Executive functioning is a set of behaviors and skills that are responsible for guiding, directing,
and managing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning.
Youth with ADHD often have difficulty with executive functioning. Self-restraint, impulse control and self-motivation
are important executive functions that help kids get along with others, do well in school and complete tasks.
Criticism and yelling do not help kids who have trouble with impulse control and motivation. Being overly harsh or
critical can cause your child to "tune out" or ignore you. Instead, try helping your child learn better habits.
Kids with impulse control difficulties will need lots of practice reining in impulsive behavior. Try the
"stop, think, say the problem and how it makes you feel" method. This will allow your child to express himself,
while emphasizing a problem solving approach. If your child forgets what to do, allow him a "do over"" in the
moment so he gets immediate feedback about what he can do better next time.
Children who appear unmotivated may actually be avoiding work or procrastinating because they are unsure how to do it
or are worried they will not do it well. Help your child break tasks in to smaller pieces and praise him for each completed step.
This will build self-confidence over time. For schoolwork, your child's teacher can help her break long-term assignments
down in to short-term goals with firm deadlines. This will prevent large projects from becoming overwhelming.
