Why Can’t They Just Sit Still?
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

Why Can’t They Just Sit Still?

Why does a child keep leaning back on their chair even after being told to stop? This blog explores inhibitory control, an important executive functioning skill linked to ADHD and autism, and explains why some children struggle to pause, stay still, and stop their body in the moment.

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When You’re Fine One Minute and Struggling the Next
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

When You’re Fine One Minute and Struggling the Next

If you’re autistic or have ADHD, your day doesn’t stay steady. You can be coping one minute and struggling the next. This blog explains why your capacity changes across the day, what’s happening underneath, and how to recognise the signs before everything tips over.

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When Your Child Flips — And You Feel Yourself Going Too
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

When Your Child Flips — And You Feel Yourself Going Too

When a child “flips,” it’s often seen as behaviour—but what happens when the parent feels it too? This blog explores how overwhelm affects both child and parent, and why understanding—not judgement—is key.

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They Got a Diagnosis… Then What?
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

They Got a Diagnosis… Then What?

After a diagnosis, families are often sent to support sessions—but many still don’t understand why their child reacts the way they do. This blog explores what’s really happening beneath the behaviour, from misinterpretation to emotional overwhelm, and why understanding must come first.

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It’s Not Behaviour… It’s the Struggle to Stop
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

It’s Not Behaviour… It’s the Struggle to Stop

What looks like behaviour, inattention, or emotional outbursts is often one underlying difficulty: the struggle to stop. This blog explains how one core skill affects attention, thinking, emotions, and movement.

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Why Some Children Can’t Regulate Early Enough
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

Why Some Children Can’t Regulate Early Enough

Self-regulation doesn’t start with behaviour. Many children struggle not because they won’t calm down, but because they don’t recognise the early signals in their body. This blog explains the missing step in self-regulation and why behaviour often comes too late.

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Why Some Children Can’t “Just Ignore Distractions” in the Classroom
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

Why Some Children Can’t “Just Ignore Distractions” in the Classroom

In a busy classroom, focus isn’t just about trying harder. For some children, the real challenge is filtering out distractions. This blog explains attentional inhibition, why some children can’t “just ignore it,” and how understanding this can change the way we support them.

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Why Your Child Struggles With Change
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

Why Your Child Struggles With Change

Some children cope well… until something changes. This blog explains flexible thinking, why it breaks down in the moment, and why it’s not about behaviour.

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What Thinking Skills Do Children Actually Need to Learn?
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

What Thinking Skills Do Children Actually Need to Learn?

Children do not just need intelligence to learn. They rely on a range of thinking skills including memory, understanding, flexible thinking, problem solving and executive functioning. When these skills are weaker, learning can feel much harder than it should.

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Why Some Intelligent Children Still Struggle to Learn
Sarah Jane McGarry Sarah Jane McGarry

Why Some Intelligent Children Still Struggle to Learn

Many children who struggle in school are not lacking intelligence. Often the difficulty lies in the thinking skills that support learning. This article explores how cognitive abilities and executive functioning affect learning, and why the Structure of Intellect (SOI) approach can help identify where support is needed.

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