His mother, Maratea Cantarella, who serves as executive director of Twice Exceptional Children’s Advocacy, recalls how challenges at school led to explosive behavior at home.Īt school, between trying to please his teachers and interact with peers, “he was really working hard to keep himself in control,” Cantarella says. Take the case of Sam, now 15, who is gifted but also diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and learning challenges. This discrepancy can leave parents puzzled, if not upset, and worried that they’re doing something wrong. But the behavior of some kids - especially those with issues such as anxiety, learning disabilities, ADHD and autism - can vary much more markedly, especially when they’re at home versus school.

For instance, you’d expect a child to act one way at a friend’s birthday party and another at her grandparents’ house. It’s not unusual for kids to behave differently in different settings. And parents also get trained in how to help their kids.

CBT teaches kids how to manage their emotions when they get too big and strategies to control their behavior. If parents have routines that help kids at home, then sharing those with the teacher can help kids at school.įor kids who need more help with behavior, the best treatment is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). If the change from school to home is hard, then downtime and a snack can help. Then you can work on ways to help your child feel better, which helps with behavior.įor kids who do better at school, adding more routine and structure at home can help.

This helps you both figure out what’s causing stress for the child and what’s causing the behavior. To understand what your child’s behavior might mean, the first thing to do is talk to the teacher and compare notes. These kids include some with autism, OCD, anxiety or ADHD. That’s because parents may not be as strict and will love them no matter what. There are also kids who work so hard to keep it together at school that they melt down the second they get home. They seem like different kids at home, where they’re more relaxed.

School triggers their symptoms because it is stressful for them. Some kids with learning or behavior issues do great at school, where structure makes them feel secure. That can be confusing to parents and make you wonder if you’re doing something wrong. Some children seem very different at home and at school.

Age of wonders 3 poor connection