The Anxious Generation TLDR: The Quick Version for Busy Parents and Teachers
I wish someone had handed me a short, plain-language guide to The Anxious Generation instead of 400 dense pages. I started the audiobook when it first came out and gave up partway through, because as a parent who has personally struggled with pretty much everything Haidt describes, it was a lot to sit with. I suspect I’m not the only one. I think a fair number of parents have avoided this book entirely because they also already have a pretty good sense of how bad screens and social media have been for their kids, and reading 400 pages confirming that feels like more than they can handle right now.
The Anxious Generation for Teachers: A Book Summary and Classroom Guide
If you’re a teacher or a parent (or both, like me), you’ve probably heard people talking about The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. I want to walk you through what’s actually in it, from a teacher’s perspective, and give you some practical takeaways for the classroom and home.
There is one theme that I believe deeply about parenting and this books reiterated my deep held belief and that is, Get the children out of the houseto experience life.
Many reading comprehension problems happen when executive functioning skills make it hard for students to plan, focus, and process text.
Reading Comprehension Problems Aren’t Always About Reading Skills
When students struggle with reading comprehension, we often assume they need more phonics practice, more fluency work, or more exposure to grade-level texts.
I started working with Shimmer ADHD Coaching in the summer of 2025, and wanted to share my Shimmer ADHD coach review.
Living with ADHD often means living with good intentions and inconsistent follow-through. You remember wanting to pay the bill, schedule the appointment, reply to the email, or start the task—but somewhere between intention and action, things fall apart. For many people with ADHD, this isn’t about effort or caring. It’s about executive functioning.
As someone who regularly writes about ADHD through an educational and practical lens, I’m always cautious about tools that promise to “fix” ADHD. That’s not realistic—or respectful of how ADHD brains actually work. What is realistic is finding support that helps reduce overwhelm, build systems, and minimize the daily penalties that come from executive functioning challenges.
That’s where ADHD coaching—and specifically Shimmer ADHD Coaching—can be genuinely helpful.
Read on for a variety of ADHD reading strategies to support your student (or yourself) in becoming a reader who picks up a book and finishes it within a reasonable amount of time.
There are many reasons why a person with ADHD might not finish a book, despite the strong desire to read the content. People with ADHD might struggle to read entire books for many of reasons.
It can be difficult to read long chunks of text while remaining still if they are reading a physical book. Other challenges include the struggle to maintain focus and sustain interest in the book, inattention, poor working memory, as well as challenges with planning and prioritization.
Struggle to maintain focus while reading can lead to skipping text, losing your place, and reading without processing the meaning of the text
Poor Working Memory creates the challenge of holding onto newly gained vocabulary and information in your mind
Planning and prioritizing challenges can be a pattern of obtaining many books about a given topic, starting some and not finishing them
Restlessness and hyperactivity creates a challenge in sitting still. Excessive fidgeting can lead to losing a spot on the text while increasing the lack of focus on the text despite the desire to read more about the topic.
Losing interest can happen frequently when a book is acquired impulsively or is no longer a compelling read. Object permanence can about be an issue if a book is sitting untouched for a period of time, a person with ADHD can easily forget about the book, despite it being out in the open.
Lack of Motivation because reading can feel like a chore. It can be a less stimulating activity than other high dopamine activities, like scrolling social media. This leads to weak follow-through on uninteresting tasks.
With the right ADHD reading strategies, students with ADHD can become successful, independent readers who comprehend a variety of complex texts.
ADHD Reading Strategies can support the three types of ADHD
Not a lot of information is available online for teachers who want to support their students returning to school after a stay at the hospital for psychiatric care for behavioral health reasons. With privacy laws, school policies and families who, understandably, might not want to share details about a student’s psychiatric hospitalization, a caring teacher may find themselves lacking information on how best to support a student’s return to school. Here is a breakdown of information about helping students after a mental health hospitalization.
Psychiatric Hospitalization: Where do the students go when they are hospitalized?
Not all students who are ‘hospitalized’ actually sleep at the hospital. Depending on the behavioral health needs of the student, they may find themselves staying at the hospital for inpatient treatment or staying at home for outpatient treatment and going to a behavioral health day program.
A Teacher’s Guide for Students Returning to School After Psychiatric Hospitalization and a Mental Health Crisis
Looking to start First Chapter Friday for Fifth Grade students in your elementary or middle school classroom?
Sharing the first chapter of a novel or text builds interest and understanding for your students and motivates them to finish the book. While the booklists were created for fifth grade, the books list may be great for fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students.
What is First Chapter Friday for Fifth Grade?
First Chapter Friday for fifth grade students sets the stage for the students to preview a variety of books throughout the year. The premise is basic enough, when you have time, read the first chapter (or first few chapters or pages) of a book aloud for your students.
When students take the time to start book, they usually get hooked. First Chapter Friday is kind of like an extended sneak peek of a text.
What do you say when you have a student that is a hot mess, does nothing or is the worst student you have ever had the experience of teaching? Sure, it’s easy to write a comment about an easy student who is a pleasure to have in class. But, what do you write when you have to write something but feel like you only have negative things to say?
Read on for some suggestions to help you write thoughtful, well written report card comment.
If you work with struggling readers in the upper elementary grades you probably know how hard it is to get them interesting trying to read a book on their own. Read on for some fantastic suggestions of books for struggling readers.
It can be difficult to support families to diagnose and treat students with ADHD that may be negatively affecting them in the school and classroom environment.
As an elementary teacher and an individual with ADHD, I have first hand experience with my own ADHD journey as well as my own child’s ADHD diagnosis and treatment. This has helped me successfully work with families of students in my classroom over the years to seek out a diagnosis and treatment for ADHD. I am happy to share tips so that you can also help your students and families.
