Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Supporting Development of Executive Function

madeinuk, it was a local class in the Pacific Northwest. I PMd you some additional details.

DeeDee, PM is project or program manager. I sent you a PM (private message -- acronym clash) with more information.

Good point. Also: my hunch is some of these are easier to manage than others. Physical organization, for instance. There are many external ways to encourage this--most adults figure out systems that work for them, overall.

The one I related most to is "sustained attention." I've never figured out how to prevent myself from daydreaming and checking out when I'm not engaged. I've always marveled at folks who can listen and take notes on boring, repetitive materials. Not me...I go into my "happy place." Ha! Pretty sure my son is the same way...I've always said he has a "very active internal life."

I do think that this might be an "outside-in" process for people who struggle in many of these areas. i.e., developing and managing external structure might be the place to start flexing these muscles--maybe the skills are transferable?

Even my son, who is woefully weak in many of these areas, doesn't appear to have deficits in all of them. He also has a strong WM (for facts and information, not necessarily instructions), and doesn't usually have much difficulty managing emotions. However--I think he internalizes his emotions and that causes its own set of issues.

As for physical structure: I *know* I function a lot better in every single one of these areas if my surroundings are peaceful, uncluttered, and organized. And when all my ducks are in a row. Maintaining that level of structure is very difficult, though.

Taking notes is one of my ways to force myself to stay engaged on those hideous, time suck and almost neglible value add meetings - maybe for them too LOL

I think when WM is discussed in terms of EF, they aren't talking about the WISC type of WM. DD did very well on the WISC working memory section but if you ask her to get her shoes and then find her backpack she forgets what she's doing as she's going to get her shoes.

You can make your notes look like this: https://www.zentangle.com/

Crack me up! I wrote the part about doodling before looking here. If only mine were so pretty--they do have some similarities, though! My son is currently obsessively drawing characters for card games he invents...complete with descriptions of their powers, etc., rules for the game. His are much more purposeful than mine, at least. If his backpack is any indication, this is where he spends the majority of his "sustained attention." :P

I always start out strong...my notes turn into doodles. My son's backpack is filled to the brim with intricate drawings...something about the apple not falling far from the tree?

Parallel universe... My son can take 15 minutes just putting on socks/shoes. Even when he's excited to go somewhere. Maddening.

From my own anecdotal observations of my own DC (and until we have more studies of HG+ plus children), a natural strength in EF is innate. I would tend to agree, though, that it is probably something that also can be developed. In the case of the studies mentioned upthread, I do hope to see brain development kick in. In the meantime, though, I hope to help DD, in particular, develop her EF skills.

One trait on her side is extreme independence. She does NOT want me monitoring her homework completion, project planning, etc. To avoid that, I have seen her trying to get them done so that I am not checking on her. So that may hasten the process.

And now I've spent the last 10 minutes obsessing over the zentangle kit. I want one.

It's becoming pretty clear to me my son never stood a chance in terms of EF. Kind of hard to support a skill one doesn't have oneself.