Welcome back to the OpenEd Daily!

The debate over ADHD medication has parents searching for alternatives. Today we explore one dad's practical approach to high-energy boys, and a hands-on activity for restless learners.

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)

P.S. The OpenEd audiobook has arrived—snag it here!

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THOUGHT: The Beaudreau Protocol
TREND: Sedation Nation
TOOL: Chickens > Worksheets?

The Beaudreau Protocol

Matt Beaudreau, co-founder of Apogee Schools, has a modest proposal for dealing with rambunctious young boys (without medication). When parents say "My young man is full of life," some schools respond with "Give him drugs and talk about his mental health." Matt's alternative prescription: tons of exercise, hands-on building projects, and meaningful responsibilities. The Beaudreau household protocol for picky eaters and sleep issues is similar: Lots of chores (preferably outside), extra exercise, and 10x as much reading time as screen time. Revolutionary? Not really.

Sedation Nation

Katherine Boyle calls it "one of the greatest evils" of her 90s childhood: "the sedation and casual drugging of young boys for acting like boys." Research shows boys on average start school academically behind girls and remain that way throughout their schooling. The New York Times reports that 23% of American 17-year-old boys now have an ADHD diagnosis, and prescriptions have exploded from 1 million kids in 1990 to 7 million today. Meanwhile, the most comprehensive study to date found children on ADHD medication performed the same as those who received behavioral therapy or were left to find their own solutions. Even more encouraging: many young adults in the study discovered their ADHD symptoms disappeared when they chose environments matching their interests. This suggests that many diagnoses might just stem from a mismatch between natural learning styles and rigid classroom expectations.

Chickens > Worksheets?

The Natural Homeschool offers a hands-on chicken life cycle craft activity for hands-on learners. Instead of worksheets about animal development, they create sequence crafts with construction paper (complete with cotton balls for fluffy chicks). They build spinning life cycle wheels that display each stage, construct three-dimensional coops using real measurements and geometry, and watch their creations come to life through their own work. And if that doesn't satisfy your kids' chicken obsession, check out our ultimate guide to hands-on learning with ACTUAL backyard chickens.

Now Playing in Your Earbuds

The OpenEd audiobook is finally here! Now you can absorb educational wisdom while folding laundry, commuting, or hiding in your car for five minutes of peace. Grab a copy for yourself or gift it to that friend who's always talking about trying something new but never quite takes the leap.

And if you're feeling generous with reviews, we'd love an honest one—we just request that you actually try the product first unlike the infamous Loretta, who gave her local carwash a 1-star review for dubious reasons: