In a crowded field of parenting advice, a new book is taking aim at one of the most common refrains heard by struggling students: "try harder." Published by Seabiscuit Press, Your Child Learns Differently, Now What? The Truth for Parents argues that effort alone is often insufficient when a child lacks the underlying cognitive skills needed to learn effectively.
Authors Roger Stark, CEO of BrainWare Learning Company, and Betsy Hill, the company's President and COO, contend that the advice to try harder can be not only unhelpful but harmful. "When children are repeatedly told to work harder but still do not see results, they may begin to believe they are not smart or capable," the book warns. Instead of pushing more effort, the authors encourage parents to ask a more fundamental question: Does this child have the learning foundation needed to succeed?
The book explains that learning depends on a set of cognitive skills, including attention, memory, processing speed, executive functions, auditory processing, and visual processing. These are the skills that enable us to understand, remember, and apply information. If these skills are weak or uneven, a student may put in effort and still fall short. In such cases, telling the child to try harder can increase frustration without addressing the real barrier.
This scenario is familiar to many families: a child works hard, spends extra time, receives help, and still struggles to keep up. Another child may understand ideas in conversation but freeze when asked to read, write, remember facts, or organize steps on paper. The book suggests that in both cases, the issue may not be willingness but a lack of the cognitive foundation required for academic tasks.
Rather than offering a simple fix, Your Child Learns Differently, Now What? provides a five-step framework to help parents move from pressure and frustration toward understanding, skill-building, and guided support. The authors do not reject effort; they argue that effort must be supported by the right learning tools, guidance, and understanding.
The book also emphasizes the link between confidence and learning. When children experience progress and understand that their struggles have an explanation, they are more likely to persist. Confidence, the authors argue, is not a bonus but a part of the learning process.
Stark and Hill also raise questions about temporary workarounds. Accommodations and support can be important, but they ask whether those supports are helping a child build stronger learning capacity over time. For families who want more than short-term relief, the distinction matters—they want their child to become a more confident, independent learner.
Positioned as a guide for families ready to move beyond the simple instruction to "try harder," the book's message is practical and direct: struggling students often need more than pressure. They need parents and educators to understand how they learn, where the barriers are, and what kind of support can help them build the skills to succeed.
For more information about the book, readers can visit the publisher's website at Seabiscuit Press. The book is available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats.
