and school environment are clear, practical, and achievable and based on a belief in the child's ability to succeed."

Robert Brooks, Ph.D., author of The Self-Esteem Teacher and on the faculty of Harvard Medical School

"Sandy Rief has provided an encyclopedia of practical information, tips and suggestions. The organization of the ADD/ADHD Checklist makes a very large volume of information easily accessible to the reader. Ms. Rief has deftly blended the current scientific knowledge concerning ADHD with a wealth of knowledge developed from her years as an educator."

Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., co-author of Managing Attention Disorders in Children, Second Edition and on the faculty of the University of Utah

"I teach many in-service workshops on AD/HD for parents and educators. The ADD/ADHD Checklist is the book I have been waiting for. I'll be referring many people to it because its comprehensive, but simple, format of checklists will be valuable in providing that 'extra understanding' that parents and educators need to help those with AD/HD achieve successful outcomes."

Linda P. Smith, Educator and Parent of an AD/HD child

This ground-breaking book is for parents, teachers, and other professionals who want to learn how to recognize and help girls with ADHD. Checklists for preschool, elementary, middle, and high school levels are provided to help identify girls with AD/HD. Special diagnostic issues are highlighted: why girls may not show signs of ADHD in early childhood, why bright girls with AD/HD go undetected, and why girls' symptoms often increase at puberty. Educational and treatment needs of girls are discussed in a practical, solution-oriented fashion.

"This book is truly a must-read for anyone who lives or works with AD/HD girls and for the girls themselves, as well. The authors provide original and valuable insights into the unique experiences of girls with ADHD."

Barbara Ingersoll, PhD, Author of Your Hyperactive Child

"One of the most right-thinking, clear-minded, well-informed, and filled-with-practical-things-you-can-do books on ADD/ADHD in women and girls that has ever been written. This book fills a huge gap in a way that offers hope and real-world solutions. Truly unique and highly recommended."

Thom Hartmann, Writer and Lecturer on ADHD Author of A Different Perception: Hunter in a Farmer's World

"Women who grew-up with ADHD will be sorry this book wasn't written years earlier!"

Ellen Kingsley, Editor ADDitude Magazine

For educators, specialists, and parents, here is a remarkable new resource packed with classroom-tested techniques and practical know-how for helping children with attention deficit disorders-with or without hyperactivity.

Focusing on the "whole child" and a team approach that lets you guide these children toward academic as well as personal success, the book shows you…

• What is ADD/ADHD and how to identify it
• Successful home-school intervention plans based on actual case studies
• How to get and keep student attention and increase on-task behavior
• Specific management techniques that prevent behavioral problems
• What works best to improve student's organization and study skills
• Proven multi-sensory activities and methods for language arts, math, and writing instruction
• How to reach students through learning styles awareness, environmental modification, and cooperative learning situations
• Various medication, their effects, and school management of them
• How to modify assignments and tests, and accommodate the child with writing difficulties
• Numerous strategies on how to manage kindergarten children
• How to use relaxation, guided imagery, visualization techniques, and music to get the most from your students
• How to avoid problems during transitional and noninstructional times
• A Parent's Story that deals with the many issues, feelings, and struggles that families face when a child has this disorder
• Interviews with teens and adults who share what made a significant difference in their lives

Plus you get sample contracts, charts, a student self-evaluation checklist, sample letters and documentation on communicating with physicians and agencies, a learning styles interview to use with children, observation sheets, and an outline for social skills planning unit to help you successfully manage the impulsive, overly stimulated, "quick-to-anger" child as well as the child who just can't focus.

In short, this complete resource is like having an expert at your side to answer virtually any question on how to reach and teach children who need your help with understanding!

"Rief really gets it, and this book will give you what she gets. A wonderful contribution and valuable, practical resource for all teachers, parents, and clinicians." - Edward Hallowell, M.D.

For all classroom teachers, special educators, administrators, and parents, here is a remarkable new resource packed with ready-to-use strategies, lessons, and activities for helping students with diverse learning styles, ability levels, skills, and behaviors in today's inclusive classroom.

Focusing on the "whole child" and a team approach that lets you guide a varied group of students toward academic as well as social and emotional success, the book shows you:

• How to reach all students through their multiple intelligences and learning styles
• How to create and run a developmental classroom using portfolios, interest and instructional centers, thematic teaching units, and more
• How to promote home/school communication and parent involvement with school outreach efforts
• How to manage behaviors and use positive discipline to reduce and prevent problems
• How to get students organized for learning success
• How to use specific programs and strategies to foster students' self-esteem
• How to reach all of your students with special needs
• How to use interventions and adaptations for accommodating special needs
• How to build positive relationships , social skills and conflict resolution skills
• How to team with other teachers to better meet your own and students' needs
• How to apply effective questioning techniques in the classroom
• How to hook reluctant readers/writers through the use of poetry, comic strips, and other motivational materials
• How to make oral language come alive using "Quick-Talks" and other techniques
• How to motivate kids to be successful mathematicians with creative strategies such as "Consumer Math Field Trip" and "Classroom Math Centers"
• How to rev up research skills with the "Mini-Research Project" and the "Learning Fair"
• How to get the most out of students through scientific investigation
• How to capitalize on music in the classroom through "Multicultural Music" and more
• How to reach students through the arts with drawing and other expressive forms

PLUS you get over 100 full-page reproducible management tools, such as a "Parent Volunteer Assistance Form"… "Portfolio Item Evaluation Form"… "Mystery Story Planning Sheet" (for thematic unit "Mystery Around Us") … Teacher Newsletters … Letter to parents on missing homework … "Behavioral Improvement Form" … sample School-Home Compact … "Cereal Box investigation" (reading/science) … "Survival Math Packet" … and " Science Project Information Sheet."

In short, How To Reach & Teach All Students In The Inclusive Classroom gives you all the necessary information and specific techniques you need to effectively integrate heterogeneous groups of students and ensure the success of each and every child in the classroom!

All you need to know about ADHD...what it is and what to do about it. This is the book ADHD kids, their parents, and professionals have all been asking for.

When young people learn they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), they have many questions, doubts, and fears. This book, written from both a pediatric and an educational perspective, attempts to address their needs and questions. School age children respect the material they find in a book, especially when it confirms or elaborates what they have learned from experience or from a significant adult. Children need reassurance that the problems they have are not unique to them. They benefit from a sense that help is available and that they themselves can be a powerful force in their own treatment.

"Required reading for hyperactive children of all ages and their parents, teachers and practitioners. This book is superb in every aspect."
Alan Zametkin, M.D.
Senior Staff Psychiatrist, National Institute of Mental Health

" This is the book so many parents and professionals have asked for. Down-to-earth in style and upbeat in tone, it contains a wealth of important information about ADHD along with practical suggestions for coping with the problems ADHD presents."
Barbara D Ingersoll, PH.D.
Clinical psychologist, Author, Your hyperactive child:
A Parent's Guide to Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder

"Putting On The Brakes does a marvelous job addressing the issues likely to arise in counseling children 8-13 about ADHD, its nature, and its treatment. I am sure it will prove of value to those who counsel this age group and to these children themselves in their pursuit to better understand their disorder."
Russell A Barkley, PH.D.
Director of Psychology, Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology
Author, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder:
A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment

The "Putting on the Brakes ACTIVITY BOOK for Young People with ADHD provides dozens of ways to spark and hold the interest of young readers with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Designed as a companion to the extraordinary popular Putting on the Brakes: Young People's Guide to Understanding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, this book allows children to put their understanding of ADHD into action. Using pictures, puzzles, and other techniques to assist in the learning of a range of skills, this book helps teach problem solving, organizing, setting priorities, planning, maintaining control...all of those hard-to-learn skills that make everyday life just a little more manageable. Thorough, clear, encouraging instructions provide support even when a given project seems "too tough".

"I think kids will have a lot of fun doing these activities. The book gives kids a framework to try new ideas that will help them grow"

Susan Ritzer
School Guidance Counselor

"The 'Putting on the Brakes ACTIVITY BOOK will become a benchmark for helping ADHD kids understand and cope with their disorder. I highly recommend it!"

Mark M. Jacob, President/Founder
Peninsula Attention Deficit Disorder Association

At last, a book for parents and professionals about adolescents with Attention Deficit Disorder. Teenagers With ADD takes a comprehensive look at the special issues and challenges faced by these teens, their families, teachers. and treatment professionals. Based upon the most current diagnostic criteria available and incorporating ADD literature and research, Teenagers With ADD provides a complete introduction to all forms of ADD and discusses:

• Definitions
• Diagnosis
• Medical Treatment
• Family and School Life
• Intervention
• Advocacy
• Legal Rights
• Options after High School

Throughout are the voices of teens, parents, educators, and professionals who describe the peaks and valleys of life with ADD, providing insight, hope, support, and advice for successfully navigating the teenage years.

"Written by one of the nation's most outstanding advocates for mental health services for children, Teenagers With ADD does a superb job of providing information to help parents and professionals in their efforts to support young people."

Bob Friedman, PhD, Chairperson,
Department of Child and Family Studies
University of South Florida

"Finally, we have a book that deals exclusively with issues of ADD in the teenage years. I highly recommend it."

Harvey C. Parker, PhD
ADD WareHouse

"Offers all the basic information necessary to understand the condition, get help, and provide appropriate guidance for adolescents with ADD. Teenagers With ADD has something for everyone associated with this population...alive with quotes and photographs."

The first accessible, clearly written guide to Sensory Integration Dysfunction...and a drug-free approach that offers new hope for parents.

Does your child exhibit...

Oversensitivity...or undersensitivity...to touch, taste, smell, sound, or sight? Children with SI Dysfunction may avoid touching, refuse to wear certain clothing, be picky eaters, or cover their ears or eyes. Conversely, they may crave sensations...playing in mud, grabbing others, turning-up the volume, preferring hot bath water and spicy food...and seem oblivious to sensory cues.

Oversensitivity...or undersensitivity...to movement sensations? They may seek-out movement...swinging, twirling, jumping...or "plant themselves", avoiding active games.

Unusually high or low activity level? The child may be constantly on the go...wearing-out everyone around her...or move slowly and tire easily, showing little interest in the world.

Problems with motor coordination? He may be awkward, seemingly careless, or accident-prone.

These telltale symptoms are often the first clues to SI Dysfunction...a common, but frequently misdiagnosed problem in which messages from the senses are not correctly processed by the central nervous system. First identified decades ago by an occupational therapist, SI Dysfunction has only recently been widely recognized among doctors and psychologists. Now, this guide offers comprehensive, easily understood information on SI Dysfunction...and a drug-free treatment approach...for children who need help.

"This book will bring both hope and practical help to the parents who wonder why their kid doesn't fit-in"

Jane M. Healy, PhD
Learning Specialist and Author of Your Child's Growing Mind

"The Out-of-Sync Child does a masterful job of providing detailed, practical help for children with sensory integration problems."

Stanley I. Greenspan, MD
Child Psychiatrist and Author (with J. Salmon) of The Challenging Child

"All parents should read this book, especially those with children who are out of control. Ross Greene presents a loving, rational, and research-based approach to dealing with problems that most parents have either felt were their own fault or were unresolved. I could not recommend this book more highly."

Edward Hallowell, MD
Author of Driven to Distraction and Worry: Controlling it and Using it Wisely

"The Explosive Child is a must for the many parents, teachers, and professionals who attempt to guide, teach, and work with difficult, hard-to-manage, and easily frustrated children...Based on rich and sensitive clinical insights as well as recent research findings, [this book] illustrates through case studies and poignant vignettes the developmental deficits in flexibility and frustration tolerance that characterize these children and impede their growth and development. In doing so, [Dr. Greene] has brought a refreshingly new perspective on how to understand and manage these difficult yet endearing children...A must-read...for the children's sake and ours."

Thomas H. Ollendick, PhD
Professor of Psychology
Child Study Center, Virginia Tech

"This is a truly remarkable book...Guided by an understanding of the thinking and behavior of inflexible-explosive children, [Dr. Greene] skillfully provides us with both a framework and practical interventions for minimizing struggles with these children and enhancing their development. Not only was I impressed with his creative approach and strategies, but what comes across on every page of this wonderful book is a genuine caring and compassion for these youngsters and their families."

Robert Brooks, PhD
Author of The Self-Esteem Teacher

"An insightful, sensitive portrayal of children who need help...and how to help them."

Myrna B. Shure, PhD
Author of Raising a Thinking Child

"A user-friendly, practical guide for parents trying to help difficult, explosive children. This book will be of enormous benefit to such children and their families."

Michael Jellinek, MD
Chief, Child Psychiatry Service
Massachusetts General Hospital
Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

"A Mind At A Time is a wide-ranging exploration of the myriad ways in which young minds differ, coupled with vivid and useful recommendations about developing those minds to the fullest."

Elisabeth A. Hobbs
Professor in Cognition and Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education
Author of The Disciplined Mind and Frames of Mind

"A Mind At A Time continues Mel Levine's enormously valuable lifework of helping children find success, especially those children whose talents are not immediately recognized and valued by adults. This courageous and brilliant pediatrician has caused the medical textbooks to be rewritten and the educational curricula to be reformed. Brimming with intelligence, humor, wit, and originality, Dr. Levine is most of all full of love for children. This is a groundbreaking and useful book."

Edward Hallowell, MD
Instructor, Harvard Medical School
Director, Hallowell Center, Sudbury, Massachusetts
Author of Driven to Distraction and Human Moments

This is an amazing book! I have a six year old daughter with Autism who has major meltdowns and I've read and tried everything under the sun with no success. That all changed when we implemented the ideas in Jed Baker's book. It is a quick read loaded with proven techniques for managing many behavior problems. So many books I've read in the past provide you with theories that are not so easy to implement. This book gives you step-by-step instructions for improving countless behavior problems. If you are struggling with meltdowns, do yourself a favor and purchase this book, it truly is the answer you've been looking for!

This landmark book brings together a broad field of experts to create a much needed and long-overdue book on the issues unique to women with AD/HD. Whether you are a woman who suspects that she has AD/HD, or a professional that wants to better diagnose and treat women with AD/HD, this book is designed with you in mind. In this unique blend of the professional and personal, the reader will come away with a broad-ranging, in-depth understanding of what it means to be a woman with AD/HD, and how to help women with AD/HD face their unique challenges.

This very practical, step-by-step plan is based on the highly successful Stepping Stones program, developed by clinical worker, Cathi Cohen. In this book, she outlines a customized program that can be taught at home by parents. You’ll teach your child

• to handle teasing,
• to join in successfully with other children,
• to read social ques,
• to feel better about himself, and
• to express his anger appropriately.

Through using these easy-to-understand and fun-to-use exercises with your child, you’ll delight in the new social skills your child demonstrates.

Most children are afraid of the dark. Some fear monsters under the bed. But 10 percent have excessive fears and worries- phobias, separation anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder- that can hole them back and keep them from fully enjoying childhood. If your child suffers from any of these forms of anxiety, the program in this book offers practical, scientifically proven tools that can help. Now in its second edition, Helping Your Anxious Child has been expanded and updated to include the latest research and techniques for managing child anxiety. You’ll learn how to help you child overcome intense fears and worries and find out how to relieve anxious feelings while parenting with compassion.

Every parent eagerly awaits the day his or her child will speak for the first time. For millions of mothers and fathers, however, anticipation turns to anxiety when those initial, all-important words are a long time coming. Many worried parents are reassured that their child is “just a late talker,” but unfortunately, that is not always the case. Balanced with mother’s perspective and an acclaimed doctor’s experience, this book gives parents advice on: - Finding the right therapy and therapist - Negotiating with school boards, teachers, and language specialists - Speech exercises to do at home with a child

Being the brother or sister of a childe with special needs has special challenges. And Becca has some great ideas for dealing with them- after she accepts that she can’t send her brother Jonathan to another planet! In this helpful book based on the experiences of a real-life family, Becca discusses finding the right kind of friends, getting quality time with parents, caring about special needs sibling without becoming another parent, and much more. Told with both humor and honesty, Becca’s story- and her kid-tested solutions- are an inspiration top special families everywhere.

"Effective treatments are available - but you are not likely to learn about these treatments from your child's doctor. You will learn about them however, in the pages of this book."

Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. Director, Autism Research Institue

A Bird’s-Eye View of Life with ADD & ADHD was written expressly for teenager and children by twelve teens and a young adult who are living with this challenging condition. These young people offer the best kind of advise – advice based upon first-hand- experience. This book offers factual information and practical strategies in words and examples that young people can easily understand and put into practice. It also leaves teens and their families with a sense of hope that they too will survive this sometimes overwhelming disorder.

It's not easy being a parent. You want kids who listen and children you can enjoy. You want to raise happy and competent youngsters, but you don't have a lot of free time to read discipline and parenting books. You also don't need advice that requires you tro be a saint, genius or professional psychologist. This new 3rd edition of the extremely popular 1-2-3 Magic program addresses the difficult task of child discipline with humor, keen insight and proven experience. Dr. Phelan simplifies the job of parenting in three straightforward steps:

Step 1: Controlling Obnoxious Behavior

Step 2: Encouraging Good Behavior

Step 3: Strengthening Your Relationship

In 1-2-3 Magic you will also learn how to manage the Six Kinds of Testing and Manipulation, how to handle misbehavior in public and how to avoid the Talk-Persuade-Argue-Yell-Hit Syndrome. You'll also discover how your silence can speak louder than your words.

Many teachers receive little or no formal training in classroom discipline and classroom management. Yet experienced educators will tell you if challenging student behaviors go unchecked, the entire year can be disrupted. Based on the best-selling 1-2-3 Magic Effective Discipline for Children 2-12, 1-2-3 Magic for Teachers explains in straightforward language exactly how teachers can establish and maintain reasonable control of their classrooms.

Teaching teens with ADD and ADHD contains 75 concise summaries of key issues related to attention deficit disorders and school success. Recognizing the pivotal role teachers play in the long-term success of their students, this book provides information that is critical to understanding ADD/ADHD during the middle and high school years. Beyond the through review of the basics of ADD/ADHD, this guide shows how the characteristics of the disorder can affect academic performance and leave teenagers at risk for problems in school. It offers hundreds of practical strategies, interventions, and tips that make teachers’ jobs easier, while rewarding their students with a positive learning experience. Appendices contain checklists, organizational tools and surveys for students and other forms that are intended for photocopying. Written by a professional with 30 years of experience in the fields of teaching , school psychology, and children’s mental health, who also has two sons with ADD/ADHD, this authoritative guide is an indispensable tool for parents as well, especially those battling over homework with their child.

Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism are detected earlier and more accurately today than ever before. Children and teens with these disorders often stand out for their precocious intelligence and language abilities - yet profound social difficulties can limit every aspect of their lives. This hopeful, compassionate guide shows parents how to work with their children's unique impairments and capabilities to help them learn to engage more fully with the world and live as self-sufficiently as possible. From leading experts in the field, the book is packed with practical ideas for helping children relate more comfortably to peers, learn the rules of appropriate behavior, and participate more fully in school and family life. It also explains what scientists currently know about autistic spectrum disorders and how they are diagnosed and treated.

I wish all of the families that come into my courtroom could have the benefit of the wisdom contained in this book. Judge Deborah L. Richardson Family Court, Travis County, Texas As I read this book, I though to myself- what a wealth of caretaking wisdom lies between its covers. It not only deals directly with the rights of children, but it also keeps in mind the rights of parents. The practical knowledge that Dr. Prall imparts in this book stayed in mind long after I read it, which suggests that it will resonate for a long time in the minds of its readers. E. James Anthony, M.D., FRCpsych. Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst, Washington Psychoanalytic Institute & Society; Clinical Professor of Psychiatry & Behavior, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

People think of ADD as kid’s problem. But kids grow up. Many adults also struggle with ADD. If you or someone you live with has ADD, you probably know that there are books on the market for this condition. But they are often too long. Or too complicated. Or too dry and clinical. You need straightforward tools for coping with real experiences. This book offers exactly what you need.

It’s All About Attitude offers you a new way to see and love the special child you’ve been given. Authors Kathy and Gayle, each of whom has raised a son with autism, serve up emotional soul food for parents of children with special needs, no matter the age. As they learned firsthand, parents facing challenges of raising a special needs child can transform their lives by changing their attitude – the key to loving and living well with autism and other differences.

It can be difficult to find the information you need in a sea of resources, especially for a parent who is not familiar with autism terminology and treatments. This little book is the perfect way to get acquainted with autism and early intervention strategies.

You will find questions such as:

What is autism?

What are signs of autism?

Who is involved in my child’s evaluation?

What should I expect at the time of diagnosis?

What are the goals of Early Intervention?

How do I choose which treatments are right for my child?

This manual is an in-depth resource designed to help children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) learn more about their diagnosis and themselves. Each chapter is divided into two parts: the first is a workbook containing pages for children to fill in, and the second is a section containing related ideas and practical strategies for parents and teachers. Many of the examples are widely used TEACCH Structured Teaching strategies that have been adapted by numerous parents and professionals. The chapters cover the following concepts: ways of thinking; the sensory experience; artistic talent; people; understanding; thoughts; communication; school; friends; and emotions.

There’s nothing more frustrating than watching your bright, talented son or daughter struggle with everyday tasks like finishing homework, putting away toys, or following instructions at school. Your “smart but scattered” child might also have trouble coping with disappointment or managing anger. Drs. Peg Dawson and Richard Guare have great news: there’s a lot you can do to help. The latest research in child development shows that many kids who have the brain and heart to succeed lack or lag behind in crucial “executive skills”—the fundamental habits of mind required for getting organized, staying focused, and controlling impulses and emotions. Learn easy-to-follow steps to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses, use activities and techniques proven to boost specific skills, and problem-solve daily routines. Small changes can add up to big improvements—this empowering book shows how.

Klutzy Ben wishes he could stop driving away the animals he loves—not to mention his sister Emily! He discovers that his eagle eyes that see everything are typical of a child with attention deficit disorder and begins learning ways to control his attention. The hallmarks of ADD—impulsivity, distractibility, and hyperactivity, as well as difficulty sleeping—are clearly shown in this story. New coping skills include a song to jog his memory, help with falling asleep, and medication. It all pays off one day in the park when his ability to notice everything is the very quality needed to deal with a family emergency. This child embodies the nature intelligence of the Multiple Intelligences theory. Spirited color illustrations can be enjoyed independent of text.