The Importance of Executive Functioning Skills
I just don’t get it…
Executive functioning (EF) allows for children, teens, and young adults to properly manage time, plan and organize, initiate, inhibit, use working memory, shift, and so much more so they can be productive in their daily lives. Having and maintaining these skills allows for school, work, and chores to be made easier to complete, but executive functioning skills can also help them emotionally and socially as well. Being able to self-monitor their emotions as well as the emotions of others, adapt to a situation that may be stressful or difficult to handle, and self-soothe are all ways that EF can help them make and maintain relationships. Most kids do not want their friends to lash out or be angry on a whim or ignore how they are feeling in a situation, and EF skills help us avoid that. Yet, for neurodivergent individuals, these skills don’t come as easily to them.
As children get older, their executive functioning skills tend to strengthen subconsciously, but for those with executive dysfunction, they may not be able to do it without thinking. Understanding how to actively be doing something such as self-monitoring or inhibiting may be difficult for them to do on a daily basis. They may find planning out their days and keeping organized, initiating tasks, and much more to be harder for them than their peers, which can be discouraging and eventually affect their futures as they get older. They may not do well independently while away at college or be able to maintain a job all because they struggle with executive dysfunction. However, these skills can be learned to be implemented into their lives with the proper help.
At The Support for Students Growth Center, we provide the social, behavioral, emotional, and executive functioning skills children, teens, young adults, and their families need for a happy and successful life both in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach executive functioning skills to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to be the best they can be in and out of school setting 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.
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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.
