How ADHD and Puberty Affect Behavior and Emotions

I’m just feeling so much all the time…

After his son began puberty, Mr. Johnson realized he was far more emotional dysregulated than he used to be. What once never bothered his son, such as being told to pick his clothes up off the floor, became a screaming match. It now seemed as if his son went from one emotion to another at the drop of a hat. He could be happy and smiling at one moment and throwing things at the next. At first, Mr. Johnson believed it was just his son, Ben, going through puberty like any other child. Emotions are high, which is something almost everyone knows, but after talking to his friend who also had kids Bens ages, he realized the extent to which his son was unable to regulate his emotions was far greater than some others.

Ben has ADHD, which Mr. Johnson didn’t realize could affect his son’s emotional regulation during puberty. Rather, he assumed it only impacted his attention span, when in reality, it was making Ben have a hard time controlling his impulses. He would punch walls, throw things, and just shut down, so Mr. Johnson called the Support for Students growth Center for help.
There, the Ben met with a coach weekly to try and avoid having his underdeveloped emotional regulation skills prevent him from flourishing during this time. He learned different strategies such as utilizing breathing techniques, learning his cues for when has getting upset, knowing how and when to walk away, self-advocate, and more. With these skills and a level of accountability, Ben was able to start taking control of his life again.

Going through puberty is already a lot for adolescents. The hormonal, body, and overall life change is difficult to navigate, and when they have ADHD, it can make this already difficult time even harder to manage. Emotional regulation in specific can become a problem for them. They are learning how to deal with changes, and one of these changes has to do with new social pressures, which can be overwhelming. Not saying mean things to their friends when they are upset, jumping up and walking around in class when they are bored, throwing a tantrum when they don’t get their way, controlling their impulses etc., are all things that can be made difficult when going through puberty.

These issues are also not isolated to school or social settings with peers, but at home too. Exploding in anger when their sibling touches their stuff, emotionally shutting down when dinner isn’t what they want, and throwing a tantrum when being told they can’t go out with friends that weekend are all ways puberty can be affecting an individual with ADHD at home because it makes emotions far more intense. They may also be behind their peers when developing the skills they need to manage them. According to ADDitude Magazine, “The prefrontal cortex, which directs judgment, reasoning, impulse control, emotional regulation, and decision-making, develops more slowly in ADHD brains. This exacerbates regulation issues.” Since those with ADHD may have a harder time regulating during puberty than most others, it is important that they are able to learn and practice regulating their emotions to ensure it doesn’t set them back in life. Age-appropriate regulation skills are important not only for home life, but social, school, and future independent life as well, and the Support for Students Growth Center can provide them with the tools they need in order to manage them.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and  executive functioning skills services 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 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.
 
 
Paul Mitrani, M. D. (2025, October 25). ADHD and the turbulence of puberty. ADDitude. https://www.additudemag.com/teenage-hormones-puberty-adhd/ 

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Controlling Our Anger

Ugh! But they just make me so mad!

For Lily, controlling her anger was becoming increasingly more difficult as she got older. Now that she was in middle school, she felt as if everything everyone did, no matter how small, made her angry. When at home, if her sibling would come into her room and not leave, she would begin to scream and hit him until he left. At school, if the other kids didn’t want to play her game, she would throw a tantrum until they agreed. No matter what it was, Lily would react in a way that was disproportionate to the situation, and although she felt remorseful after, it would just keep happening. This is when Lilys parents reached out to the Students Growth Center for help.

There, she met with a coach weekly to try and prevent her from exploding every time she was angry because of her underdeveloped emotional regulation skills. She learned different strategies such as breathing techniques, when to walk away, how to identify her anger, and more. With these skills and a level of accountability, Lily was able to start taking control of her life again.
Not being able to control our anger while in school can cause many issues for students. Being isolated from peers, kicked out of school and after school programs (sports, clubs, academics), trouble with siblings, and stress at home are all things that can happen if they are unable to emotionally regulate. Students may react disproportionally to things, not because they are not valid in their emotion, but rather that they are letting their emotions control them. Throwing tantrums, hitting things or others, destroying their rooms, and breaking things are ways that children, teens, and even young adults try to express their emotions because they never developed the skills, they needed to control them.

People get angry. It is simply a part of life. We feel many emotions, some good, some bad, and either way we are expected to be able to manage them. It is no secret that managing anger can be difficult. Stopping yourself from lashing out during a time that you are feeling intense negative emotion can feel impossible, but it is not, and it is important that we do so. Our personal, professional, and overall relationships are affected by how well we can control our anger. If we lashed out every time someone didn’t want to play what we wanted to, didn’t like an idea for a project, or hit and broke things every time we were upset, people would begin to not want to hang around as much. Friends wouldn’t want a friend who always explodes whenever they are angry. Peers do not want to work on projects or other things with someone who verbally attacks them when something doesn’t go their way, and as they get older, if they do not fix these issues, employers will not want to give someone a job who cannot control their anger with their coworkers or customers. According to Science Direct, “Majority (41%) of the adolescents expressed their anger by shouting and fighting.” With such a high percentage, it is important that we ensure our children are capable of handling the anger that may come their way, and at the Support for Students growth Center, we can help teach them the skills they need to do so.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services 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 control anger 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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Transitioning Into the New School Year for All Students

Wait…That’s a lot to handle…

       For one young student, starting middle school was a far more of a difficult transition than he had anticipated. Learning how to navigate going from classroom to classroom, new teachers, routine, and people on top of his personal and home life was very stressful. He found he was often more concerned with trying to anticipate what was changing next that he wasn’t paying attention in class. He was too focused on trying to remember where his next class was, and all the new faces that came with each one, which made him anxious. He didn’t like having to transition from teacher to teacher and seeing different kids in every subject to the point his stress caused him to resent his classes all together, and as time went on, he began trying to avoid them.

Rather than adapting to the new teaching styles, making new friends, and learning how to switch classrooms every day, he would walk to the bathroom between periods and wait for class to start before hiding in a stall until class was over. He found that avoiding class all together was easier for him than learning how to transition into his new environment, so he continued to do so for as long as he could. However, once his parents began receiving calls about his absences and failing grades, they asked their son what was going on before realizing he was having difficulty transitioning into middle school. It was a big change for him and was one they didn’t realize he wasn’t prepared for, so they reached out to the Support for Students Growth Center for help.

There, he met with a coach weekly to try and avoid having his underdeveloped transitioning skills prevent him from enjoying his new school. He learned different strategies such as learning how to communicate his struggles, developing a visual calendar he can look at and keep track of, so he knows where and when to be places, as well as practicing transiting at home so he knows what to do when he is in situations in other environments. With these skills and a level of accountability, the boy was able to start taking control of his life again.

Transitioning is an important skill to have because we utilize it every day. It is also something we can do both physically and mentally. Whether it be transitioning from one task to another, or from a home to a school mindset, being able to do so in a way that is quick and efficient will help a lot when we are faced with new or stressful situations. Starting and getting settled into a new school year can be a difficult transition for students, especially those with neurodivergent traits. Going from a summer break mindset where you can play, have less responsibilities, sleep in, etc., to a school one where you now need to study, learn, be to class on time, remember your homework, and more can be difficult. However, it is very important that we do.

If a student is having trouble transitioning into a new school environment, it can affect them in many ways. They may begin to fall behind academically as they struggle with adapting to a new teacher and their way of teaching, and/or new routine if they are starting middle or high school, because they find themselves ‘stuck’ in their old ways. If they preferred one teacher over another, they may begin to avoid the class all together. Transitioning is also important for students to be able to make friends. The anxiety of going to a new school may cloud their ability to make new friends there because they are too worried about all the of new things going on, so they cannot effectively transition into that new environment.

All of these new things all at once can cause students to have trouble adjusting, affecting their ability to effectively learn, socialize, and even manage home life. If they cannot switch between a home or school mindset, they may have a hard time relaxing, making time for themselves and friends, and even do chores and homework. Transitioning is so important, as it helps us feel settled and prepared for the days to come, and without it, students may begin to feel anxiety, exhibit avoidance behaviors by not wanting to attend school, struggle with emotional regulation, and more. Yet, it is important to address transitioning struggles sooner rather than later. The Child Mind Institute states “Kids may not be able to handle the big emotions that can come with transitions. And they might learn that by stalling, they get to avoid the change for a bit longer.” (Martinelli, 2025). To avoid setbacks from stalling and all the other negatives that come along with it, transiting skills need to be at an age-appropriate level, and the Support for Students Growth Center can help them get there.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide 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 transitioning skills 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 Our Students Social Skills Are Also Ready for School

How am I supposed to just know that?…

For one young man, socializing always made him stressed. As if reading verbal cues like tone of voice wasn’t hard enough, nonverbal cues such as body language was too much for him. He felt as if nothing he thought ever actually matched what the person was feeling. As time went on, the young man found himself not even wanting to try to socialize. Rather, he found isolating himself was more comfortable for him because he never had to worry about what another person was thinking or feeling, or having to not only make, but maintain his friendships.

This worked for a few weeks, but as time went on, the young boy realized he was lonely. As he watched his peers play games with one another during free time and recess, he realized he wanted to do that too. So, after school the boy voiced his concerns to his parents who realized that their sons lack of social skills was setting him back. To help with this, they reached out to the Support for Students Growth Center. There, he met with a coach weekly to try and avoid having his underdeveloped social skills prevent him from enjoying his new school year. He learned different strategies such as what body language actually means, how to listen and not just speak, what is and isn’t appropriate to say and ask, and more. With these skills and a level of accountability, the boy was able to start taking control of his social life again.

Social skills are extremely important, especially as we enter a new school year. New school years bring new peers, new teachers, and the possibility to make new friends. However, if our social skills aren’t at the level they should be, making these friends can be difficult. Being able to not only read body language but interpret what they mean in the overall situation is important. It allows us to know what another person is thinking without them speaking before reacting in a way that is appropriate to the situation, such as asking why they are sad, or if they need time to themselves. Other skills such as being an active listener, not only making, but nurturing friendships, respecting privacy and boundaries, etc., are all extremely important when socializing not only in school, but other places as well, like the park or in your neighborhood and just in overall life.

While in school, social skills also help students work well with their peers. Gorup projects are common, and if our skills are not at an age-appropriate level, then they may begin to struggle with compromising and working in a group setting. This can then affect their grade, as well as the relationship they could have had with their groupmates simply because they were lacking certain essential social skills. According to the Marcus Autism Center, “approximately 52 percent of kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) don’t have many friends at school,” while CHADD states “50 to 60 percent of children with ADHD have difficulty with peer relationships. Over 25 percent of Americans experience chronic loneliness.” This shows that those without neurodivergent traits can experience difficulties with socialization as well, but it doesn’t mean they cannot learn how to overcome those struggles.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide 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 read body language, actively listen, etc., 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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Executive Functioning: Be Ready for the School Year!

No! I said I don’t want to!

For one young girl, the start of the school year always felt dreadful. The anxiety of having to learn new schedules, be with new teachers, see new people, and have more responsibility filled the young girl with stress, and as she began the new school year, she quickly fell behind. Her inability to keep her different classes organized, remember what was due and when, keep track of time, and poor initiation skills caused all of her tasks to pile up. As the to-do list grew and grew, the young girl became less and less motivated before not trying at all anymore. It was all too much. She even began not doing things at home either, such as her chores, cleaning her room, or even socializing with her friends, which worried the girl’s parents who reached out to the Support for Students Growth Center for help.

There, the young girl met with a coach weekly to try and avoid having her underdeveloped executive functioning skills prevent her from enjoying her new school year. She learned different strategies such as utilizing a color-coded planner, timers, and skills such as planning for the week ahead. With these skills and a level of accountability, the young girl was able to start taking control of her school life again.

Now that school is now back, it is important that the students can transition into a routine that includes more responsibilities—such as doing homework—before they fall behind. Being able to manage their time so they have enough to finish a project, keep their things organized, transition between classes and tasks, and so much more are all essential executive functioning skills needed to have a successful school year. Without them, they may struggle to maintain a school life-balance. Ensuring your homework is not only done, but on time, not only listening, but remembering parts of a task (working memory), initiating a task, managing time, etc., are all things that help them make time for the fun parts of life. However, if their executive functioning skills are not at an age-appropriate level, then they may run into other issues such as isolation, stress, avoidance, failing classes, emotional outbursts, etc., all of which may hinder them from becoming the most successful person they can be.

Executive functioning skills help us keep things in control. They not only allow complete tasks and other things but do so in a way that is effective, so we do not have to worry about it later. If we are unable to do so, then we may begin running in circles, constantly trying to get a never-ending list done. According to one source, “…up to 80% of those with autism suffer from executive function disorder, leading to difficulties managing time, completing tasks, and making what might be thought of as simple tasks – like cleaning your room – very complicated or seemingly impossible.” (NHS, n.d.). With such a high percentage of those being affected, it is important that the skills that may not come as easy to them are being taught to them in a way that is effective for them, and the Support for Students Growth Center has the tools to do just that.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide 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.
 

NHS. (n.d.). NHS choices. https://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/autism-space/health-and-lifestyle/autism-and-executive-functioning-skills/#:~:text=Some%20research%20suggests%20that%20up,very%20complicated%20or%20seemingly%20impossible. 

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Ensuring Skills are Maintained During the Summer

Why? I’m not in school anymore…

For one young boy, summer meant no more work. No more staying organized, no more keeping track of what he was doing, no more homework assignments, and most of all, no more responsibilities. His mother did not fight him on this during the summer, allowing her son to run around, play, and not do any cleaning, organizing, or chores on his own because he worked so hard during the school year. Yet, after doing this, she didn’t realize it would cause her son to begin to lose these skills. Since he was not practicing them, his ability to stay on task, clean his room regularly, stay organized, and more all quickly became weakened.

This then caused the boy to become frustrated, since all the hard work he did during the school year was now practically gone because he did not continue to practice them during the summer. His mom tried to get him back on his normal routine as the summer came to an end, but she received a lot of push back and avoidant behavior from her son who was too overwhelmed. He simply could not jump right back into his responsibilities like they had thought he would, because he did not maintain, utilize, strengthen, or develop the age-appropriate executive functioning skills over the summer. When school started again, he also struggled because he was now not only regressing personally, but behind his classmates and peers, causing even more stress on the boy who now didn’t want to attend school, work on his executive functioning skills, or do anything at all because he was too overwhelmed.

Due to this struggle, the mom reached out to the Support for Students Growth Center. There, they got the support they needed to help her son start to not only regain his executive functioning skills but be confident in his ability to use them because they maintained them over the summer by joining their intensive program. While there, he was able to continue to learn and develop these skills so he could not only be prepared for the school year ahead, but in life as well.

Executive functioning skills are important because they do more than just help us with schoolwork. It helps us keep our rooms, personal lives, and even our minds clean, organized, and relaxed so we have the time to focus on other things. Planning and organizing, time management, working memory, task imitation and completion, and so much more are just a few of the skills needed to be successful in both school and personal life. Without them, we would have unneeded stress, anxiety, clutter, and discouragement that can set us back.

Not practicing these skills over the summer creates a cycle of gaining and losing the same fundamental skills over and over, leaving no time or room for growth or advancement in these skills. One source explains how according to research published in the American Educational Research Journal “Children can lose up to 40% of the learning gains they have made over the school year if stimulating learning opportunities halt over the summer months. There’s extensive neuroscience research evidence that taking an extended break from learning during the summer can impact students’ retention and engagement for the next school year.” With such a high percentage of knowledge risking being lost, it is important to strengthen it anytime, and anywhere you can, and the Support for Students Growth Center is the place to do it.
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.
 
Curtailing your child’s Summer Brain Drain by Samantha. CADDAC. (n.d.). https://caddac.ca/curtailing-your-childs-summer-brain-drain-by-samantha/ 

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Maintaining Social Skills Over Break

I don’t want to share!

For one young boy, coming back from winter break was always difficult for him to handle. After working for months on his social skills, staying home for weeks before having to go back to school was stressful since he often had a hard time remembering what certain facial and body languages mean since he didn’t have to identify them at home.

He also did not want to share his new toys with the other kids, have them be in his space, touch him, or overall socialize because over the break, he did not have to. Instead of maintaining and continuing to utilize and practice his social skills, he locked himself in his room with all of his new toys before refusing to play with his siblings and other family because when he tried, he found that he often had a hard time communicating his emotions. Doing so made the boy feel like even when he tried, he did not like having to socialize because it was too hard to remember it all, which was overwhelming for him, so when it was time for him to return to school, he had a breakdown.

He was screaming, crying, destroying his room and his sibling’s room, and more, so he would not have to go back to school. As his parents realized he needed extra aid, they reached out to the Support for Students Growth Center for help. There, they attended social skills classes to help ensure their son was actively practicing the skills he learned to ensure not to lose them like he often did during breaks. The parents also attended support sessions of their own, meeting to discuss issues and techniques for them as well to help support not only their son, but their entire family.

The boy learned to identify the situation he is in before applying the correct social skills to help ease his anxiety. After being able to identify and communicate both his and others’ emotions, he was then able to adapt to the situation, making socializing much easier and even a happy experience for the boy as his friendship group began to grow.

Not practicing social skills during breaks can cause

  • Them to lose their skills to be able to identify things in social situations
  • Them to become isolated, anxious, and/or depressed
  • Regression
  • Avoidance behaviors
  • Failure to launch
  • Screen addiction
  • And more

 We can combat this by 

  • Actively practicing social skills while on break and at home
  • Setting up playdates/social times
  • Monitoring screen time
  • Taking them to social skills classes
  • And more, that we can help with!

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide 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 maintain social skills during breaks 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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Keeping Productive During Winter Break

But I just got situated…
For one young man, coming home from college was always stressful. The moment he got home he no longer wanted to do any chores, maintain his hygiene, pick up after himself or act like the adult he was at college. He believed that since he was home, he didn’t have to do any of that, so he didn’t. As time went on, the young man began to smell, the house and his room was dirty and unorganized, and all of those life skills he learned while away at college began to fade.

The young man’s parents decided to let their son be because he was on break, yet this caused their own break to become difficult as well. They were constantly cleaning up after their son, dealing with his emotional outburst due to being told to do chores, and more, so they were unable to relax as well. Yet, despite thinking everything would go back to normal come January, the young man returned to college before immediately wanting to drop out, claiming “independent life was just too difficult.”

This is when the parents reach out to the College Life Skills Program for help. There they ensured that the young man would regain his skills before trying to keep them during breaks by utilizing a planner, keeping a chore sheet with his parents, and setting timers to remind him to do chores/shower. As the young man continued this, they realized they had more time for actives, family time, and relaxing during break, causing what was once a negative event to become a positive one.

Winter break can be stressful not just for the parents, but for kids too. Whether they are college aged or in kindergarten, the long winter break can cause stress for them. It can;

  • Completely disrupt their routine
  • Cause them stress/anxiety because of the change
  • Isolation due to stressors/missing their peers
  • Not wanting to return to school
  • Not maintaining their skills, they have achieved (Washing their own laundry, doing the dishes, cleaning their room, etc.).
  • Not maintaining their hygiene because they feel as if they don’t have to at home
  • Emotional outburst/fighting with their siblings
  • And more!

All of these factors can cause the both the child and parents stress, depression, isolation, avoidant behaviors, and overall make what is supposed to be a great experience a difficult one. However, there are skills that can be learned to avoid this.

  • Preparing them before break/coming home
  • Maintaining a schedule that worked for them (Eating, getting up, showing, etc., all at the same time still).
  • Breathing exercises can help when trying to deescalate a situation as well as with emotional support
  • Utilizing a calendar/planner so they know what the weeks ahead are like.
  • Ensuing they are still receiving enough peer interaction
  • Communication skills to ensure they are advocating for themselves and voicing what they need.
  • Actively ensuring they are managing their time properly.
  • Not allowing them to spend too much time on devices
  • And more!

Children, teens, and young adults can begin to lose those skills once coming back from school, causing the cycle of stress to repeat once they have to go back, but the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program can help ensure that pattern breaks.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide 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 productive during winter break 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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8-Week Social Skills Intensive

8-Week Social Skills Intensive-Version 3

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Ensuring We Can Regulate Our Behavior and Emotions

I didn’t mean it; I am just so stressed out…

For one young woman, controlling her emotions has never been easy. As a child, she would lose her temper whenever someone wouldn’t want to play with her, or the family ate something she didn’t want that day. Then, as she got older, she thought that her ability to handle her emotions would change, when in reality, only the stressors did. She would find socializing, getting all of her schoolwork done, going to work, and interacting with others stressful, so when something didn’t go her way, she would lash out.

When she was younger, she would hit, scream, and have melt downs, and as she got older, she would shut down, exhibit avoidance behaviors, refuse to get a job and become independent, and more all because she couldn’t emotionally regulate and control her behavior. Even when she did move out, her inability to react in an age-appropriate way caused her relationships with her roommates to become strained before disintegrating completely.

This then led to the young woman to start what felt like an endless cycle of becoming independent and moving out before being unable to regulation her behavior and emotions on her own and ending back at square one to start again until her and her family realized there needs to be a change.

Do you too, see a need for change?
Does your child…

  • Have a meltdown at a small inconvenience?
  • Withdraw socially?
  • Fidget in appropriate ways/times (ex: Yelling out in class, playing with loud toys, etc.)?
  • Lash out often (physically and emotionally) (screaming, hitting, etc.)?
  • Speak poorly about themselves?
  • Exhibit avoidance behaviors?
  • Show a risk for Failure to Launch or is currently experiencing it?
  • And more?

Well, at the Support for Students Growth Center we can help by…

  • Teaching them breathing and other calming techniques in moments they may find it hard to relax
  • Techniques to avoid physical and verbal lashing out
  • Ways to help them advocate form themselves that is not only beneficial for them mentally but is effective for every party involved.
  • How to deal with the other things in life that may be adding onto the stress causing them to lash out.
  • How to continue to use these techniques every day/as often as needed
  • How to prevent outburst, and if they do happen, how to deal with them appropriately afterwards
  • And more!

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide 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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