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Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that helps twice-exceptional & differently-wired students to feel seen, nurtured, and happy as heck through strength-based courses, camps, and community!

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Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply passionate about supporting neurodivergent learners, this blog is your go-to resource for all things related to strength-based education and fostering a community of belonging.

Rethinking Parenting Approaches For PDA Children

Rethinking Parenting Approaches For PDA Children

Parenting a child with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) can feel isolating and challenging, especially as traditional approaches often miss the mark. If you’re raising a child with a PDA profile, this article offers a fresh perspective—one centered on empathy, collaboration, and flexibility.

Through personal insights and actionable tips, you’ll explore how small adjustments can create a more harmonious home life and help your child thrive. From reducing the pressure of daily routines to prioritizing self-care, this guide will empower you to transform struggles into strengths for both you and your child.

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Intentionally Opening the World of Twice Exceptionality for  Culturally Diverse Learners
Parent Support, inclusion, twice-exceptional Dr. Joy Lawson Davis Parent Support, inclusion, twice-exceptional Dr. Joy Lawson Davis

Intentionally Opening the World of Twice Exceptionality for  Culturally Diverse Learners

Several years ago, as I continued to engage with school leaders and advocates to close the gaps in gifted education services, particularly as related to meeting the needs of our most underserved populations, I discovered another population of students that was gravely underserved in gifted and advanced learner services.

This discovery came about from multiple contexts, including but not limited to—conversations with colleagues and culturally diverse parents, meetings with school personnel, a review of the literature, and continuously keeping track of online services that were erupting across the nation designed to draw attention to the needs of twice-exceptional learners.

Across all these groups what became evident was that once again, culturally diverse learners—in particular Black, Brown, and low-income gifted learners were being overlooked. As a lifetime advocate and scholar representing underrepresented gifted learners, I felt compelled to speak up.

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Creating Healthy Family Scripts When There’s No Manual

Creating Healthy Family Scripts When There’s No Manual

What do you do when your parent’s advice for raising your neurodivergent kiddo doesn’t work?

We learn a lot of things from our parents. We develop familial scripts, ways of talking and connecting that are often generational and unique to a family. Have you ever had the words your parents said to you fall out of your mouth?

What happens, though, when these scripts no longer work? We learn many things from our families, but even in the best of circumstances, what we learn may not fit the situation we have. We may not follow the cultural life scripts of our families. We may have children that no previous family script prepares us for.

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