Ensuring Neurodivergent Students Can Actively Compromise

No! I don’t want to play that game!

From a young age, we learn how to compromise with others. Whether it be with our siblings, parents, and/or friends, compromising is an important skill to be able to use. It allows for us to be able to handle situations that could otherwise be stressful in a way that is age-appropriate and effective. By doing so, students can avoid emotional outbursts, anxiety, strains in their relationships with their friends, peers, and family, and more. This then allows for them to be productive both in and out of school settings, and make and nourish friendships easier in situations that may otherwise be difficult for them to do so, especially for those who are neurodivergent.

Without strong compromising skills, everyday life can be difficult. Not everything will go their way every moment of every day, so being able to stop, think, and compromise can prevent issues that may isolate the student from their peers. Almost no one wants to socialize with someone who only wants to get their way. If students refuse to compromise, they may struggle to not only make friends, but maintain the friendships they do create because they always have everyone do what they want to do. They may then also do this at home, causing a strain between them and their siblings. If they are not taught how to compromise, they may have an outburst to try and get things their way, creating a flurry of bad habits that may follow them all the way into adulthood. Having a meltdown to get their way can promote avoidance behaviors and prevent the ability to take responsibility and compromise. After a while, they may find that they do not have many, if any, friends, and as they get older. Holding down a job, getting into and staying in college, and becoming independent may be too difficult for them to achieve, especially if they cannot compromise.

Playing a game everyone wants to play, choosing a project topic everyone likes, watching a tv show or movie everyone wants to see, emotionally regulating, avoiding rejection sensitive dysphoria every time someone wants to do something different from you, utilizing breathing techniques so they can have a clear thought process, and splitting the work that must be done with your siblings and/or peers are ways students compromise on a daily basis. Compromise is used almost constantly, even if we don’t realize it, and without it, students can begin to fall behind academically, socially, and in life, which is why the Students Growth Center has created a program to help.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we offer social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families, who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to compromise to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Ensuring Neurodivergent Children Can Make Friends

But what if they don’t like me…

As we get older, it seems like when we look back, we have made friends every step of the way. Whether it be in school, sports, camp, or other kids around the neighborhood, we as people tend to make connections even without realizing it, but for those with neurodivergent traits, making friends can be difficult. Between the anxiety of not knowing if they will like what you like and having to talk and open-up to a stranger, making friends can be difficult for many. Yet, if they don’t, their lives can be filled with isolation, anxiety, depression, and so much more. Without friends, children, teens, and young adults may find going to school, events, and even just daily life to be difficult to manage. Friends help us feel comfortable in situations we may not be used to, and they are there to talk to us and help us get through things, but if we cannot make, nurture and maintain these friendships, life can quickly become lonely.

Without the effective social skills, making friends can seem impossible. Knowing what they like and dislike, how to talk to certain people in specific situations, reading body language, emotional regulation, listening, and so much more are ways we make and keep friends. These skills help us understand what our friends are thinking so we can be there for them and vice versa, which can make school and general life a much better experience. Friends are there to experience life with us and to help us through tough times, which is why having them is so important, yet neurodivergent individuals may find it more difficult to know when to use these skills than their neurotypical peers, but the Support for Students Growth Center can give them the tools they need to do so.

At SSGC, we provide the social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills children, teens, young adults, and their families need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to make friends to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening- $150 value

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Ensuring Neurodivergent Students Know When to Listen, and When to Speak

Shhhh…
For one neurodivergent young boy, trying to adapt back to a school environment after summer was proving to be very difficult for him. He hadn’t seen most of his friends all summer, so he wanted to tell them all about his experiences, yet, when he tried, he would often get in trouble. Since he would be story telling while his teacher was speaking or giving instructions, he would not only disrupt the class but miss important information as well. This would then cause him to struggle to complete assignments, know how to solve whatever worksheet was given, and overall begin to already fall behind because he was always talking when he was supposed to be listening.

Not being an active listener also made socializing hard for the young boy. Since he was constantly doing the talking rather than listening what others had to say, it made the other kids not want to interact with him since they could never get a word out. This then caused the young boy to become isolated alongside his academic struggles, and as time went on, he began not wanting to attend school at all. He would avoid it by pretending to be sick, “forgetting” things at home like his projects, homework, and backpack, and even having meltdowns, which caused his parents to reach out to the Support for Students Growth Center for help.

There, he learned tools such as how to identify when it is and is not appropriate to be speaking, how to focus and be attentive to what others are saying, writing down his thoughts on a piece of paper so he won’t forget what he wanted to say when the proper time comes, how to control and regulate his emotions to prevent him from having an outburst and speaking anyway, patience, breathing techniques, and so much more. These tips then helped prevent him from simply blurting things and speaking when it is inappropriate to do so, making school a much more enjoyable experience for him.

If children, teen, and young adults do not have the ability to differentiate between when to speak and when to listen, they will find not only school, but overall life to become difficult to manage. They may be unable to follow directions, be a good friend, complete assignments whether it be for school, chores, or a job, and so much more, all of which will set them back in life. Being able to know when to listen and when to speak can also prevent them from being emotionally overwhelmed with the stress of not being sure when it is appropriate to talk, alongside giving them the confidence, they need to succeed, which the Students Growth Center can help them achieve.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide the social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families, who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how know when it is time to listen versus when to speak to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Ensuring Neurodivergent Students Have Well Developed Organizational Skills

Eh, I’ll find it later…

As children, teens, and young adults go through life, it is important that they are able to be properly organized. Organization helps ensure that they are not stressed out due to their inability to find something, or their environment being cluttered, but this skill helps with more than just cleaning up after themselves. Being able to properly organize allows for them to plan out their weeks, make sure there is enough time to get everything done, as well as ensures they have time for both alone time and socialization. Without it, they may begin to procrastinate, not finish tasks and/or assignments, not have items they need for both school and life, as well as keep their environment clean.

If they are not actively using this skill, then their rooms and other areas may become messy, causing extra stress and anxiety because they cannot find anything. This can then lead them to not starting or completing a task at all because they find it too stressful, only adding to the stress they feel. However, if they are prepared and have everything organized, they can feel confident in their ability to handle tasks such as finishing a school project or making time for socializing on their own, encouraging independence. Yet, this can be hard for some, especially those who have neurodivergent traits, but the Support for Students Growth Center can help them learn how to incorporate and utilize these necessary skills in their everyday lives.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide Summer Intensive Programs. We additionally offer social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families, who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to remain organized to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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