When Stopping Isn’t Defiance

When Stopping Isn’t Defiance

Like many of the scenarios we’ve encountered at Imagine If over the years, “it” rarely happens all at once. A child who used to throw themselves into activities suddenly hesitates before starting. Homework that once felt manageable now ends in tears...
What Our “Normal” Asks of Children

What Our “Normal” Asks of Children

How often do we stop to consider the normality in our usage of the term ‘normal’ in everyday language,  beyond developmental expectations? For example, when a teacher pauses mid-sentence and says, “Let’s try to behave normally.” A parent who lowers their voice in...
The Adult Problem

The Adult Problem

What if we told you that most adult–child conflicts don’t start dramatically? They start on, say, any ordinary day. For example, you might be running late on an already tight morning. You ask your child to put on their shoes. They don’t. You ask again....
Joy as an Educational Outcome

Joy as an Educational Outcome

Joy doesn’t usually make it into conversations about education. We talk about outcomes, and rigour, and readiness. We certainly talk about results. We talk about resilience, grit, focus, and discipline. We even talk about future-proofing children for a world we admit...
The Myth of the “High Energy” Child

The Myth of the “High Energy” Child

“High energy” is one of those phrases a lot of adults use as shorthand. It sounds neutral, even affectionate, but it often carries an undertone of concern. But before a child is ever described as “high energy,” there’s usually a trail of small, familiar moments we’ve...
How “Difficult Kids” Are Made

How “Difficult Kids” Are Made

There’s a line in that rarely makes it into parenting books, but it should: If a parent sees their child as difficult, this perception alone can shape that child’s behaviour more powerfully than the child’s actual temperament or actions. Not the child’s temperament, a...