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 Title I classrooms 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.