Boston Parent August 2025

AUGUST 2025

ANIMAL

ballet

PARTY SUPPLY STORES

photographers

Math & Science TUTORS

NEW ENGLAND DENTISTS

RESORTS theater

GYMNASTICS

ice cream shops martial arts HOSPITAL family

swimming

INDOORS animals OVERNIGHT CAMPS ICE special needs winter skating sports TOY STORES SLEEP ENCOUNTERS

arts& crafts

AWAY

eye

doctors

BOOK STORES

NANNY

SERVICES

CLASSES

peditricians KIDS’ SALONS CONSIGNMENT

sports camps & RETAIL

mom-friendly

swimming ACADEMIC

CHILD CARE

PARTY LOCATION

MUSIC

language immersion programs

SUMMER best

family DANCE deals orthodontists

DAY CAMPS

kids clothing

DISCOVER THE JOY OF DANCE Explore our class offerings for students ages 16 months to 18 years*, led by expert faculty at our four state-of-the-art locations in Boston, Brighton, Brookline and Newton.

bostonballet.org/bpp-enroll Financial aid available *Age as of August 31, 2025

Photo by Brooke Trisolini

TM

2024 WINNER

“We LOVE Tender Loving Care. The teachers are like family. They care for each child like their own family.

They are knowledgeable in early childhood education as well as the gentle care for infants, toddlers and preschoolers!!”

Woburn - 781-281-2983 | Weston - 781-703-5088 www.tenderlovingcarechildcarecenters.com 3 August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com

Discover a school as unique as your child

K-8 Special Education School | thewolfschool.org | East Providence | RI

COTTING SCHOOL

a tradition of innovation and excellence since 1893

Highly specialized educational programs for ages 3-22 Ū

Rolling admissions

Ū

Comprehensive curriculum

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www.cotting.org 4 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

Collaborative Care Model, an integrated approach to ensure high quality academic and clinical services Consulting services that provide school districts with technology, student assessments and professional development Monthly information sessions and private tours available

Elizabeth Russell, Director of Admissions erussell@cotting.org | 781-862-7323 ext. 114

CONTENTS

AUGUST 2025

Volume 40 • Number 12

14

WHAT’S INSIDE 6 Family F.Y.I. • • • • •

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

Back to School Anxiety Playground Safety Best States for Families National Wing Day Be an Angel

100+ categories and over 500 winners!

11

32

28

Best Practices to Protect Your Child in Sport

5 Individual Sports for Kids Who Shy Away from Team Sports

Dyslexia and Your Child

PUBLISHER Parenting Media, Inc TM

Boston Parent 841 Worcester Street Suite 344 Natick, MA 01760 • 617-522-1515 info@BostonParentsPaper.com Visit us online at BostonParentsPaper.com

ART DIRECTOR | Debbi Murzyn ASSOCIATE EDITOR | Jean Abernathy ADVERTISING SALES Holly Castro, David Morney

How do I know if my child or student is dyslexic?

Please note that the advertisements in this magazine are paid for, which allows this magazine to be free to the consumer.

Send comments to the editor or article submissions to editor@bostonparent.com. Submit events to our Family Friendly Calendar at bostonparentspaper.com/

Boston Parents Paper is published monthly by Parenting Media Inc. ©2025 Parenting Media Inc.

August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 5

Family F.Y.I.

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES

Results Now Available!

W

e asked and you told us who your New England favorites are, in droves! Boston Parents received over 200,000 votes from you guys! Awesome! We have your places to vacation, museums to visit, restaurants, schools, medical, special needs and the list goes on and on! Plus, you can find all of the categories online at BostonParentsPaper.com. Mark your calendars!

The voting for 2026 Family Favorites starts March 1, 2026.

FAMILY FAVORITES WINNERS ARE LISTED, STARTING ON PAGE 14

Back to School Anxiety How to make the transition easier.

F

eelings of anxiety are expected for children going through transitions such as going back to school. Over the summer, routines have changed and worries of the unknown may begin to stir as the school year approaches. There are ways to recognize anxiety in your child, as well as interventions that can help relieve those feelings. Some behaviors that may indicate your child is having anxiety surrounding the return to school are irritability, change in sleep patterns, continually seeking reassurance or asking repeated questions, and in some cases complaints of headache, fatigue and stomach ache.

It is important for your child to attend school to learn that their fears can be overcome, as prolonged absence can worsen your child’s fears.

LISTEN

One of the best ways to make the school transition easier on your child is to acknowledge their anxiety. This can be done by listening to your child’s feelings and encouraging them to speak to you about how they feel. It is important to validate their feelings and not dismiss them. Demonstrate confidence that your child can handle the situation.

PRACTICE

Practicing school routines is another way to prepare your child for school. This can include practice walks to the bus stop, evening routines of packing the backpack and picking out

6 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

their clothes, or routines that begin when they wake up such as breakfast, getting dressed and traveling to school. Having a school tour prior to the first day can be a great way to introduce the new environment, as well as finding a new friend or neighbor who will be at the school prior to the first day. During the practice runs, it’s helpful to support your child as they think through difficult points of their day such as changing classrooms.

ROLE MODEL

Another way to provide relief for your child is modeling the calm behavior you would like to see. This can feel difficult in situations where you feel stressed, rushed, or anxious yourself.

To work through your own feelings, think of taking deep breaths and remind yourself that your child’s behavior is being driven by anxiety.

SLEEP

Another method to set your child up for success for the new school year is ensuring enough sleep based on their age. The new wake-up schedule for school may need to be slowly implemented 1-2 weeks ahead of the first day. Feelings of fatigue can enhance your child’s anxiety.

After the school year begins, if your child continues to display signs of anxiety such as tantrums, problems sleeping, and/or refusal to attend school or activities, speak with your primary care provider about further interventions.

ADVANCED K-12 MATH PROGRAM

Now Enrolling The Russian School of Mathematics is an award winning after-school math enrichment program for K-12 students.

Challenge your child with advanced math classes that will engage and excite them. Enroll in our Fall classes today!

RSM is “among the top 10 schools in the world.”

– Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

Schedule a FREE Math Evaluation!

Fall Classes Now Enrolling!

15 SCHOOLS IN MA MathSchool.com August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 7

Family F.Y.I.

BEST STATES FOR FAMILIES

W

e all know living in our great state is pretty awesome! A recent study by WalletHub confirmed it. WalletHub compared the 50 states across 52 key indicators of family-friendliness measuring data set ranges from medium family salary to housing affordability to unemployment rates. It is no surprise that Massachusetts came in at the top as the best state for families, again! Rounding off the top 10 are Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maine, and Connecticut. To see all the results, go to www.wallethub.com.

Playground Safety

The Most Common Injuries and How to Prevent Them

P

Wing It A

ugust is full of offbeat holidays that put the emphasis on kindness (National Friendship Day on August 3 and Just Because Day on the 27th), but we’re particularly digging Be an Angel Day, which is celebrated on August 22. What a simple, sweet and fun way to remind your children about the importance of doing something nice for others, like looking out for a younger sibling or lending a helping hand to a person in need.

8 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

laygrounds are a fun and stimulating environment for kids to play and burn off energy. Although playgrounds can be fun, each year more than 220,000 children under age 14 are brought to the emergency room for playground injuries. Most injuries are a result of falling from equipment. This can include broken bones, cuts, bruises, sprains, concussions, and internal injuries. The most common injured body part is the arm.

Depending on how high the child is and the way they fall will determine what injuries they may face. This can also happen on monkey bars or swings. Children may lose their grip on monkey bars and fall as a result. Moreover, on swings, children may try to jump off of them midair. This could result in them trying to break their fall incorrectly and cause numerous injuries.

Children can also get injured if the playground area and equipment are not maintained. This can include if a slide, seesaw, swing, etc. has an exposed sharp edge. Children may not see it at first and then be playing and cut themselves. Children may also come into contact with trash or other unsafe objects that were not cleaned up in the playground, causing injury or illness.

The playground is a great place for social interaction for children and a great place for exercise. Parents can keep their child safe and allow for them to have a great time by following these simple precautions!

Favorite Birthday Party Venue Winner!

2025/2026

Private School Guide Check It Out

To add your school contact info@bostonparent.com

discoveryacton.org/parties www.bostonparent.com

177 Main Street Acton, MA

Opening July 2025.

A brand new residential transition program, teaching life skills to young adults with disabilities.

LEARN MORE

Perkins.org/Life-Launch Learn Piano Today!

Small Group • Private Lessons on site, in home or virtual Fun • Creative • Piano Lessons

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Private Lessons • Group Classes • Ensembles • Concerts

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Cambridge, Brookline, Cleveland Circle, Medford, Newton-Brighton, Quincy, Somerville, Waltham, West Roxbury, Weymouth

LEARN TO SKATE CLASSES for Recreational • Figure • Hockey Skating Skills

As featured on Chronicle

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BIG JOE the Storyteller

Original & classic stories Props, puppets, & surprises Virtual Storytelling Now Available

Birthday Parties Schools Libraries Special Events

www.bigjoe.com 10 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

617-713-4349

Parents Choice Award er ner nne Win Wiinn W

Fran Friedman

Children’s Musician & Instructor Birthday Parties, Schools, Concerts, Libraries

Preschool & Elementary Music Specialist Lots of Participation & Fun for All! 508-358-1614 • www.franfriedman.com

Safety First: Talking with Your Young Athlete

By Ju’Riese Colón, CEO of the U.S. Center for SafeSport

Health and well-being are often things adults prioritize at the start of every new year, but what about the youngest among us?

For those with children in sports or thinking about joining organized athletic activities, it’s never too early to find age-appropriate ways to start talking with your young athlete about positive behavior in sport settings. While these conversations can help prevent abuse and other forms of misconduct, they also support crucial life skills like establishing healthy boundaries.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport is the first national organization in the world dedicated to preventing and responding to abuse within the Olympic and Paralympic movement. But, we cannot do it alone. Shifting sport culture is going to take all of us. The good news is that sport safety can start with something as simple as a conversation—even with kids 5 and under.

Based on the Center’s Parent and Guardian’s Handbook for Safer Sport, here are tangible ways you can talk about boundaries and introduce simple rules related to sport participation with your young athlete.

• Tell your child you value their safety first. If a coach does something that hurts their feelings, hurts them physically, or makes them feel uncomfortable, encourage them to tell you (or another trusted adult) as soon as they can.

• Talk about other adults in their world they consider “safe.” This helps your child feel comfortable sharing concerns with another trusted adult if you are not available. In some families, these may be aunts, uncles, or grandparents. For others, a trusted adult

might be a best friend’s parent, a teacher, caregiver, or pediatrician.

• Ask open-ended questions that can draw out detailed answers. In other words, instead of questions that can be answered with yes or no, ask questions such as “What was your favorite/least favorite part of practice?”

When we establish an open dialogue, kids know they can come to us early and communicate safely.

Remember that you don’t have to tackle everything at once. In fact, it’s best to make a commitment to start smaller conversations over the course of time.

Talk about Emotional Misconduct • Reinforce that a coach may criticize a specific behavior—a kick, a catch, a run—but should never criticize the child personally.

• Teach your child the difference between helping words (such as “you can do it” or “great job trying”) and hurting words (such as “you’re stupid” and “you can’t do anything right”).

• Tell them they should let you know if a coach uses hurtful words when they talk to them.

Talk about Physical Misconduct • Communicate about physical boundaries with your child before they attend their first class/practice. That includes boundaries between themself and other players as well as the coach.

• Discuss disciplinary techniques that you as a parent consider inappropriate (such as denying a water break as punishment). Tell your child you would want to know if another adult used those on them. This helps them feel comfortable coming to you when something a coach does feels wrong.

August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 11

When we establish an open dialogue, kids know they can come to us early and communicate safely.

• Help your child understand that making behavioral mistakes (such as not following rules) is different from making skill-related mistakes. They should not be punished for trial and error when learning new skills.

Talk about Sexual Misconduct • Communicate about what to do if a coach or older kids ask your child to keep something a secret from you or other trusted adults. Encourage them to tell you, even if the secret is something they feel confused or ashamed about.

• Discuss boundaries with your child about who should be touching them and when. Example: “It’s okay for the doctor to look at your private parts during an exam when I’m there, but it’s not okay for anyone else to do that.”

• Use the correct names for body parts when talking with your child and encourage them to use those names as well.

12 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

• Remind your child that nobody should be touching their private parts (even if they ask), not even their friends.

• Monitor the relationship of coaches or older kids taking special interest in your child, to spot potential grooming behaviors.

The Center has a wealth of educational tools and resources on abuse prevention for kids and parents.

While the guidance above is geared toward children 5 and under, we also offer additional resources on how to talk to children age 6-12 and 13 and older. Y Report to the U.S. Center for SafeSport if you have experienced abuse or misconduct—or if you have reasonable suspicion of abuse or misconduct—inflicted by someone in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement.

You can also call the Center at: 833-587-7233.

Ju’Riese Colón is the Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the nation’s only nonprofit organization committed to ending all forms of abuse in sport. As CEO, Ju’Riese leads the strategic vision and direction of the organization to ensure every athlete is safe, supported, and strengthened through support. An experienced child advocate who serves as an expert on issues related to child safety, Ju’Riese has led prevention and outreach initiatives with youth-serving organizations serving families, educators, law enforcement, and diverse communities. She earned bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and Spanish from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Applied Behavioral Learning Services

ABLS Evidence-based success

Celebrating over 20 years of success serving the Autism community and 10 years as a Boston Parents Paper Family Favorite!

Our specialized Pre-School program includes:

4 Applied Behavior Analysis 4 Discrete Trial Teaching 4 Emotional Regulation 4 Social Skills 4 Feeding Intervention 4 Home and Center Based 4 Data-Based Decision Making 4 Natural Environment Teaching graphics: visper.com

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110 Cedar Street Wellesley, MA 02481 August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 13

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

100+ categories and over 500 winners!

ABOUT BOSTON PARENTS’ FAMILY FAVORITES

B

oston Parents’ Family Favorites was born with the idea to give readers in Greater Boston and throughout the Northeast a chance to voice their opinions on their personal “Family Favorite” choices for everything kids and family and to support and promote local businesses. The program has evolved over the years, and hopefully, with a lot of input from our readers, we’ve been able to make it better and better.

Voting for Boston’s Family Favorites is conducted in a tworound process. The first round occurs in the month of March and early April with open writein nominations taking place. Write-in nominations continue to be open during round one of voting. As

the nomination period in the first round comes to a close in mid-April, shortly afterwards, the second round opens with-the top nominees in each category being selectable in this final round of voting during the latter part of April and May. Write-in nominations are no longer available.

Voters are open to select their favorites from the listed finalists.

The Winners, Top 5 and Top 10 are determined in this round. The final winners are posted in August.

Mark your calendar and cast your nominations in March/April and your final vote in April/May! This year we had a record number of readers vote, up 30%, and a record number votes cast, over 200,000! Competition was fierce!

See who came out on top on the following pages. >>>

CATEGORY INDEX CAMPS............................................................ 16

HEALTH & WELLNESS.................................... 24

FOOD & DINING............................................ 21

EARLY EDUCATION........................................ 25

CLASSES & ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS........ 20 FUN & ATTRACTIONS.................................... 21 RETAIL & FAMILY SERVICES........................... 23 14 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

SPECIAL SERVICES NEED & RESOURCES..... 25 SCHOOLS........................................................ 26

The Center for Pediatric Dental Care and Orthodontics

Pediatric Dentistry Wesley Barton, DMD Ronen Krausz, DDS Bahar Houshmand, DDS Ava Ghassemi, DMD Mahdieh Beheshti, DMD

Orthodontics Roger Taylor, DMD Shahrzad Khorashadi, DMD

Caring for Children in Brookline, Newton, and Greater Boston for over 40 Years!

Dentist

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• Quality care in a professional, inclusive, and fun environment.

• Creating a legacy of positive dental experiences.

• Braces and Invisalign for teens and adults.

• Exceptionally trained, warm & friendly staff.

“Each child is treated as an individual and as a member of our family.”

“Our team’s attention to detail is uncompromising…”

Call for your first Dental or Orthodontic appointment!

209 Harvard Street, 2nd Floor, Brookline, MA 617-731-KIDS (5437)

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August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 15

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES ARTS & CRAFT CAMPS TOP 5 • Camp Howe • Danforth Art Museum & School • Hale Summer Camps • LINX Camps • Just Claying Around WINNER • LINX Camps

BALLET CAMPS

CAMPS

ACADEMIC CAMPS

TOP 10 • Acera School • Camp Howe • Cotting School • French Library / Alliance Française • Hale Outdoor Learning Adventures • Natick Community Organic Farm • Plimoth Patuxet Museums • Russian School of Mathematics • SELA: The International Private School • Y3K Tutor In Your Home WINNER • SELA: The International Private School

ANIMAL & NATURE CAMPS

TOP 5 • Children’s Museum of New Hampshire • Hale Adventure Camp • Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm • Natick Community Organic Farm • NEOC (New England Outdoor Camp) WINNER • Hale Adventure Camp

TOP 5 • All That Jazz Dance Studio • Arlington Dance Place • Boston Ballet School Summer Dance Program • Creative Steps Dance Studio • DanceFIT Studio WINNER • Creative Steps Dance Studio

CULINARY CAMPS

TOP 5 • Boston Bakeology • Cambridge School of Culinary Arts • Cooking Up Culture - BU • LINX Camps • The Maker Farm WINNER • Cambridge School of Culinary Arts

DANCE CAMPS

TOP 5 • All That Jazz Dance Studio • Boston Ballet School Summer Dance Program • Live Love Dance • Mass Motion Dance Boston • The Dance Academy of Saigel Productions (TDA) WINNER • Mass Motion Dance Boston

16 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

FAITH BASED CAMPS

TOP 5 • Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park • Grotonwood Camp and Conference Center • JCC Camp • Lexington Christian Academy • Mount Hope Christian School WINNER • JCC Camp

FAMILY CAMPS

TOP 5 • Camp Howe • Grotonwood Camp and Conference Center • Hale’s Family & Community Program • Mass Audubon’s Wildwood Camp • The Inn at East Hill Farm WINNER • The Inn at East Hill Farm

FOREIGN LANGUAGE & CULTURAL IMMERSION SUMMER CAMPS TOP 5 • Fleur de Lis Camp • French Library / Alliance Francaise • German International School Boston • Pine Village Preschool • SELA: The International Private School WINNER • SELA: The International Private School

GENERAL & TRADITIONAL DAY CAMPS

TOP 10 • Chestnut Hill School Camp • Dedham Country Day Camp

• Dedham Health & Athletic Complex • Einstein’s Workshop • Everwood Day Camp • Hale Day Camp • LINX Camps • Steve & Kate’s Camp • The Cambridge School of Weston- CSW Summer • YMCA Camp Takodah WINNER • Everwood Day Camp

GYMNASTICS CAMPS

TOP 5 • Broderick Gymnastics Academy • Energy Fitness and Gymnastics • Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing • Gymnastics Academy of Boston • Planet Gymnastics WINNER • Energy Fitness and Gymnastics

HEALTH & SPECIAL NEEDS CAMPS TOP 5 • Applied Behavioral Learning Services • Barton Center for Diabetes Education • Camp Howe • MGH Aspire • Riverbend School WINNER • Applied Behavioral Learning Services

HORSEBACK RIDING CAMPS

TOP 5 • Camp Marshall Equestrian Center • Dana Hall School • Orchard Hill Equestrian Center • Sweet Meadow Farm • Willow Brook Farms WINNER • Sweet Meadow Farm

August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 17

Favorite Birthday Party Venue Winner!

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CAMPS

TOP 5 • Acera School • Camp Howe • Everwood Day Camp • Hale’s Youth Leadership Development Programs • Lumos Debate WINNER • Hale’s Youth Leadership Development Programs

LEGO CAMPS

TOP 5 • Acera School • Einstein’s Workshop • iCode of Wellesley • LetGo Your Mind • NuVu Summer

discoveryacton.org/parties 177 Main Street Acton, MA

WINNER • iCode of Wellesley

MUSIC & SINGING CAMPS

TOP 5 • Artbarn Community Theater • Camp Howe • Community Music Center of Boston • Jammin With You • Powers Music School

TM

2024 ER

WINN

WINNER • Community Music Center of Boston

PERFORMING ARTS CAMPS

2025/2026

Private School Guide Check It Out

To add your school contact info@bostonparent.com

www.bostonparent.com

18 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

TOP 5 • Charles River School • Chestnut Hill School Creative Arts & Sports Program • Kidstock! Creative Theater • LINX Camps • Wellesley Theatre Project WINNER • Wellesley Theatre Project

PRESCHOOL AGE CAMPS

TOP 10 • Chestnut Hill School Summer Camp • Everwood Day Camp • Hale Day Camp (Kindercamp) • Lesley Ellis Summer • LINX Camps • Natick Community Organic Farm • PUDDLESTOMPERS Nature Exploration • SELA: The International Private School • Summer at Tobin • Wellan Montessori Summer WINNER • SELA: The International Private School

ROBOTICS CAMPS

TOP 5 • Acera School • Boston Leadership Institute • Edge on Science • Einstein’s Workshop • iCode Of Wellesley WINNER • iCode Of Wellesley

SCHOOL VACATION CAMPS

TOP 10 • Chestnut Hill School Summer Camp • Einstein’s Workshop • Everwood Day Camp • Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing • Girl Scouts of Eastern Mass • Hale’s School Vacation Days • LINX Camps • Mass Motion Dance Boston

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES • Natick Community Organic Farm • SELA: The International Private School WINNER • Einstein’s Workshop

SLEEPAWAY CAMPS

TOP 5 • Camp Birch Hill • Camp Howe • Fleur de Lis Camp • Hale Adventure Camp • YMCA Camp Takodah WINNER • Camp Birch Hill

SPORTS CAMPS

TOP 5 • Camp Howe • Chestnut Hill Summer Camp • Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing • Hale Mountain Biking Camp

• LINX Camps WINNER • Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing

STEAM SUMMER CAMPS & SUMMER PROGRAMS

TOP 5 • Einstein’s Workshop • LINX Camps • NuVu Summer • Russian School of Mathematics • SELA: The International Private School WINNER • SELA: The International Private School

TEEN FOCUSED CAMPS & SUMMER PROGRAMS TOP 10 TIE • Boston Architectural College

• Boston Leadership Institute • Cambridge School of Weston • Camp Howe • Coastal Discoveries: Marine Education Program • Einstein’s Workshop • Everwood Day Camp • French Library/ Alliance Française • Hale Day Camp (Teen Camp) • LINX Camps • NuVu Summer WINNER • Einstein’s Workshop

WINTER CAMPS

TOP 5 • Einstein’s Workshop • Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing

• Hale’s School Vacation Days • Mass Motion Dance Boston • SELA The International Private School WINNER • SELA: The International Private School

August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 19

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES

CLASSES & ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS ART CLASSES

TOP 5 • Creation Station • Danforth Art Museum & School • Einstein’s Workshop • Energy Fitness and Gymnastics • New Art Center WINNER • Einstein’s Workshop

BALLET CLASSES

• Maestro Musicians • iCode of Wellesley Academy • Natick Community • Note-worthy Music Studio Organic Farm • Penguin Coding School WINNER • Note-worthy Music Studio • Russian School of Mathematics COMPUTER SCIENCE • Skating Club of Boston AND CODING CLASSES • Y3K Tutor In Your Home • Einstein’s Workshop WINNER • iCode of Wellesley • Russian School of • KTBYTE Computer Mathematics Science Camps FOREIGN LANGUAGE • New England Sci-Tech, Inc. CLASSES • Penguin Coding School TOP 5 (TIE) WINNER • iCode Of Wellesley

TOP 5 • Boston Ballet School • Creative Steps Dance Studio • Mass Motion Dance Boston • Mini Movers Dance Studio • West Concord Dance Academy

DANCE CLASSES

WINNER • Creative Steps Dance Studio

WINNER • Creative Steps Dance Studio

CIRCUS ARTS CLASSES TOP 5 • Boston Children’s Circus • Circus Complex Co. • Commonwealth Circus Center • Esh Circus Arts • Moody Street Circus WINNER • Commonwealth Circus Center

TOP 5 • Creative Steps Dance Studio • Do Dance Ballet & Fitness • Mass Motion Dance Boston • Mini Movers Studio • West Concord Dance Academy

EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY MUSIC CLASSES

TOP 5 • Community Music Center of Boston • GroovyBabyMusic • Jammin With You • Little Groove Music • Music At The Blissful WINNER • GroovyBabyMusic

CLASSES FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT ENRICHMENT & INSTRUCTION AFTER-SCHOOL TOP 5 PROGRAMS • Brookline Music School • Community Music Center of Boston • Go Go Allegro School of Music • Little Groove Music

TOP 10 • Commonwealth Learning Center • Community Music Center of Boston • Einstein’s Workshop • Hill House Inc

20 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

• Alma Mater Studio • Ecole Française Greater Boston • French Library/ Alliance Française • Fun World Language Academy • Ming Hui Academy WINNER • French Library/ Alliance Française

GYMNASTICS CLASSES TOP 5 • Boston Rhythmic • Energy Fitness & Gymnastics • Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing • Planet Gymnastics • Winchester Gymnastics Academy WINNER • Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing

ICE SKATING LESSONS TOP 5 • Bay State Skating School • Boston Common Skating School • Elite Edge Skating Club • Sharper Edge Skating School • Skating Club of Boston Skating Academy WINNER • Skating Club of Boston Skating Academy

IRISH STEP DANCING CLASSES

TOP 5 • Goulding School of Irish Dance • Harney Academy of Irish Dance • Mass Motion Dance Boston • McHale School of Irish Dance • O’Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance WINNER • Harney Academy of Irish Dance

MARTIAL ARTS CLASSES

TOP 5 • Excel Martial Arts • Field Martial Arts Academy • Focus Martial Arts • Metrowest Academy of Jiu-Jitsu • Satori Ryu Karate WINNER • Field Martial Arts Academy

MATH PROGRAMS AFTER SCHOOL

TOP 5 • Commonwealth Learning Center • Einstein’s Workshop • Mathnasium • Russian School of Mathematics • Y3K Tutor In Your Home WINNER • Russian School of Mathematics

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS

TOP 5 • Einstein’s Workshop • iCode of Wellesley • Penguin Coding School

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES • Russian School of Mathematics • Y3K Tutor In Your Home

• Russian School of Mathematics • Y3K Tutor In Your Home

• Hearth • The Peddler’s Daughter Irish Restaurant & Pub

WINNER • Russian School of Mathematics

WINNER • Commonwealth Learning Center

WINNER • Hearth

SPORTS PROGRAMS

TOP 5 • Charles River Aquatics • Dedham Health & Athletic Complex • Hill House • Olympia Fencing Center • Skating Club of Boston Skating Academy WINNER • Skating Club of Boston Skating Academy

SWIM LESSONS

TOP 5 • Charles River Aquatics • Dedham Health & Athletic Complex • Goldfish Swim School • Little Flippers • Tiburon Swim Academy WINNER • Goldfish Swim Schools

THEATER & PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES

TOP 5 • Community Theater Academy • Kidstock! Creative Theater • Riverside Theatre Works • Wellesley Theatre Project • Weston Drama Workshop WINNER • Wellesley Theatre Project

TUTORING OR EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

TOP 5 • Boston Tutoring Services • Commonwealth Learning Center • Engaging Minds

FOOD & DINING

BEST PLACE FOR PIZZA

TOP 5 • All Star Pizza Bar • Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana • Max & Leo’s Artisan Pizza • Regina Pizzeria • Town Spa Pizza WINNER • Regina Pizzeria

FAMILY FRIENDLY COFFEE SHOP

TOP 5 • Clover, Newton • Flour Bakery + Cafe • Revival Cafe+Kitchen • SPoT! • The Tot Cafe by Little Cocoa Bean Co. WINNER • Flour Bakery + Cafe

ICE CREAM PARLORS

TOP 5 • Bedford Farms Ice Cream • Cabot’s • Crescent Ridge Dairy • J.P. Licks • Lizzy’s Homemade Ice Cream WINNER • Cabot’s

PLACE FOR DINNER WITH THE FAMILY

TOP 5 • 110 Grill • Antonio’s Bacaro • Bianca Woodfire Kitchen & Bar

PLACE TO BUY A BIRTHDAY CAKE / CUPCAKES

TOP 5 • Blacker’s Bake Shop • Cupcake Charlie’s • Party Favors • Lyndell’s Bakery • The Sleepy Baker WINNER • Lyndell’s Bakery

FUN & ATTRACTIONS AMUSEMENT PARKS

TOP 5 • Canobie Lake Park • LEGO Discovery Center • Maziply Mirror Maze • Santa’s Village • Story Land WINNER • Story Land

ATHLETIC CLUBS

TOP 5 • Boston Rhythmic • Burn Boot Camp • Equinox • Life Time Athletic • YMCA of Greater Boston WINNER • YMCA of Greater Boston

BIRTHDAY PARTY RESOURCES

TOP 5 • Big Joe the Storyteller • Fran Friedman • Jam Time • Little Groove Music • Music at the Blissful

BIRTHDAY PARTY VENUES

TOP 5 • Discovery Museum Acton • Einstein’s Workshop • Hale Education • Jam Time • Natick Community Organic Farm WINNER • Discovery Museum Acton

COOLEST PLACE TO TAKE A TOUR

TOP 5 • Boston Duck Tours • Fenway Park • Plimoth Patuxet Museums • Harvard Museum of Natural Museum • USS Constitution Museum WINNER • USS Constitution Museum

FAMILY FUN FAIRS/ FESTIVALS

TOP 5 • Duckling Day on Boston Common • Hale-o-ween at Hale Education • HONK Festival • Inn at East Hill Farm • Natick Community Organic Farm Farm Fest WINNER • Inn at East Hill Farm

WINNER • Music at the Blissful

August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 21

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES INDOOR PLAY SPACES TOP 5 • Boston Children’s Museum • Children’s Museum of New Hampshire • Einstein’s Workshop • VinKari Safari • We Rock the Spectrum Wellesley WINNER • Einstein’s Workshop

HISTORIC SITES & TOURS

TOP 5 • Boston Public Garden • Freedom Trail • Old Sturbridge Village • Plimoth Patuxet Museums • USS Constitution Museum

KID’S PARTY ENTERTAINMENT

TOP 5 • Barn Babies Traveling Petting Zoo • Big Joe the Storyteller • Jam Time • Music at the Blissful • Puppet Showplace Theater

WINNER WINNER • USS Constitution Museum • Music at the Blissful

LIVE THEATER & FAMILY PERFORMANCES

TOP 5 • DrumatiX • Music at the Blissful • North Shore Music Theatre • Puppet Showplace Theatert • Wheelock Family Theatre WINNER • DrumatiX

LOCAL FARMS

TOP 5 • Connors Farm • Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm • Natick Community Organic Farm • Parlee Farms • The Farm at Raven Brook WINNER • The Farm at Raven Brook

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K-12 Education for Gifted Kids Learn more at aceraschool.org 22 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS

TOP 5 • Discovery Museum • Museum of Science • New England Aquarium • Plimoth Patuxet Museums • USS Constitution Museum WINNER • Discovery Museum

PARENT-FRIENDLY PLAYDATE SPOTS

TOP 5 • Children’s Museum of New Hampshire • Discovery Museum • Einstein’s Workshop • Jam Time • Puppet Showplace Theater WINNER • Discovery Museum

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES PLACES FOR ICE SKATING

TOP 5 • Babson Skating Center • Bay State Skating School • Duck Pond Boston Common • The Skating Academy • The Skating Club of Boston WINNER • The Skating Club of Boston

SUMMER RESORTS FOR FAMILIES

RETAIL & FAMILY SERVICES

BABY GIFTS & GEAR TOP 5 • CouCou • Cutie Patutie’s Consignment • kodomo boston • Magpie Kids • Tiny Hanger WINNER • Cutie Patutie’s Consignment

TOP 5 • Bayside Resort Hotel • Oceans Edge • Smugglers’ Notch Resort • The Inn at East Hill Farm • Winnetu Oceanside Resort

BOOK STORES

WINNER • The Inn at East Hill Farm

WINNER • Brookline Booksmith

WINTER RESORTS FOR FAMILIES

TOP 5 • Bayside Resort Hotel • Mount Washington inn • Smugglers’ Notch Resort • Stowe Mountain Resort • The Inn at East Hill Farm WINNER • The Inn at East Hill Farm

ZOOS, AQUARIUMS OR NATURE CENTERS

TOP 5 • Franklin Park Zoo • Natick Community Organic Farm • New England Aquarium • Seacoast Science Center • Southwick’s Zoo WINNER • New England Aquarium

TOP 5 • Blue Bunny Books & Toys • Brookline Booksmith • Hummingbird Books • Porter Square Books • Wellesley Booksmith

CONSIGNMENT STORES

TOP 5 • Blessing Barn Beacon Hill • Boomerangs • CMC Kids Tag Sale • Cutie Patutie’s Consignment • LexFUN! Consignment Sale WINNER • LexFUN! Consignment Sale

FAMILY SHOE STORES TOP 5 • Active Soles • Closet to Closet Kids Resale Boutique • Michelson’s Shoes • Red’s Shoe Barn • The Barn Family Shoe Store

DOMESTIC PLACEMENTS Live In or Out Nannies • Housekeepers House Managers • Estate Managers Couples • Mother’s Helpers Special Needs • Chefs/Cooks Eldercare • Drivers Personal Assistants

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2025 FAMILY FAVORITES FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHERS

TOP 5 • Andre Toro Photography • Boston Baby Photos • Corey Flint Photography • Janelle Carmela Photography • Lucozzi Portraits WINNER • Lucozzi Portraits

KIDS’ CASUAL WEAR STORES TOP 5 • CouCou • Cutie Patutie’s Consignment • Keeping Pace with Multiple Miracles • Kodomo Children’s Clothing • Tiny Hanger WINNER • Cutie Patutie’s Consignment

KIDS’ SPECIAL OCCASION WEAR STORES TOP 5 • BeeCee’s Kids • Cutie Patutie’s Consignment • Keeping Pace with Multiple Miracles • kodomo boston children’s clothing • Magpie Kids WINNER • Keeping Pace with Multiple Miracles

TOY STORES

TOP 5 • Blue Bunny Books & Toys • Catch A Falling Star Toys • Cutie Patutie’s Consignment • Henry Bear’s Park • Keeping Pace with Multiple Miracles

KIDS HAIRCUTS

TOP 5 • Kids Kool Cuts • Max and Mia’s Children’s Salon Hanover • Snip-its Haircuts for Kids • The Cutting Studio • The Village Barber WINNER • The Cutting Studio

NANNY SERVICES

TOP 5 • Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny • Boston Nanny Centre • Cass and Company, LLC • Sarah’s Sweet Slumber • The Nanny Hub WINNER • Cass and Company, LLC

HEALTH & WELLNESS

BIRTH CENTERS & MATERNITY CARE

TOP 5 • Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center • Mass General Hospital • Mother’s Helpers • New England Doula Support WINNER • Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny

WINNER • Henry Bear’s Park

24 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

FAMILY DENTISTS

TOP 5 • Chestnut Dental • Natick Dental Partners • Pediatric Dental Specialists of Needham • The Center for Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics • The Medford Center for Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry WINNER • The Center for Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics

HOSPITALS OR MEDICAL CENTERS

TOP 5 • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center • Boston Children’s Hospital • Cambridge Health Alliance • Mass General Hospital • Newton-Wellesley Hospital WINNER • Boston Children’s Hospital

LEARNING DISABILITIES SPECIALISTS

TOP 5 • Boston Ability Center • Buttonloop Children’s Therapies • Commonwealth Learning Center • South Shore Therapies • Y3K Tutor In Your Home WINNER • Boston Ability Center

MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICES

TOP 5 • Be Inspired Counseling • Behavioral Health and Medicine • Buttonloop Children’s Therapies

• McLean Hospital • South Bay Mental Health WINNER • Be Inspired Counseling

OPTOMETRIST

TOP 5 • Family Eyecare Solutions • Mass. Eye and Ear • Medfield Eye Associates • Metrowest Family Eye Care • Specialized Pediatric Eye Care, Beverly WINNER • Family Eyecare Solutions

ORTHODONTISTS

TOP 5 • Chestnut Dental • Dr Eric Gheewalla • Dr Mark Halvorsen • Starr & Glick Orthodontics • The Center for Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics WINNER • The Center for Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics

PEDIATRICIANS

TOP 5 • Atrius Health • Framingham Pediatrics • Franklin Pediatric and Adolescent Care • Needham Pediatrics • Pediatrics at Newton Wellesley WINNERS • Needham Pediatrics

SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPY TOP 5 • Boston Ability Center • Boston Children’s Hospital • Buttonloop Children’s Therapies

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES • Speech Language Pathology Center • The Speech Therapy Center WINNER • Speech Language Pathology Center

SPORTS MEDICINE PRACTICES

TOP 5 • Boston Children’s Hospital • Beth Israel Deaconess Sports Medicine • Boston Sports Medicine • Mass General Hospital • Orthopedics New England WINNER • Boston Children’s Hospital

SPECIAL NEED SERVICES & RESOURCES

SPECIAL NEEDS GENERAL RESOURCES

TOP 5 • Applied Behavioral Learning Services.

• ABA Helps, LLC • Bridging Independent Living Together Inc. • Campus School at Boston College • Commonwealth Learning Center WINNERS • Applied Behavioral Learning Services

SPECIAL NEEDS LEGAL ASSISTANCE

TOP 5 • Fletcher Tilton PC • Cushing & Dolan, P.C. • Mariscal Special Needs Law • Ramos Law Education and Disability Advocates • Special Needs Law Group WINNER • Fletcher Tilton PC

SPECIAL NEEDS PRESCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Applied Behavioral Learning Services.

• Campus School at Boston College • Cotting School • Kennedy Day School • Partners in Child Development

• Milestones Day School and Transition Program WINNER TIE • Campus School at Boston College • Milestones Day School and Transition Program

SPECIAL NEEDS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

TOP 5 • ABA Helps, LLC WINNER • Applied Behavioral • Campus School at Boston Learning Services College • Bridging Independent Living Together Inc. SPECIAL NEEDS • Campus School at Boston ELEMENTARY College SCHOOLS • Commonwealth Learning TOP 5 TIE Center • Campus School at Boston WINNER College • ABA Helps, LLC • Cotting School • League School for Autism SPECIAL NEEDS RECREATION PROGRAMS • May Institute TOP 5 • Milestones Day School • Berklee Institute for and Transition Program Accessible Arts Education • The Wolf School (BIAAE) WINNER • Boston Ballet School • The Wolf School Adaptive • Bridging Independent SPECIAL Living Together, Inc. NEEDS MIDDLE • Skating Academy SCHOOLSMIDDLE • The Common Room Inc SCHOOLS TOP 5 • Campus School at Boston College • Center For Applied Behavioral Instruction • Cotting School • Milestones Day School and Transition Program • The Wolf School

WINNER • The Common Room Inc.

EARLY EDUCATION BILINGUAL PRESCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Little Children Schoolhouse • Ming Hui Academy SPECIAL NEEDS HIGH • Pine Village Preschool SCHOOLS • SELA: The International TOP 5 Private School • Campus School at Boston • SolBe Learning College WINNER • Cotting School • SolBe Learning • League School for Autism • Learning Prep School WINNER • The Wolf School

CHILD CARE FACILITIES TOP 10 • Cambridge Preschool of the Arts • Kiddie Academy of Cambridge • Little Children Schoolhouse • Pine Village Preschool • SELA: The International Private School • SolBe Learning • Tender Loving Care Childcare Centers LLC • The Tobin Schools • Wellan Montessori School • Wellesley Community Children’s Center WINNER • Tender Loving Care Childcare Centers LLC

CHILD CARE REFERRAL & SUPPORT AGENCIES TOP 5 • Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny • Cass and Company, LLC • New England Doula Support • Sarah’s Sweet Slumber • The Nanny Hub WINNER • Cass and Company, LLC

FAITH-BASED PRESCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Abundant Life Christian School & Learning Center • Jackson Walnut Park School • Mt. Alvernia Academy • Quincy Catholic Academy • St. Mary of the Assumption School WINNER • Jackson Walnut Park School

August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 25

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES Cambridge • Kingsley Montessori School • Pine Village Preschool • Second Church Nursery School • SELA: The International Private School • SolBe Learning • Tender Loving Care Childcare Centers LLC • The Tobin Schoolsl • Wellan Montessori School

INDEPENDENT PRESCHOOLS

TOP 10 • Delphi Academy • Jackson Walnut Park School • Little Children Schoolhouse • Mt. Alvernia Academy • SELA: The International Private School • SolBe Learning • Tender Loving Care Childcare Centers LLC • The Tobin Schools • Torit Montessori School • Wellan Montessori School WINNER • Wellan Montessori School

LARGE PRESCHOOLS TOP 10 • Bowen Cooperative Nursery School • Kiddie Academy of

WINNER • Tender Loving Care Childcare Centers LLC

MONTESSORI PRESCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Jackson Walnut Park School • Kingsley Montessori School • Riverbend School • Torit Montessori School • Wellan Montessori School WINNER • Wellan Montessori School

SMALL PRESCHOOLS TOP 5 • Little Children Schoolhouse • Lotus Montessori Academy • Riverbend School • Two Little Owls Schoolhouse

• Wellesley Community Children’s Center WINNER • Little Children Schoolhouse

SCHOOLS — ELEMENTARY

BILINGUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

TOP 5 • EFGB Ecole Francaise Greater Boston • German International School • Quincy Catholic Academy • SELA: The International Private School • Torit Montessori School WINNER • SELA: The International Private School

FAITH-BASED ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Mount Hope Christian School • Jackson Walnut Park School • Mt. Alvernia Academy • Quincy Catholic Academy • St. Mary of the Assumption WINNER • Jackson Walnut Park School

MONTESSORI ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Kingsley Montessori School • Oak Meadow Montessori School • Riverbend School • Torit Montessori School • Wellan Montessori School WINNER • Wellan Montessori School

26 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

PRIVATE INDEPENDENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

TOP 5 TIE • Advent School • Delphi Academy • Jackson Walnut Park School • Mt. Alvernia Academy • SELA: The International Private School • Wellan Montessori School WINNER • SELA: The International Private School

PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Countryside Elementary • Eliot Elementary • Hunnewell Elementary School • Marathon Elementary • Thoreau Elementary WINNER • Eliot Elementary

SCHOOLS — MIDDLE

FAITH-BASED MIDDLE SCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Austin Preparatory School • Lexington Christian Academy • St. Mary of the Assumption School • Saint Paul’s Choir School • Ursuline Academy WINNER • St. Mary of the Assumption School

MONTESSORI MIDDLE SCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Bay Farm Montessori • Inly School • Oak Meadow Montessori School • Riverbend School

2025 FAMILY FAVORITES • Wellan Montessori School WINNER • Riverbend Schooll

PRIVATE INDEPENDENT MIDDLE SCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Delphi Academy • Riverbend School • SELA: The International Private School • Ursuline Academy • Wellan Montessori School WINNER • Wellan Montessori School

PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Boston Latin • Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School • Medway Middle School • Wellesley Middle Schoo • West Somerville Neighborhood School l

WINNER • Boston Latin

SCHOOLS — HIGH BOARDING HIGH SCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Deerfield Academy • Eagle Hill School • Lexington Christian Academy • Phillips Academy Andover • Phillips Exeter Academy

• Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart • Ursuline Academy WINNER • Ursuline Academy

PRIVATE INDEPENDENT HIGH SCHOOLS

WINNER • Eagle Hill School

TOP 5 • Archbishop Williams High School • Austin Preparatory School • Archbishop Williams High School • St. Sebastian’s Country Day School

FAITH-BASED HIGH SCHOOLS

WINNER • Ursuline Academy

TOP 5 • Austin Preparatory School • Boston College High School • Cardinal Spellman High School

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS

TOP 5 • Hopkinton High school

• Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School • Medway High School • Newton South High School • Wellesley High School WINNER • Wellesley High School • Y

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August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 27

Dyslexia and Your Child

By Jill Plantedosi

In speaking with numerous teachers and parents I have worked with over the past 25 years, a consistent question that I am asked is, “how do I know if my child or student is dyslexic?”

According to Drs. Shaywitz from the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, dyslexia effects 20 percent of the population and represents 80-90 percent of all those with learning disabilities.

28 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

T

eachers have become increasingly concerned about diagnosing dyslexia as early as possible in order to put together a roadmap for success. Educators need to identify children who are at risk for dyslexia and catch them before they fall. So many children are not getting a definitive diagnosis of dyslexia, but are given a checklist of strengths and weaknesses, stating only the word “learning disability” on their evaluation. Success begins with identifying this complex problem and knowing the best interventions to put into place. The dyslexia guidelines posted on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s website, provides a set of screening recommendations for all students, as well as a framework for intervention. These guidelines can be quite helpful in providing information needed to support students with dyslexia.

Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.

WHAT IS DYSLEXIA? According to the International Dyslexia Association, (www.interdys.org), “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.” (Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002) The basic deficit in dyslexia, is the result of persistent difficulties with phonological processing.

If your child has a phonological impairment, and struggles with the individual sounds of spoken words, he/she may have problems with: • Spoken language linked to a child’s phonological skills, (Either delayed early on and/or word retrieval later on).

• Phonemic awareness (understanding by the child that spoken words are made up of smaller units of speech) • Difficulties with pronunciation of words • Rapid automatized object naming • Identifying letters of connecting letters to sounds • Ability to use expressive language • Decoding difficulties that impact accuracy • Hearing and repeating rhyming sounds • Encoding sounds into letters and spelling • Learning the sound system of a foreign language

COMMON MYTHS ABOUT DYSLEXIA

• More boys than girls are dyslexic-Dyslexia affects comparable numbers.

• Dyslexia will be outgrown-Dyslexics will be able to learn to read accurately, but will continue to struggle with fluency and automaticity.

• Intelligence is related to dyslexia- Dyslexics often have a high IQ. • Dyslexia is a vision problem-Dyslexic children are no more likely to have vision problems than non-dyslexic children.

• Mirror writing is a symptom of dyslexia-This is very common in all children at the early stages, as young children commonly reverse letters.

• Dyslexia doesn’t show up until elementary school-Dyslexia can show up in preschool. Often these preschoolers were late talkers and had difficulty with rhyming words.

• Dyslexic children need to try harder-Effort has nothing to do with reading success, as the brain functions differently in a dyslexic child.

• There is no way to accurately diagnose dyslexia-We can now accurately identify those at risk as early as preschool and children who are dyslexic by first grade.

• Dyslexia only happens in the English language- Dyslexia is prevalent in all languages.

RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA PRE-SCHOOL (EARLY YEARS)

• Trouble with learning nursery rhymes • Struggles to learn and remember the names of the letters in the alphabet • Difficulties recognizing letters in his/her name • Mispronouncing and confusing familiar words • Difficulty producing individual speech sounds • Struggles to blend the sounds in words • Not recognizing rhyming words and patterns • Having a family history of reading difficulties

KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE

• Does not associate letters with sounds • Reading errors and miscues that show no connection to the sounds of the letters • Difficulty reading one-syllable words • Difficulty separating sounds in words and does not understand that words come apart • Struggles to blend sounds in words • Difficulty getting to the individual sounds of spoken words • Difficulty with word retrieval • Slow progress in acquiring reading skills • Rarely reads for pleasure • Complains about how hard reading is and how tired they get August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 29

• • • • • • <<< Continued from page 29

SECOND GRADE AND ABOVE

• Slow reading, often pausing during reading • Trouble reading unfamiliar words • Difficulty getting to the individual sounds of spoken words • Stumbling when reading multisyllable words • Difficulty with word retrieval • Poor fluency and prosody • Oral reading is full of substitutions, omissions, and mispronunciations • Avoids reading aloud • Confuses words that sound alike • Struggles to finish assignments • Difficulty learning a foreign language • Poor spelling • Reading comprehension often superior to accuracy and speed • Slow progress in reading skills • Rarely reads for pleasure The Massachusetts Dyslexia Guidelines provides for all students from kindergarten through at least third grade, to be screened for reading. They use a valid, developmentally appropriate DESE approved early literacy screening instrument. If your child’s screening results are below benchmark, the student’s parents or guardians will be notified within 30 days. There will be a discussion about what actions will take place within your child’s education program. Remember that a screener is not a reading assessment, but a way to help identify those students who may be at risk for dyslexia.

Actions parents can take if they feel their child is at risk for dyslexia

• Review the screening assessment with your child’s teacher and discuss what plan of action will be put in place.

• Listen to your child read aloud at home, and make a

30 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

• •

list of your observations and concerns. Bring your list to the meeting.

Have your child placed in an intense early intervention reading program taught by a reading specialist, and have his/her progress monitored.

Set up regular meetings with the teacher to discuss your child’s progress.

If your child is not making progress and you still have concerns, ask to have a full diagnostic reading assessment done.

Have your child taught with a scientifically—based reading program that supports his/her strengths and weaknesses.

Your child’s reading program should include the following components: Phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Set aside a designated reading time in your home to read together. Let your child select books of his/her choice and practice with repeated readings.

Be cautious about computer-assisted instruction.

Use every opportunity to expose your child to literacy activities

Remember that dyslexia is a reading impairment, not a thinking impairment, and that the essential of a successful reading intervention is: • Early screening • Early diagnosis • Early intervention October 2 has been designated in Massachusetts as Learning Disability Screening Day in order to raise awareness of the necessity of screening for reading disabilities and promoting an understanding around dyslexia and other reading disabilities. Y Jill Piantedosi is an adjunct professor for American International College, where she teaches graduate students who are pursuing an advanced degree in reading. She has worked as a reading specialist at both the elementary and middle school level for over 30 years. She holds an M Ed. in education and an advanced CAGS degree in reading. Jill is nationally board certified in English Language Arts 6-8 and holds a Massachusetts reading certification K-12.

References Shaywitz, J. P. & Shaywitz, S., (2020). Overcoming Dyslexia.

New York: Vintage Books Sousa, David, (2014). How the Brain Learns to Read.

California: Corwin Book Company Websites Florida Center for Reading Research – www.fcrr.org International Dyslexia Association – https://dyslexiaida.org International Literacy Association – https://www.literacyworldwide.org KidsHealth - Understanding Dyslexia – www.kidshealth.org/parent/medical/learning/dyslexia.html Mass Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – https:www.doe.mass.edu/instruction/screening-assessments.html National Center for Learning Disabilities – https://www.ncld.org Parents as Teachers – www.parentsasteachers.org Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity – http://dyslexia.yale.edu

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August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 31

5 Individual Sports for Kids

P

arents want their kids to have an active and healthy lifestyle and many sign them up for team sports hoping to help them develop healthy lifelong habits and a love for physical activity. While there are many benefits to team sports, they aren’t always the best fit. Individual sports can be a great alternative to playing on a team especially for kids who have ADHD, sensory processing disorder, or struggle with socialization disorders. Individual sports help kids stay active while building self-esteem and focus. They also learn to set personal goals, and have the opportunity to work one-on-one with the coach. Here are some great individual sports to try and the benefits for your child can gain by participating in each of them.

By Sarah Lyons

GYMNASTICS

Gymnasts are known for their strength, coordination, flexibility, and discipline. Your child may never become an Olympic gymnast but the confidence and agility they will learn from participating in gymnastics will stick with them.

SWIMMING

Swimming is a great source of cardiovascular exercise. It also promotes strength, stamina, balance, better posture, and teaches water safety. Swimming, like martial arts, is a sport for all ages.

A love of a sport like swimming can turn into a lifetime source of exercise and enjoyment.

RUNNING

TENNIS

While running sports typically start in late elementary school or middle school, it is never too early or late to enjoy. Besides a great cardio workout, running helps develop physical, mental, and personal development as kids overcome challenges and set new goals in distance or time.

Hand-eye coordination, speed, agility, gross and fine motor skills, and strong cardiovascular exercise makes tennis a great option for kids who like to keep moving, are quick on their feet, and want the individual attention that comes from one-on-one coaching.

MARTIAL ARTS

Kids who want to learn discipline, respect for others and themselves, balance and coordination, self-control, and work on their listening and focusing skills should consider trying martial arts. This can also become a family sport as all ages are welcome in this activity.

If none of the above sports are of interest, you may also want to research fencing, wrestling, cycling, dance, diving, or golf. Many of these sports allow kids to compete on an individual basis while contributing overall to a team. For example, kids competing in gymnastics will receive an individual score but the points go to an overall total for the team. This gives kids the support from teammates without the pressure of having to play on a team. Kids will learn to set and exceed their personal goals and also have the camaraderie that goes along with a team sport. If you notice your child is feeling pressure or frustration from participating in team sports, give an individual sport a try. Y

32 Boston Parents Paper | August 2025

Sarah Lyons is a freelance writer and mom of six kids including triplets. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time outdoors with her family.

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August 2025 | BostonParentsPaper.com 33