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

EF is crucial. I tell my kids by upper elementary that they have to apply some of their brain power and energy to EF lest they be perceived as incompetent idiots regardless of their level of cognitive ability. I suppose I can be considered a harsh parent but the world will be far harsher - I have shepherd a kid who was 2E through elementary and quite disabled through high school. Obviously, allowances have to be made when there are clear clinical indications. Short of true pathology, I make my kids responsible for doing what needs to be done and then I let them fail. Of course, I also scaffold everything for them so they can succeed. I also start with potential failures that matter to them. Otherwise, they will simply happily fail. Once they develop EF skills in one area, it is far easier to transfer to another area. Furthermore, it is important that you don't insist on perfect EF for everything - it takes too much brain power and energy. After all, it isn't a big deal if their shirt is inside out once in a while?

Progress was most obvious with my borderline EF kid. With my disabled kid, it was truly baby steps (even when he was just 2E although more consistent/obvious progress back then) and often felt like no progress despite an incredible amount of effort on my part. It was so much faster and easier to just do everything for him and sometimes that's what happened.