Anyone can have challenges with executive function. According to the website, understood.org, the three main areas of executive functioning are working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. Knowing that adults can have challenges with these areas puts into perspective those students who also have difficulty with them and are battling a special education eligibility on top of it.
As Thursday is winding down, I think we can all relate to having executive functioning challenges this week. As adults we are faced with not only keeping ourselves on task with work in a different environment but keeping our children on task with their work, also in a different environment (mental flexibility). We're tying to remember all of our work expectations and also make sure our kids don't get lost in their devices and completely fall off track with the routine of doing academic work on school days (working memory). We are also controlling our emotions in times of stress to protect our children and to model appropriate self regulation over our emotions (self control). Time management, prioritization, and remembering all we have to do to get through the day is just the tip of the iceberg. Due to many copyright and terms of use restrictions I cannot repost specific resources and ideas. Therefore I will provide the link for several reputable websites that have resources to address executive functioning. They will also be much better than I at explining all that executive functioning encomasses and what you can do to help your child, or maybe an adult that you know. https://www.theottoolbox.com/executive-functioning-skills/ https://www.facebook.com/ExecutiveFunctioningToolbox/ https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/what-is-executive-function https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executive-function/ Sincerely, LeAnn
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At a recent Professional Development class that I attended, the speaker stated that the frontal lobe in the brain does not full develop until a human is 18 years old. The frontal lobe is responsible for emotional responses, judgement, memory, problem solving, and more. So while sometimes our teenagers look like they're adults or act like they're adults, they really can't handle the issues that we as adults can handle because we have fully developed frontal lobes. The teenagers that I see have all different capabilities. Some may benefit from the corona virus social story that is posted on the social emotional page. Others will benefit from reassurances from the adults in their lives and stress and anxiety reducing strategies. Our kids can feel and see our stress and anxiety even when we try to hide it. I recommend finding what you can to help cope with any anxieties that you are feeling and this will be a model for your children. I am linking Cosmic Kids Yoga on You Tube. Yes, some teenagers will think this is below them. However, many students at the middle school have done this in an OT group and I'm always amazed at how captivating it can be. The way the instructor speaks and tells a story and includes physical activity is inspiring. If this is not your child's cup of tea, I encourage you to find a different type of yoga or mindfulness video on You Tube. There are so many to choose from. Thanks for reading and Namaste! LeAnn |
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