Executive function

The five articles

1. 1
   How Kids Get Through the Morning Routine

   How executive function affects getting out the door
   • Why a kid can do the routine one day and not the next
   • Working memory: why steps get skipped
   • Matching support to where the routine gets stuck
2. 2
   How Kids Shift Their Attention

   Attention, hyperfocus and shifting
   • What hyperfocus is
   • Why they hear you some days and not others
   • Stopping and switching: why leaving an activity is hard
3. 3
   How Movement Helps Kids Focus

   Movement, alertness and executive function
   • Holding still is a skill
   • Kinds of movement and what they tend to do
   • During a focus task: room to move
4. 4
   How Busy Spaces Affect Getting Started

   How surroundings affect executive function
   • Visual clutter: why too much to look at makes starting hard
   • Background noise: why sound competes with focus
   • Starting cues: putting the plan in the space
5. 5
   How Stress Affects Kids’ Thinking

   Stress, executive function and what helps before, during and after
   • What it takes to “use your words” when upset
   • Why small things sometimes lead to big reactions
   • During: when a kid is very upset