Unlocking Potential: Helping Your Child with Executive Functioning Skills
- Brittany Avera
- Dec 10, 2024
- 3 min read
Executive functioning skills are like the brain’s management system, helping us plan, organize, prioritize, and regulate our emotions. For children who struggle in these areas, simple tasks like finishing homework or staying calm during transitions can feel overwhelming.
Tera Sumpter’s Executive Functioning Seeds of Learning course offers valuable strategies that parents can use to empower their children, fostering independence and confidence. Here’s a breakdown of her approach and practical ways you can apply it at home.
What Are Executive Functioning Skills?
Executive functioning involves mental processes that help us:
Plan and complete tasks.
Stay organized and focused.
Adapt when plans change.
Control impulses and emotions.
Children with executive functioning challenges may often forget assignments, struggle to start tasks, or feel easily frustrated.
Tera Sumpter’s Approach: Reflexive Questioning
Reflexive questioning is a powerful technique where parents guide their children to think about their own thinking. Instead of giving direct answers, you ask questions that help your child figure out solutions independently.
Examples of Reflexive Questions:
“What’s the first thing you need to do to get started on this project?”
“What could you do differently next time if this didn’t work?”
“How will you know when your work is finished?”
This encourages your child to pause, reflect, and make decisions, which builds their problem-solving skills and confidence.
5 Parent-Friendly Strategies to Support Executive Functioning
1. Break Tasks into Smaller Steps (Chunking)
Large tasks can feel overwhelming. Help your child by dividing them into smaller, manageable steps.
Example: If cleaning their room feels daunting, break it into steps like:
Put all toys in the bin.
Gather clothes and put them in the hamper.
Organize books on the shelf.
2. Use Visual Aids
Visual tools like schedules, checklists, or calendars help children remember what needs to be done and in what order.
Example: Create a morning routine chart with pictures for younger kids (e.g., brush teeth, get dressed, pack backpack).
3. Teach “Pause and Plan”
Children with executive functioning challenges may act impulsively. Teach them to slow down and think before reacting.
Example: Use the “STOP” method:
Stop.
Think about the goal.
Organize a plan.
Proceed with action.
4. Build Reflection Time
Reflection helps children learn from their experiences and improve next time.
Example: After homework, ask, “What part was easiest? What was the hardest, and how can we make it easier tomorrow?”
5. Create Predictable Routines
Consistency reduces stress and helps kids stay on track.
Example: Have a set time and place for homework daily, with clear expectations and minimal distractions.
Real-Life Success: Empowering Through Questions
One parent I worked with shared that their 9-year-old often procrastinated on starting homework. Instead of saying, “Just start your math!” the parent tried asking, “What’s your first step to finish your math worksheet?”
At first, their child needed support brainstorming. But over time, this simple question helped them develop a habit of pausing to plan. They even started using it on their own: “Okay, my first step is finding my pencil.”
Why These Strategies Work
Tera Sumpter’s course emphasizes that building executive functioning is about teaching children to think for themselves. Reflexive questioning and supportive strategies not only help kids manage tasks but also boost their self-esteem, as they feel capable and in control.
How You Can Help
Start small. Choose one strategy, like asking reflexive questions or creating a visual schedule, and practice it consistently. Celebrate your child’s progress—no matter how small—because building these skills takes time.
With your guidance, your child can develop the tools they need to succeed in school and life.
Contact us for a speech/language evaluation with a focus on executive functioning skills! www.practicalspeech.com
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