Table of Contents
Introduction 11
01 What Is Executive Functioning? 13
Defining Executive Functioning 14
Being a Parent: The Ultimate Test in Executive Functioning 16
The "Boss in Your Brain" 17
"Smooth Sailors" versus "Boat Rockers" 18
Parenting a "Boat Rocker" 19
02 The "Big Ten" Executive Functions 27
Task Initiation 28
Response Inhibition 29
Focus 30
Time Management 31
Working-Memory 32
Flexibility 33
Self-Regulation 35
Emotional Self-Control 36
Task Completion 37
Organization 39
Prioritizing Interventions 40
03 How Does Executive Functioning Develop in Children and Adolescents? 41
Typical Development: The Smooth Sailors 42
When Challenges Arise: The Boat Rockers 45
Delay or Disorder? 45
Assessment of Executive Functioning Difficulties 46
04 Disorders with Symptoms of Executive Functioning Weaknesses 53
Executive Functioning: "The Big Umbrella" 54
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 54
Autism Spectrum Disorders 60
Learning Disabilities 64
Medical Conditions 65
Emotional Disorders 66
05 Task Initiation: Taming Your Child's Procrastination Monster 69
What Is Task Initiation? 70
The Young Child (Ages 1-4) 70
The Elementary-Aged Child (Ages 5-12) 75
The Adolescent (Ages 13-18+) 79
Social Media and Procrastination 83
06 Response Inhibition: Teaching Your Child to Control Impulses 85
The Importance of Controlling Impulses 86
Stanford Marshmallow Study 88
Strategies for Kids Who Act First and Think Later 89
Strategies for Kids Who Make Careless Errors 91
07 Focus 95
What Do Focus Problems Look Like? 96
Sustained Focus 96
Divided Focus 98
TV or Not TV? There Is No Question! 100
Music and Focus 101
Mindfulness 102
08 Time Management-Strengthening Your Child's Internal Clock 103
Development of Time Management Skills 104
Getting Out the Door on Time 104
Getting Homework Done Efficiently 107
Teaching Activity Scheduling 110
09 Working-Memory 113
The Importance of Working-Memory 114
The "RAM" in Your Brain 115
Remembering and Following Directions 116
Remembering Appointments and Assignments 118
Can You Strengthen Working-Memory? 119
10 Flexibility: Rolling with Changes 125
What Does Flexibility Entail? 126
Learning How to Reset 128
Changing Plans Midstream 130
Repairing 132
11 Self-Regulation: Thinking about Thinking 133
What Is Self-Regulation? 134
Self-Regulation in Reading 135
Self-Regulation in Writing 138
Self-Regulation in Math 141
Educational Media 144
Developing Self-Regulation 145
12 Emotional Self-Control 149
Why Emotional Self-Control Is Important 150
The Tale of Phineas Gage 150
Labeling Feelings 151
Providing Behavioral Choices 152
Tracking Emotions to Build Awareness 153
Dealing with "Meltdowns" 155
13 Task Completion 159
What Is Task Completion? 160
Short-Term Tasks 160
Reading Assignments 167
Long-Term Projects 169
14 Organization 171
Organization Is in the Eye of the Beholder 172
Finding the Floor in Your Child's Bedroom 172
The Backpack Vortex 174
Binder Systems 175
Homework Systems 176
Planners 178
Helping Lost-and-Found "Frequent Flyers" Keep Track of Belongings 180
15 Setting Up Your Home Environment to Support Executive Functioning Development 183
Making the Home Environment Positive for Teaching Executive Functioning 184
Routines Are Your Friends! 185
Stop the Homework Battles 187
Getting Your Child to Do Chores 189
16 How to Advocate for Support for Your Child at School 191
Bridging the Home-School Gap 192
Special Services 194
Supporting Transition to Middle School 201
Supporting Transition to High School 203
17 Parenting Children with Executive Functioning Challenges 205
Your Changing Role 206
Parent as Orchestrator 206
Parent as Monitor 207
Parent as Facilitator/Supporter 209
18 Manager or Micromanager? 211
Helicopter Parenting 212
Lending Your Child Your Frontal Lobe 215
How to Pull Back Support Without the Crash and Burn 216
After High School: College and Beyond 217
19 What If You Also Have Executive Functioning Challenges? 221
Genetics versus Environment 222
The Importance of Modeling 222
Getting Support 225
20 Building Resilience 229
Smoothing Out the Ocean versus Riding the Waves 230
Success Factors 230
The 1:5 Rule 234
Appendix: Checklists for Supporting the "Big Ten" Executive Functions 237
Index 249