Child(ish) Reads: The Family Dynamic

| Patti Webb

When I was in college, our rowing team competed at The Head of the Charles in Boston, and a group of us stayed in one of the dorms at Harvard. The girl we stayed with was a friend of some of our rowers and she had a twin brother who also attended Harvard.

So, there’s two high-achieving kids in the same family who are Harvard educated. I found out later that they had triplet younger sisters, all of which excelled in their own respective sports, including rowing and wakeboarding. Later, all five of the siblings would graduate and enter the fields of medicine and public speaking. How? Just… how??

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Podcast Playlist: Attention and Learning

| Patti Webb

So fun fact, it’s very hard to find a podcast episode about kids’ learning and attention without it being centered around kids with ADHD. So instead, I wanted to share some podcasts about alternative ways of learning that help us (and our kids) strengthen our brains and executive functions.

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Back in the Day: Attention

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

No one can escape the stories from older generations about what life was like when they were growing up. They talk about walking miles to get anywhere, playing outside until the sun went down, or buying a soda for a nickel.

And sometimes, those stories come with the reminder that “back then” there was no such thing as ADHD, or food allergies, or emotional trauma, etc. If you’re lucky, they may even suggest that if parents tried a bit harder or used a little more discipline, children these days would be able to sit still and pay attention. Bless their hearts.

The truth is that the kind of attention kids (and adults) need to thrive today is not the same type of attention that was required 30 or 50 years ago. Our society/environment has changed so dramatically that the “old model” of attention (sit still, focus for long stretches, ignore distractions) is only one part of the picture now.

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AI and Learning

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L
Photo credit: A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Warner Brothers.

AI is everywhere.

It’s woven into many systems we interact with daily, often quietly in the background, shaping how information, services, and digital tools respond to us. From search engines and virtual assistants to streaming platforms and “listening” smartphones, AI has increasingly taken on tasks that rely on prediction, personalization, and pattern recognition.

AI’s influence is also reshaping what children learn, how they learn, and the teaching methods that are practiced in today’s classroom. A 2026 report found that AI can boost learning when it’s used alongside effective teaching, expanding access to students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and neurodivergence. It can also reduce teacher workload so instructors can give students more individualized attention. However, without clear safeguards, AI could reduce student agency, weaken meaningful learning, and hinder their emotional well‑being.

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Attention Span and Learning

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Before a child can remember a story, solve a problem, or follow a direction, their brain must stay with the task long enough to take it in. Their ability to focus, shift, and sustain attention shapes how well they absorb information, make connections, and build new skills.

However, a growing body of research points to shorter attention spans among young children, especially in the early grades. Studies of children ages 7–12 reveal measurable declines in sustained attention, including a reported 27.4% drop during continuous-focus tasks. Teachers echo these findings, noting that many students now struggle to stay engaged for more than 10–15 minutes. Oh, and did we mention that reading stamina has dropped as well?

We know what you’re thinking. “Surely, this won’t be MY child…”
But then you notice exactly how often you’ve had to repeat or remind or redirect your kid, over… and over…and over again.
And suddenly, “Is this f’n play about us?”

Attention is critical for learning because it’s the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible. Without it, nothing can truly stick.

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