In this episode of “In It,” hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek welcome professional parent advocate Danielle Ward. Danielle started out advocating for her own kids, several years ago.  Now, through her company Encompass Parent Solutions, she offers families of kids with learning and thinking differences non-legal help with advocacy, support, and education counsel.  Danielle chats with Gretchen and Rachel about some of the most important dos and don’ts for parents who are advocating for their child at school. Danielle outlines the steps to take when your child is struggling and how to recognize when a parent advocate might be necessary. She also explains the difference between a parent advocate and a special education attorney.

In this episode of “In It,” hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek welcome parenting coach Mary Van Geffen. Mary offers online classes including a special one for moms of what she calls “spicy ones.” She also shares fun, funny, and relatable posts every day on Instagram. Mary talks with Gretchen and Rachel about parenting spicy kids and how to know if you, too, are spicy. What does it mean to be spicy? Are you spicy? And what should you do about it?

What makes learning to read difficult? And how does having dyslexia make it even more challenging? In this episode of “In It,” hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek welcome literacy expert Louise Baigelman. A former teacher, Louise is the co-founder and CEO of the literacy organization Storyshares. She explains why reading can be so challenging for kids who struggle with dyslexia, and shares tips and strategies to help. Tune in to get Louise’s expert advice on how to help struggling readers.