Counselor Corner
Ms. Ryan, Ms. Gerber K-1, Ms. Wilkins Intern
Want to reduce arguments at home? Help your child complete tasks with independence? See growth in their success in school? Limit items left around the house? Read on!
What is Executive Functioning?
Does your child seem to leave a trail of items everywhere they go, or struggle to pick up their things when asked?
Is homework a daily chore that causes tears and frustration for everyone involved?
Do you find your child getting distracted frequently? Do everyday tasks like taking a shower can become complicated and take an unnecessary amount of time?
Are you constantly reminding your child to remember important things (lunch, soccer uniform, homework folder, etc.) and feeling like a nag as you repeat yourself constantly?
Do you see your child over-reacting to minor problems, such as a change in plans or a small disappointment?
PROMISE THIS ISN'T JUST YOU AND YOUR CHILD!!! With our time during this pandemic, experience and practice using and learning executive function skills has been interrupted and learning in person skills is a top need and priority for all students!
We Can DO This Together!
Executive functioning skills begin to develop in late infancy and continue to solidify into adulthood. In fact, research shows that executive function skills don’t peak until we reach age 25. This means that ALL children sometimes have issues with planning a task, organizing their things, staying calm, and changing plans. When a child is described as having “executive function difficulties,” they are not developing executive function at the same rate as their friends. However, they likely still have some strong areas and some weaker areas.
Parents and educators can work with our children and support their ability to gather all of their materials before starting a project. We can help them take deep breaths or go for a walk when they are angry. Or, encourage them to think of a new solution when the first plan didn’t work. There is no “magic cure” for these challenges. But, with practice and a LOT of patience, we are all capable of learning new skills.