July 31, 2026 — Las Trancas, Chile As I write this, Alexander is in Chile, doing his elite summer training alongside top-notch athletes from Europe and the US who compete in the Freeride World Tour (FWT) and IFSA (The International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association). Meanwhile, I am trapped in a bureaucratic rabbit hole with his school regarding his physical education (PE) placement. Almost everyone in the freeride community loves Alexander. They recognize his support n

One of the things that can be so confusing for parents is watching their child do something incredibly complex when it is their idea and then become completely overwhelmed by something that seems much simpler. A child may spend hours building an elaborate Lego structure, researching a favorite topic, creating an intricate story, or teaching themselves something far beyond what you would expect for their age, yet when they are asked to put on their shoes, begin a worksheet, an

Whose Version of Success? Your fifth grader still can't read a chapter book, and every report card says so. But last week she read a street sign out loud from the back seat, and this morning she read your text before you did. She's also the kid who builds whole worlds out of LEGO and asks questions that stop you in your tracks. So is she behind, or is she succeeding? For a twice-exceptional learner, the honest answer is often both. They are gifted and challenged in the same b

I have worked with many twice-exceptional students whose journeys look nothing like what their families originally imagined. I’m also the parent of 2e kids, so I know this winding path from both sides. Why Twice-Exceptional Learners Often Take a Different Path We can spend years searching for the right fit, moving from the neighborhood school to a specialized program, sometimes to another school after that, only to discover that the school that worked beautifully at age 9 no

"My child is incredibly bright, but getting ideas onto paper is a daily battle." If this sounds familiar, your child may be experiencing dysgraphia—a neurological difference that affects written expression. Dysgraphia is much more than "messy handwriting." It impacts the brain's ability to efficiently communicate ideas through writing, making even simple written tasks exhausting. As pediatric occupational therapists, we often meet children who can explain complex ideas verba

You’ve seen all the marketing: get your kids their new backpacks, water bottles, school supplies, etc. Influencers on Tiktok or Instagram focus on the “Top 5 Things Your Kids Should Do Before Back to School”. Where “Back to School” season fails is getting PARENTS ready for the transition back to school. For many families of twice-exceptional (2e) children, back-to-school isn't just busy. It's a period of heightened anxiety, increased executive functioning demands, sensory ch

Every year, as summer winds down, we start making lists. School supplies. New backpacks. Schedules. Forms. Meet-the-teacher nights. All of these things are important. But before you begin preparing for the school year, I'd encourage you to pause and ask yourself one simple question: How do I hope my child feels by the end of this school year? Not what grade you hope they earn. Not what class you hope they get into. Not even what skills you hope they master. How do you hope th

A Familiar Scene A 19-year-old passes every exam, debates philosophy with professors, and reads at a college level — but ends the semester with a mediocre grade because half the homework never got turned in. That same young person forgets to eat lunch, can’t answer an email that’s been sitting for three weeks, and has a full shutdown when the laundry isn’t done on time. How can someone this capable be this stuck? This is daily life for many twice-exceptional (2e) youth — youn