It’s that time of year again. You are buying clothes and school supplies for your children. You are thinking about how you are going to juggle different school schedules with your commitments to work or charitable organizations. You are wondering how you will ever have dinner together again as a family when each of your children plays a different sport and has a different schedule. You are trying to figure out what guidelines to give your child in terms of the grades you expect from him or her … [Read more...]
Smart but Scattered?: Strategies to Improve Executive Function in Children & Adolescents (Part 2)
My last article covered the definition of Executive Functioning (EF) and the challenges children with EF deficits face. Now that you have a better understanding of the eight areas that comprise EF (inhibit, shift, emotional control, monitor, working memory, planning and organization, organization of materials, and task materials), let’s look at a few of them to learn how to assess your child’s EF deficits and to review some examples of how to help. The domain of Emotional Control exhibits … [Read more...]
Smart but Scattered?: Understanding Executive Functioning in Children & Adolescents (Part 1)
Is your child smart, but scattered? Children face many challenges in today’s dynamic world, and it can be difficult for them to easily navigate its course. You may be realizing that you personally struggled with the same signs of anxiety, disinterest or frustration that your child is experiencing. At home, it may seem like harmless daydreaming, frustration over dressing for school, emotional outbursts over changes in plans, or even laziness over not wanting to complete a homework … [Read more...]