ADHD manifests in a multitude of ways. It can be challenging, incredibly hard, as well as rewarding for the child with ADHD and his parents. Sam Hopkins grew up with ADHD and went on to graduate from college as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, but not before his mom really questioned if she was doing the right thing for him. Hear Sam's story this week on The Happy Student!

Often kids waste time studying things they already know and then they don’t have time to dive deep into studying the stuff that is challenging them. Teaching them about what deliberate studying is and how to study deliberately so that they focus on the hard stuff can help them use their time more efficiently and effectively!

Studying References:

How to Study

Study that Vocab!

Tackling Reading Comprehension

It can be really hard for kids to start writing a paper or to work on math problems because “They just don’t know how”. But one of the best ways, is to just get started! That is a surprisingly tough lesson to teach. Fireborn’s got a few tips to make it a little easier!

Sometimes the start of the school year just doesn’t go your way. You missed some things the teacher said; you weren’t organized; you misbehaved; whatever. There are lots of reasons the school year might have started out poorly. The good news is that it doesn’t have to stay that way. The New Year is a great opportunity to turn around a challenging school year! To ease us back into the year, Fireborn’s got a quick four tips to make the rest of the year brighter at school.

Vocabulary studying is the worst. Learn Fireborn’s technique for making vocabulary studying more interesting and effective!

Resolutions are not always good for you. Sometimes they can lead to burnout and feelings of inadequacy. Let’s resolve this year to do stuff that is good for us and for our kids – like get more sleep! A lack of sleep is currently leading to a public health crisis. Let’s help our kids lead happy, healthy, productive lives by helping them (and us) prioritize sleep!

Getting kids to tell you stories about their day has numerous benefits! Better conversations, better relationships, and kids who feel comfortable coming to you when they need help. If you ask questions that are in line with your family motto, like "How were you kind today?" you show your kid that you value kindness and encourage them to act kind every day. But getting kids to open up to you about their day can be tough. Fireborn's got some tips!

Fireborn’s on a mission to help people slow down! The research shows being busy isn’t actually good for your brain and it’s not good for productivity. What’s good is taking your time and teaching our kids to take their time. It helps kids to start thinking analytically. And it teaches them to be present in the moment – to be aware of their surroundings and appreciate what is going on. Fireborn's got 5 tips to help you help your kids slow down.

Self-criticism can be a powerful motivator. It can also really harm your mental health. Teens use self-criticism a lot to motivate themselves and they also seriously struggle with anxiety. Self-compassion is the answer! Teens often think that if you're nice to yourself when you mess up, you'll actually lower your standards and spend all day watching Netflix. Research shows that's not actually the case. Self-compassion actually helps you be more productive and keeps you happy and reduces your anxiety!

Fireborn’s podcast, The Happy Student, is based on the assumption that we all want our kids to have a happy academic and social life and yet we’ve never specifically talked about happiness – what it is and how to get it. Joy and pleasure are momentary feelings and we want our kids to have an overall feeling of well-being and satisfaction. It’s a generally positive experience of life where our kids feels like they’re flourishing, fulfilling their potential and thriving.