RAISING CHILDREN WITH RESILIENT MINDS: PART 2

EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN ACTION:

REAL-LIFE STRATEGIES FOR HOME AND SCHOOL

by Nadine Hope

Executive Function Coach, Learning Support & Inclusion Teacher, and Mom Who’s Been There/Done That

Welcome back! If you’ve already read Part 1, featured in Issue 2 of 2025, you know a bit about what Executive Function (EF) skills are — and how they show up in daily life. Like when your child loses their shoes… that are on their feet. Or they burst into tears because their toast was gasp cut into triangles instead of squares.

You’re here because you need practical help. Not perfection. Not a parenting theory that sounds great until someone spills milk on the dog. Just doable, reallife strategies for real families — with real kids who sometimes yell, forget, melt down, or do all three before 8:00 a.m.

Let’s get into it.

1. The Morning Routine That Doesn’t Break Your Soul

Getting out the door shouldn’t feel like training for a triathlon — and yet, here we are.

Here’s what works:

• Same routine every day. Kids thrive on predictability. (Honestly? So do adults.)

• Visual checklists. Because “Put on your shoes!” 17 times is no one’s love language.

• Chunk it down. “Eat, dress, brush” = success. “Get ready” = panic.

• Use a timer. Let technology take the heat so you can sip your coffee hot, for once.

EF Tip: If your child can’t “just do it,” it’s not laziness — it’s brain wiring. Scaffolding isn’t spoiling. It’s support.

2. Homework Help, Hold the Drama

Homework after a long day? Sometimes it feels like trying to do your taxes during a fire drill.

If it turns into tears, flopping, or “my leg suddenly hurts,” it’s not rebellion — it’s your child’s brain saying, “This is too much for me right now.”

Try this instead:

• Start with connection. A snack + 2 minutes of chatting = calmer brain.

• Keep instructions sticky-note short. Anything longer gets lost in space.

• Use a timer to spark momentum. “Let’s work for 10 minutes, then take a break.”

• Praise the process. “You stuck with it!” avoid saying “You’re so smart!”

Parent-to-Parent: If your child suddenly forgets how to spell their name during math, you’re not alone. That’s “brain fatigue” — and it’s real.

3. Transitions Without Total Shut-Down

Some kids switch tasks like flipping a light switch. Others? More like rebooting an old laptop… during a thunderstorm.

Whether it’s leaving the park, turning off a screen, or moving from recess to reading, transitions are often the trickiest part of the day.

Why? Because transitions require flexible thinking and inhibitory control — both EF skills are still loading in many kids.

Transition Strategies:

• Countdowns: “5 more minutes, then we clean up.”

• Visual timers: Because it’s easier to argue with time than with you.

• Bridge the activity: “After cleanup, we’ll read your favourite book.”

• Practice calm scripts: “I’m upset, but I can handle it.” (Magic words.)

Witty Tip: Your child flipping out about leaving the playground isn’t a personality flaw. It’s a developing brain doing its clumsy best.

4. “Let’s Try That Again”: The Power of Do-Overs

Instead of jumping into a long lecture (been there), try offering a soft reset:

“ at didn’t go quite how we wanted. Let’s do a re-do?”

A “re-do” gives your child a second chance to practice the skill — not just recover from the mess.

Use Re-Do’s for:

• Blurted-out words

• Emotional exits

• Surprise shoe-throws (we see you)

Brain Bonus: Repetition grows neural pathways. Real change happens not in the heat of the meltdown, but in the calm that comes after.

Friendly Confession: Grown-ups need re-dos too. (Apologizing after yelling? That’s modeling emotional regulation. Gold star for you.)

5. When School Isn’t Built for Their Brain

Some kids breeze through school like ducks on water. Others? More like cats at a pool party.

EF challenges at school can show up as:

• Constant movement

• Calling out in class

• Missed instructions

• Big emotions over small bumps

What helps:

• Collaborate with teachers. Share what’s working at home — visuals, timers, movement breaks. (caution - schools are very different environments from home)

• Request EF-friendly supports. Extra time, flexible seating, reduced steps — these are tools, not crutches.

• Reframe behaviour. “She’s learning to wait” instead “She won’t stop interrupting.”

Parenting Tip: You’re not overreacting — you’re advocating. That’s not extra. That’s essential. (Caution: you catch more bees with honey instead of vinegar, work with the teacher not demand they do “xyz”)

Final Thoughts: You’re Doing Better Than You Think

Let’s keep it real: this work is messy, imperfect, sometimes infuriating — and absolutely worth it.

• If your child could:

• Remember their lunch

• Roll with change

• Stay calm during frustration... …they would.

Brains take time to build. Executive Function Skills take practice. Lots of it. And you — yes, you — are exactly the right person to guide them.

So here’s your permission slip to:

• Keep it simple

• Celebrate effort

• Take breaks

• Laugh when possible

• Cry when necessary

You’ve got this — even when it doesn’t feel like it.

And I’ve got your back.

Coming Soon in Part 3:

“My Kid Just Wants to Play Alone”: Executive Function and the Messy World of Friendship

• Why your child might struggle socially

• How rigid thinking shows up in play

• Scripts and strategies for building connection https://betterpathcoaching ca/ Nadine Hope

Hope is a Learning Support and Inclusion Teacher, Executive Function Coach, and founder of Better Path Coaching. As a mom of three, she understands the chaos—and knows that when kids understand their brains, stress goes down, skills go up, and families can breathe a little easier.