Have you ever left a school meeting feeling like no one truly sees your child?

Maybe the conversation focused on everything they're doing wrong. Maybe you walked away with more questions than answers.

In this episode of Think Like a Kid, I sit down with school psychologist and special education advocate Mariah Choate to discuss how parents can advocate for their children confidently, effectively, and collaboratively without turning every school meeting into a battle.

We also tackle one of the biggest misconceptions adults make when supporting children:

What if the behavior isn't the problem?
What if the real issue is a missing skill or an unmet need?

In This Episode We Discuss:

• How to shift school conversations from deficits to strengths
• What to do when every meeting seems focused on what's wrong
• Why children often need support not punishment
• How reading struggles, executive functioning challenges, and emotional regulation difficulties can be mistaken for defiance
• What school psychologists wish parents knew about the special education process
• How to tell the difference between "can't" and "won't"

Key Takeaways

1. Behavior is Communication

Instead of asking:

"Why won't they do it?"

Try asking: "What's making this hard?"

2. Ask for the Data

If you're receiving repeated calls or concerns from school, ask:

• What interventions have been tried?
• Which interventions helped?
• How is progress being tracked?

3. Special Education is a Service, Not a Place

One of the biggest myths parents believe is that an IEP automatically means a separate classroom.

It doesn't.

4. Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions

You don't need to understand every educational acronym or legal term.

5. Lead With Strengths

Mariah's advice was simple but powerful:

Before anyone else can see the good in your child, you have to see it first.

Free Resource: Prior Written Notice Template

If you've requested support from your school and aren't sure what to do next, Mariah shares a free Prior Written Notice template that parents can use when requesting evaluations and services.

This resource helps you document concerns and understand your rights throughout the process.

click here

Want More Support?

Mariah has created a comprehensive Special Education Advocacy System that walks parents through:

• Evaluations
• 504 Plans
• IEPs
• Scripts for difficult conversations
• Special education law
• Documentation systems
• Advocacy tools

If you've ever felt overwhelmed navigating the school system, this resource was created specifically for you.

https://stan.store/Wholisticallypsyched/p/the-special-education-support-system-

Mariah’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholistically_psyched/

Do you ever feel responsible for keeping your child entertained all day long? Between summer break, sports, camps, screens, and endless activities, it's easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you need to be your child's personal cruise director.

In this episode, I share why boredom is actually one of the most powerful tools for your child's development. We'll talk about how boredom builds creativity, problem-solving skills, and independence—and why giving your child space to figure out their own fun may be one of the best gifts you can give them this summer.

In this episode, we cover:
• Why boredom is beneficial for child development
• The pressure parents feel to constantly entertain their children
• How boredom builds creativity and critical thinking
• The connection between boredom and executive functioning skills
• Why screens can make boredom feel harder to tolerate
• How to respond when your child says, "I'm bored"
• Creating a boredom jar or activity menu
• Why independent play is an essential life skill
• Simple ways to encourage self-directed play this summer

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
• Independent Play Guide

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:
The next time your child says, "I'm bored," resist the urge to solve the problem for them. Give them space to be uncomfortable, trust their creativity, and see what they come up with on their own.

Recommended Episodes:
• Episode 12: How to Challenge Your Child Without Overwhelming Them
• Episode 11: Practical Emotional Regulation Techniques That You Can Teach Your Child Today
• Episode 5: Why Behaviors Are Communication

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you're looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: https://stan.store/steammadesimple/p/the-steam-made-simple-preschool. It's the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

Have you ever wondered if you're challenging your child enough when it comes to learning? I recently received several questions from parents who were worried that their child was bored, frustrated, or simply not making progress.

In this episode, I'm sharing one of my favorite teaching concepts: the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). I'll explain how to recognize the sweet spot where real learning happens, how to tell the difference between productive struggle and frustration, and four simple strategies you can use to help your child build confidence while learning at home.

In this episode, we cover:
• What the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is
• The Goldilocks principle of learning
• Signs your child is in their optimal learning zone
• Productive struggle vs. frustration
• Why children shut down when learning feels too hard
• The 10-Second Rule before jumping in to help
• Using hints instead of giving answers
• The 3-to-1 Success Ratio for building confidence
• Why praising effort matters more than outcomes
• Simple ways to adapt activities to meet your child where they are

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
• The STEAM Made Simple Preschool Curriculum
• Play-Doh, shaving cream, and other hands-on learning tools
• The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:
Become a ZPD detective. Watch for signs that your child is productively struggling, and practice waiting 10 seconds before stepping in to help.

Recommended Episodes:
• Episode 11: Practical Emotional Regulation Techniques That You Can Teach Your Child Today
• Episode 7: Understanding the Amygdala and Why Kids Melt Down
• Episode 5: Why Behaviors Are Communication

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you're looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: https://stan.store/steammadesimple/p/the-steam-made-simple-preschool. It's the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

Here's something I think about a lot: we know, as parents and teachers, that kids aren't born knowing how to regulate their emotions and yet we still expect our two-, three-, and four-year-olds to just calm down on command. It doesn't work that way, and it never will. That's exactly why I'm pulling back the curtain on my bestselling Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids eBook and showing you what's actually inside.

In this episode, I'm walking you through some of my favorite breathing techniques from Chapter 4 — "Stocking Your Toolkit" — and sharing how to introduce them to your child in a way that actually sticks. The trick? Timing, playfulness, and letting your kid lead.

In this episode, we cover:

• Triangle Breathing: A simple visual technique where kids trace the sides of a triangle while breathing in, holding, and exhaling slowly.
• Five-Finger Breathing: Using their own hand as a guide, kids can even trace it with chalk or a dry-erase marker for extra sensory engagement.
• Star Breathing: A classroom favorite that uses the points of a star to guide a full breathing cycle.
• Square Breathing: An inhale-hold-exhale-hold pattern that pairs perfectly with a visual for self-regulation.
• Rainbow Breathing: A back-and-forth tracing technique that is genuinely calming — even for adults.
• Bunny Breaths: Three sharp, fast inhales followed by a slow exhale — perfect for kids who need a little more movement in their regulation.

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids eBook — The complete guide featured in this episode, covering everything from your child's sensory profile and triggers to setting up a Calm Down Corner and the breathing techniques we discussed today
• The STEAM Made Simple Preschool Curriculum — The bestseller Danielle uses daily at home, now available with the Calm Down Corner Kit add-on

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:

Pick just one breathing technique from this episode and try it with your child during a calm moment — after breakfast, before bed, or anytime the energy is low-key. You don't even need to print anything yet. Grab a piece of paper, draw a triangle or a square, and trace it together while you breathe. Make it silly. Let them lead.

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 2: The Watchdog Brain (Why "Calm Down" Doesn't Work)
• Episode 6: Tantrums and Meltdowns with Courtney English
• Episode 7: The CCP Model: A Game Changer for High-Energy Toddlers

If you loved this conversation, make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you're looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum. It's the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

When our kids are having an epic meltdown, our first instinct as adults is usually to start talking, rationalizing, or explaining. But what if trying to teach a lesson during a tantrum is actually making things worse? In this episode, I’m joined by my dear friend Courtney English, a pediatric occupational therapist and mom of two.

Courtney explains that talking to a dysregulated child is like trying to have a casual conversation with a fearful flyer during heavy airplane turbulence—their brain simply cannot process your words because it is focused on survival. Instead, we dive into the magic of proactive regulation, how to properly transition your kids after a long day at school, and how to use "heavy work" to ground a disorganized brain.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Airplane Analogy: Why trying to teach a lesson or logic with a child during a meltdown is perceived as a threat to their nervous system.
• The After-School "Recipe": Why kids fall apart the second they get home and how to lower the demands using crunchy snacks and connection.
• The Power of Heavy Work: How active movements like jumping and crashing provide proprioceptive input, sending clear signals of safety to the brain.
• Connection Through Play: Why getting down on their level for just five minutes of child-led play can fill their cup and completely shift the tone of your day.
• The 3-Step Bedtime Circuit: A simple red, yellow, and green sensory circuit to help transition your child from high-arousal energy to a calm state.

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week: Try Courtney’s 3-Step Bedtime Sensory Circuit tonight!

1. Red (Meet the Need): Make a Blanket Parachute. Put some stuffed animals on a blanket and shake it together to get that last bit of high energy out.
2. Yellow (Organize): Toss the stuffed animals onto the bed. Having a visual target starts to slow down their brain and organize their system.
3. Green (Calm): Finally, tuck them in. Use the stuffed animals to give your child deep pressure squeezes on their arms or legs to down-regulate their nervous system for sleep.

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 2: The Watchdog Brain (Why "Calm Down" Doesn't Work)
• Episode 3: Anxiety, Perfectionism, and the “Smoke Detector Analogy”
• Episode 4: The Power to Choose: Turning Power Struggles into Problem Solving

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Connect with Courtney English: Follow her on Instagram and check out her website for incredible, easy-to-understand regulation tips.
• Courtney's Regulation Posters: Grab her visual guide posters to help identify Red (meet the need), Yellow (organize), and Green (calm) activities.
• The best way to build strong foundational skills for 4 and 5 year olds through hands-on play.
• Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids eBook: A deeper look into the regulation strategies that help you connect with your child on an emotional level.

Have you ever felt like you were forcing a lesson, a conversation, or even just homework on your child, only for it to completely fall flat? When I started STEAM Made Simple, I realized that I had to simplify complex concepts not just for my students, but for myself. Out of that necessity, I developed the SIMPLE Framework. It is the exact blueprint I follow for every single thing I teach, whether it’s a high-level STEAM experiment or a foundational literacy skill.

In this episode, I’m breaking down each letter of the framework: Start with the brain, Invite curiosity, Meet them where they are, Practice through play, Link to emotion, and Encourage independence. I’ll even walk you through a real-life example of how to use this framework to teach letter sounds without a single worksheet in sight.

In this episode, we cover:

• S - Start with the Brain: Why no learning happens if a child isn't regulated and "online".
• I - Invite Curiosity: Using play invitations and novelty to open up learning pathways.
• M - Meet Them Where They Are: The vital importance of adjusting tasks to a child’s individual level rather than a textbook standard.
• P - Practice Through Play: Why playful exploration is the brain’s favorite way to build neural pathways.
• L - Link to Emotion: Using stories and purpose to turn short-term learning into long-term memory.
• E - Encourage Independence: Strengthening self-awareness and confidence by giving kids ownership over their learning.

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: My fully launched curriculum that uses the SIMPLE Framework to build a strong foundation for four- and five-year-olds.
• AI Tool Tip: How to use ChatGPT to create personalized, emotion-linked stories for your child’s specific interests.

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:

Try applying the SIMPLE Framework to one thing you want to teach this week. If it's letter sounds, don't reach for a worksheet. Instead, Invite Curiosity with a "Sound Hunt". Present it with excitement, like "instant dopamine" and have them find objects that start with a specific sound, like "mm" for mommy.. Remember to Start with the Brain by doing a playful wall push or a deep breath before you begin.

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 2: The Watchdog Brain (Why "Calm Down" Doesn't Work)
• Episode 4: The Power to Choose: Turning Power Struggles into Problem Solving
• Episode 5: STEAM for the Future: Raising Problem Solvers in an AI World

If you loved this conversation, make sure to follow and subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you’re looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum. It’s the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

If you’ve ever felt intimidated by the transition from "sweet little kids" to the "big kids" in upper elementary, this episode is for you. I’m joined by my lifelong teaching mentor and 5th-grade expert, Maura Vivona, to debunk the stigma that older kids are "mean" or "scary".

We dive into the magic of the "House System" inspired by the Ron Clark Academy and how it builds an undeniable sense of belonging and peer accountability in an entire school.

In this episode, we cover:

• The 5th Grade Stigma: Why older kids still want to be liked by their teachers and how their "edge" is often just a cover for big transitions.
• The Ron Clark House System: How implementing houses with colors, mascots, and bragging rights can transform attendance and student engagement.
• The Power of Individual Motivation: Finding the "one thing" from 4th-grade teacher visits to Pokemon cards that builds a bridge to the "difficult" student.
• Empathy in the Classroom: Thinking like a student during an institute day to remember how hard it is to sit "bell to bell" without movement or creativity.

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: Start building those critical thinking muscles early so they thrive by the time they hit 5th grade.
• Maura Vivona’s Contact Info: Reach out to Maura for mentorship or questions on implementing a House System in your school: mauravivona@gmail.com
• Book Recommendation: The Essential 55 by Ron Clark https://store.ronclarkacademy.com/products/essential-55
• The Ron Clark Academy: https://www.ronclarkacademy.com/

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week: Maura’s challenge for adults with "big kids" is to remove the shame from growing up.

This week, when your older child or student expresses an interest in something "grown-up" (like a crush or a new style), don't dismiss them or say they are too young. Instead, acknowledge and honor where they are. Try saying, "I get that you're feeling that way; let's talk about it".

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 4: Why Your Lesson Plan Doesn’t Matter If You Skip SEL
• Episode 5: STEAM for the Future: Raising Problem Solvers in an AI World
• Episode 2: The Watchdog Brain (Why "Calm Down" Doesn't Work)

If you loved this conversation, make sure to follow and subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you’re looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum. It’s the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) might be a trendy term in schools today, but it’s actually the heartbeat of everything I’ve ever done as a teacher and a mom. In this episode, I’m getting real about my early teaching days even including the time I was actually shamed for "wasting" instructional time by letting my students talk about their feelings. I’m sharing why I refused to stop, and how those moments of connection are the only reason the academic lessons ever actually "stuck".

We’re diving into the practical ways you can lead with connection instead of just instruction, whether you are in a classroom of 30 or at home with your own kiddos.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Foundation of Learning: Why an unregulated or emotionally overwhelmed child literally cannot process an academic lesson.
• The "Waste of Time" Myth: My personal story of being told to "stick to the PowerPoint".
• Discreet Connection Tools: How to use morning check-ins and Google forms to find out what your kids are actually carrying before you start the day.
• Morning Meetings & Closing Circles: Simple, silly, and low-pressure ways to build a sense of belonging through "Would You Rather" games and shared stories.

Featured Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum: Built on the foundation of connection and emotional safety so real learning can happen.
• Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids eBook: My deep-dive guide into the regulation strategies that help you connect with your child on an emotional level.
• SEL Book Recommendations: I love using books to help kids see themselves and their big feelings in characters. Here’s a bunch of my favorites: https://www.amazon.com/shop/steammadesimple/list/13AB070HTU58I?ref_=aipsflist

Your "Think Like a Kid" Homework This Week:

Try leading with Connection before Instruction today. Choose just one of these four phrases to use with your child or student when you notice they are struggling:

1. "That looks really frustrating".
2. "I can tell something’s off today. Do you feel that too?".
3. "Do you want me to sit with you for a second before we start, or do you want to be alone?".

Recommended Episodes:

• Episode 1: Why I Didn't Like School (My "Why")
• Episode 2: The Watchdog Brain (Why "Calm Down" Doesn't Work)
• Episode 3: Anxiety, Perfectionism, and the “Smoke Detector Analogy”

If you loved this conversation, make sure to follow and subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode or a quick win. And hey, if you’re looking for a way to bring this 'think like a kid' energy into your daily learning, check out my The STEAM Made Preschool Curriculum. It’s the best way to give your child a head start with an educational advantage that actually feels like play.

You can also connect with me on Instagram @STEAMMadeSimple for daily tools, behind-the-scenes stories, and playful learning ideas.