MNLS BLOGS
Resolutions fade. Understanding lasts. Let’s make 2026 the year of clarity and calm.
January, 2026
Every January, we make resolutions to do better — eat healthier, be more organized, help our kids stay on top of schoolwork.
But what if this year wasn’t about doing more?
What if it was about understanding why what we’ve been doing hasn’t worked, and giving ourselves permission to try something new?
For many families I meet, the last semester was filled with frustration — long homework nights, tears, and the quiet worry that maybe something’s being missed. You’ve tried to help, you’ve encouraged, you’ve repeated instructions a hundred times… and still, the struggle continues.
It’s not because your child isn’t trying hard enough. It’s because they haven’t been shown how their mind learns best.
When we replace pressure with understanding, everything changes. Confidence grows. Frustration eases. And learning finally starts to click.
This year, instead of setting another resolution, try setting an intention for your family:
✨ To understand how your child learns.
✨ To build confidence instead of comparison.
✨ To find calm in the process, not perfection in the outcome.
If you’re ready to begin the new year with less stress and more clarity, I’d love to connect and explore what’s possible for your child.
Let’s make 2026 the year of understanding — not more trying.
Warmly,
Tracy
Minnesota Learning Solutions
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Big congratulations to Ames who just wrapped up his five day Davis Mastery for Reading Program.
The shifts we saw in such a short time were so encouraging. His fluency has taken a noticeable jump, and he now knows exactly what to do when he sees punctuation. His confidence has grown too, and you can feel it when he reads.
One of my favorite parts has been hearing from his parents about how he is already using his tools at home. Ames has such good awareness of when he is not focused, and now he knows how to reset and get himself back on track. That kind of independence is such a gift.
When Ames first came in, his goals were simple and heartfelt. He wanted to be a better reader, to have reading feel easier, and to be able to spell hard words. Watching him take steps toward each of those goals has been so special.
Today during support training, Mom had happy tears. So often when I meet a family for the first time, the tears are from concern or frustration because they are trying so hard to help and do not know what else to try. But on the last day, when the tears are from joy and hope, it is such a reminder of how powerful this work truly is.
So proud of you, Ames. You showed up, you worked hard, and you trusted the process. I cannot wait to see where you go from here.
“Since September, we’ve seen a radical difference. I truly do not have the same child today. There has been so much growth and change. This program has been amazing.”
Those were Mom’s words as Olivia wrapped up her Concepts for Life Davis program.
One of the most meaningful shifts came from how Olivia began to see herself. She shared that before the program, she thought she was bad at math. Now she knows she isn’t. Olivia already had the ability. What changed was her belief and how she perceived math.
Olivia also shared that she’s now able to speak up when she doesn’t understand something, listen more carefully, think before acting, and follow through more consistently. She said the tools have helped her feel calmer and manage worry more easily, and that she’s learned “little bits and pieces of life concepts that have made life easier.”
We are so proud of Olivia and the growth she’s shown over these past months.
One of Sydney’s favorite moments from Walter’s program came near the end when he shared this simple insight.
“Reading feels smoother.”
He also noticed something new. He can tell when his mind is focused and when it drifts, and now he knows what to do when that happens.
What changed wasn’t his ability. That was already there. What shifted was his trust in his own mind and his belief that he can read and figure things out.
During his program with Sydney, she saw those changes show up in clear ways. His reading began to flow more easily, reversals didn’t get in the way the same way, and he proudly shared that he knows the alphabet backwards from Z to A.
His mom shared how excited she is to see him reading more independently and stepping into a confidence she hadn’t seen before.
We are so proud of Walter and the work he’s done. Watching belief grow alongside skills is always powerful.
The Walk in Words is a gentle reminder that reading is about meaning, not speed or perfection.
This story beautifully honors picture thinking and the idea that words are meant to be experienced, not rushed. There’s no pressure to “fix” or force learning. Instead, it invites curiosity, patience, and trust in the child’s mind.
For struggling readers and the adults who support them, this book offers reassurance and hope. When we slow down and walk with words, understanding has space to grow.
