New research has shown that children as young as seven years old with ADHD can benefit from practicing mindfulness. This study demonstrates how mindfulness can positively impact the behavioral and emotional symptoms in these children by allowing them to notice their emotions without reacting right away and being more aware of their experience and environment.
New research shows that combining video games and physical exercise (“exergaming”) may be an effective way to strengthen executive function in children with ADHD. Children in the study who used exergaming were better able to focus and more easily switch tasks when the rules of the game were changed.
Executive Function Coach and Trainer Erin Wilson recently related this story about one of her 17 year old students. He had called her on a Friday evening. It was late, she was tired, but took the call. He told her he was in despair, standing on Seattle’s Aurora Bridge, ready to jump.
Getting homework assignments done can be a huge struggle for kids with ADHD. It is important as homework problems are often a reason kids with ADHD fail in school. However, with some planning, you can help make homework less of a struggle for both you and your child.
When you have ADHD or other executive functioning challenges, you may feel restless, impulsive and have difficulty paying attention. That can make managing your time much harder. There are skills you can learn to help overcome these challenges and be more productive with your time.
When most people occasionally bounce a check or forget to pay a bill, they may put it down to forgetfulness or a busy work schedule. However, for adults with ADHD, managing money can often be a constant struggle. Trouble with planning, organizing and self-control are the opposite of what it takes to successfully manage your personal finances. Having ADHD does not mean you are destined for financial problems. The key is creating a simple plan and put it in place, step by step.
Executive functions refer to cognitive processes that are necessary for the cognitive control of behavior to successfully attain chosen goals. We all use these executive functions to plan, organize and complete tasks. Problems with executive functioning can be seen at any age but tend to be increasingly apparent as children move through the early elementary grades. The demands of completing schoolwork can often trigger signs that there are difficulties in this area.
Sometimes it’s not about doing something differently. It’s figuring out how to make the ride less stressful for yourself – and the people around you. What do you think would happen if you looked at an ADHD “bad habit” and see where it’s also a strength in your life? What would change for you?
One of the hardest things for many people with ADHD is to stick with things until they are completed. This is an executive function weakness that you can overcome with the help of a coach. To get you inspired, we encourage you to think about those times you get bored doing something you like to do. Take a page from that experience and try to apply it in one of those situations you have to stick with something you hate!