When your child forgets directions, drifts off halfway through a task, or looks like they're "not listening," it can be hard to tell what's really going on. In this episode, Dr. Amy Patenaude breaks down the difference between working memory and attention in plain language, explains why they look so similar in real life, and shows why test scores never tell the whole story. You'll leave with simple ways to tell whether your child didn't take the information in, couldn't hold onto it, or is dealing with both, plus practical tools you can use at home and grounded language to bring to school.

• Why a single score is never the whole story, and why testing should be used to support a child, not define them.
• The difference between attention and working memory using a parent-friendly framework: attention is the flashlight, working memory is the sticky note.
• Why kids who look "fine" at school or in testing can still fall apart at home, during homework, or in the after-school crash.
• How working memory struggles can look like not listening, not caring, or being careless when the real issue is that the brain lost the thread.
• Why not all attention struggles are ADHD, and why context, patterns, and real-life functioning matter.
• Simple supports that actually help, including the "say it back" check, a 3-step visual, a 5-minute start sprint, movement before demand, and First/Then language.
• A school-friendly script for talking about attention and working memory without sounding like you're writing a dissertation.

• Try the "say it back" check: "Tell me what you're going to do first."
• Put one 3-step visual somewhere your child actually needs it, like the backpack zone, bathroom, or homework spot.
• Use a 5-minute start sprint for one hard task instead of asking for the whole thing at once.
• Add one minute of movement before homework or another non-preferred task.
• Pick one routine and change the support before you change the expectation.

• Boredom Buster Guide — quick ideas for the "I'm boooored" spiral
• Big Feelings Decoder — turn "bad behavior" into brain language + next steps
• 50 AI Prompts for Tired Parents — done-for-you prompts for calmer routines, scripts, and school emails
• School Psych in Your Back Pocket: The School Testing Toolkit (K–12) — support for translating school systems, testing language, and what to ask for

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psyched2parent/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psyched2parent/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@psyched2parent
• Show notes + previous episodes: https://psyched2parent.com/podcast/

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area.

Sticker charts, reward charts, chore checklists… they usually work for three days and then die. In this episode, Dr. Amy Patenaude breaks down the real reasons charts fall apart (reward too far away, plan too complicated) and how to "debug" your system so your child can succeed—especially K–5 kids who are big-feeling, ADHD-ish, rigid, or overwhelmed. You'll leave with the 3 C's framework, quick fixes for common chart problems, and short scripts you can use on a tired Tuesday.

• Why sticker charts fail (and why that's data, not a parenting failure).
• The 3 C's of charts that don't die: Clear, Close, Consistent.
• How to shrink the target so "starting" counts (because initiation is often the real skill).
• How to move rewards closer so your child's brain can actually "hold the plan" during big feelings.
• A quick chart triage debugger for: won't start, melts down, argues forever, or the adult system collapses.
• A simple home–school bridge email you can send to align motivation and language across settings.

• Pick one micro-skill (1–3 targets max). If your chart has 10+ things… it's not a chart, it's an unpaid internship.
• Move the reward closer: aim for a small win at 3–5 stars (mini rewards count).
• If initiation is the barrier, make "start" the target (toothbrush in hand, folder open, body at the table).
• Choose one tracking time you can sustain (after snack / after teeth / before screens). Make it boring. Boring is sustainable.
• Send one school alignment question: "What motivates them at school right now—and what language helps them start?"
• Pick one. One is enough.

• Boredom Buster Guide — quick ideas for the "I'm boooored" spiral: https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/boredomebusterguide
• Big Feelings Decoder — turn "bad behavior" into brain language + next steps: https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/bigfeelingsdecoder
• 50 AI Prompts for Tired Parents — done-for-you prompts for calmer routines, scripts, and school emails: https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/aiprompts4parents
• School Psych in Your Back Pocket: The School Testing Toolkit (K–12) — support for translating school systems, testing language, and what to ask for: https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/schoolpsychtoolkit

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psyched2parent/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psyched2parent/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@psyched2parent
• Show notes + previous episodes: https://psyched2parent.com/podcast/

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area.

Your kid actually likes math. Math is not the enemy in your house. And then fluency shows up: the speeded quiz, the timed sheet, the computer program that's basically like "Ready? Go." Suddenly the kid who likes math freezes, rushes, melts down, or refuses—not because they don't know the facts, but because time pressure changes how their brain feels. In this episode, Dr. Amy Patenaude takes you inside her brain during a psychoeducational evaluation (math fluency edition) and gives you the 813 Framework: 8 things she watches, a 1-week experiment to separate skill from pressure, and 3 parent scripts you can use with school so you can walk in with clarity instead of panic.

• Why timed math facts can turn "I can do this" into "I'm the worst" even when your child understands math
• The evaluation lens: what changes when the demand changes (timed vs untimed is not the same task)
• The "timer flip" and what it tells you about threat response, rushing, freezing, and avoidance
• How to interpret accuracy when pressure is removed (skill storage vs performance under pressure)
• What strategies (fingers, skip counting, deriving) tell you and why strategies are data, not "bad"
• How to read error patterns: random (pressure, attention, fatigue, rushing) vs predictable (specific gaps)
• Why format matters: timed plus typing can create an output-speed pileup that looks like a math problem
• The self-talk clue: when math starts to equal panic, and why that identity story matters
• School Translator Minute: what "careless mistakes" often really means and how to steer back to supports
• The 3 parent scripts to request a short trial and alternate response formats without sounding combative

• Run the 813 Two-Column Trial for 7 days: same facts, timed versus untimed.
• Track just a few clues: time to start, accuracy, prompts needed, and emotional cost (calm, frustrated, meltdown).
• Replace "try harder" with: "Is it the facts… or the timer?"
• If it's computer-based, try one non-typing option (oral answers while you type, or paper) and note what changes.
• Use one script with school to request a short, time-bound comparison and a review date.

Pick one. One is enough.

• Boredom Buster Guide
• Big Feeling Decoder
• 50 AI Prompts for Tired Parents
• School Psych in Your Back Pocket: The School Testing Toolkit (K–12)

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area.