Emotional Intelligence Archives

What is Executive Function, and Why Should Every Parent Care?

October 11, 2019October 9, 2019

This blog post originally appeared on WootTutor.com As parents, we want nothing more than for our children to reach their potential and thrive in the world. Fortunately, science now helps us understand what gets in the way of some people being able to achieve their goals, large and small. You may have heard the term “Executive Function.” It is part of the brain located in the prefrontal cortex, and it is the last part of the brain to develop. Executive … Read more

How can Occupational Therapy Help My Child with ADHD?

October 9, 2019

Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) & Occupational Therapy Occupational therapy can be a great addition to your child’s treatment team for managing the symptoms of Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Like other disciplines that may be involved in your child’s care, an occupational therapists’ goal is to empower children with ADHD and teach them the skills they need to be confident, independent and succeed in life. Whether in your child’s school as part as a service provided weekly, as an occasional … Read more

Not Everyone Has a Great High School Experience

September 28, 2019September 26, 2019

I often work with parents who have to make tough decisions on behalf of their children. “Should I let my child go to this party”. “Should I let my child drop out of the soccer team.” “Should I push my child to take the AP class.” One mother I was working with was struggling with the decision of whether or not to allow her son to switch High School’s – again. This mother worked very hard to understand her child’s concerns, … Read more

Helping Kids with ADHD Thrive in Sports

September 20, 2019September 19, 2019

Physical activity is valuable for all children. And involvement in organized sports can bring important skills and life lessons. But when a child has ADHD there can be some added challenges. And when the coach working with the child is unaware of the unique challenges this child faces, there can be added stress – and wonderful missed opportunities for fun and growth. I recently learned of Susan Stout. She provides a wealth of information to help all kids benefit from … Read more

A Fresh Take on Back-to-School Readiness

September 16, 2019

The new school year is about to begin. Are you ready? Is your child? How will you each know? To answer that question, you first each need to consider what you want the outcome to be. What accomplishments and feelings would you each like to have on the last day of school? Essentially, what are your goals? In future blogs, we will be addressing how to develop some important tools and strategies for building your child’s Executive Function skills (the … Read more

What exactly IS a Parent Coach?

July 20, 2019July 20, 2019

For over ten years, I have been working with parents of children who have ADHD, executive function challenges, learning challenges, and behavioral challenges. When parents initially contact me, they are often seeking support to help their children directly. Our skilled Coaches do provide direct support to teens and college students. But, parents sometimes become disappointed to find that their child is not ready or willing to fully engage in the coaching process, yet. While parents may feel it would be … Read more