The tide is coming — but what your child built this year is stronger than you think. The Truth About Summer Slide, ADHD, and Dyslexia (It’s Not What You Think) You made it to May. The backpack is lighter. The homework battles are winding down. And somewhere underneath the exhaustion of a full school year, there’s a feeling you’ve been trying not to name — because naming it makes it louder. Dread. Not the kind that shows up in September. The kind that starts now, the moment yo

Most families respond to a hard school year by packing summer with tutoring, literacy camps, and catch-up programs. A National Board Certified Teacher and Reading Specialist with 25 years in classrooms across multiple states explains why that instinct can backfire — and what ADHD and dyslexia brains actually need to arrive at September ready.

Here's the short answer: May is the hardest month of the year for families raising kids with ADHD. By this point, everyone's emotional buffer is gone — kids, parents, and teachers alike. Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria amplifies every frustration, every phone call, and every small conflict until it feels catastrophic. This isn't a behavior problem. It's a nervous system problem. And the first step toward fixing it is stopping the shame spiral so everyone can start pulling in t

If you're exhausted and questioning everything as the school year ends, you're not alone — and you're not failing. A National Board Certified Teacher with 25 years in Title 1 schools explains what's really happening for ADHD and dyslexia families.