Holy Shit, It’s Bright Out Here
What strangers, silence, and a cave in Belize revealed about presence, suffering, and the beauty that follows Here is a gem from a memoir…
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Are You in the Competence Trap? 10 Questions to Ask Yourself
Some forms of burnout hide in plain sight. It’s the competence trap—the pattern of holding everything together so convincingly that no one notices you’re…
The Northern Virginia Lie: Why Smarter ≠ Better
In social situations, how many times have you heard, “He’s so smart,” offered first when describing a child—as if intelligence is the most important…
What to Do When Last Year’s Plan Didn’t Work, Or You’re Starting to Wonder if You Need One
So here we are again: a new school year. A new teacher. A new classroom. Some of you are not feeling fresh—you’re feeling wary.…
Quick Wins Aren’t the Goal—Mindset Shifts Are
Why Reframing Your Child’s Behavior Matters (Especially for Kids with ASD) It’s not a mess. But I can tell when a parent is looking…
I Didn’t Know What We Were Doing Today: Male Passivity and the Mental Load
Let’s talk about a certain kind of passivity that wears the face of innocence. “I didn’t know that’s what we were doing.” “You didn’t…
The Bard and the Dungeon Master: 1980s Play, Music, and Social Skills
In our neighborhood in the 1980s, before cell phones and constant surveillance, after-school hours stretched out like whole lifetimes. We didn’t have therapy. We…
The First-Week Meltdown: When School Stress Shows Up at Home
You pick your child up from school. They wave, toss their backpack in the car, and say they’re fine. Thirty minutes later, they’re yelling…
The Invisible Work of Parenting: Understanding Cognitive Labor and the Mental Load
If you have ever found yourself lying awake at night mentally cycling through the week, asking if it is your turn for carpool tomorrow,…
Putting Students First: The Guiding Principle That Cuts Through the Noise
By Dr. Mary Jane Boynton, with reflections from Elizabeth Wilkins-McKee, LCSW Dr. Boynton’s Perspective In school meetings, advocacy conversations, and even tough emails, I…
