one idea to change the world
find a group of people/families/friends and learn how to cooperate. designate one person whom the group supports, unconditionally, to leave the salaried workforce, for 3, 6, 9, 12 months. let that person find their own way to support the rest of the group. think of it as a sabbatical. don’t expect them to do everyone’s … Read more
slip sliding away
social interaction is a budget item, whether we see it or not I’m going to annoy you. Not because I want to annoy you, but because my role entails making information about our collective wellbeing legible, and with that come truths that take energy to metabolize. Just know that you’re being annoyed for a good … Read more
required reading
As someone who works with parents, I recognize that Hop On Pop has found its way into the lexicon. The Lorax would like a word with you.
Different Minds in Different Worlds
What Global Cultures Can Teach Us About Supporting Neurodiverse Children Ryk Groetchen, Executive Director of imeetsweApril 2026Berkeley CA I recently had the good fortune to reconnect with Vodzi Torgboh, a teacher from the Ewe tradition of coastal West Africa. He was sharing social music-and-dance with a group of Western music teachers, transmitting rhythm as the … Read more
Music-Making as Public Health Infrastructure
The case for universal early childhood music access for children 0–7 Our thesis is that music-making is not enrichment: it is primary nourishment. In the first seven years of life—the window of greatest neural plasticity—active musical participation supports brain architecture in ways that no other intervention replicates. Independently of talent or performance, music-making supports child … Read more
ask dr. earley: unstructured child-directed play
In this new monthly feature, clinical psychologist (and imeetswe Board Secretary) Dr. Brighton Earley, Psy. D., answers questions related to our Neurodiverse Topic Of The Month. This month, Dr. Earley responds to questions related to our featured topic Unstructured Child-Directed Play Q: As a parent, isn’t it my role to teach important life skills? Shouldn’t … Read more
Unstructured Child-Directed Play
Children need lots of free play, and free-play time with a parent is often one of the highlights of a child’s day. With our busy work schedules, we might forget to create reliable windows of time that are devoted solely to unplanned, unstructured connection–time directed by our child’s attention and supported by our undivided participation. … Read more