Happy Friday, Reader!

The weekly newsletter is back after a long hiatus. My writing plans for 2024 came to a grinding halt in early January when an unexpected major health crisis rocked my family, but I’m happy to report that all seems well again. For those of you who have joined the mailing list since January, welcome — I am so happy to have you here! And for those who have been with me for a while, thanks for sticking around.

I look forward to sharing more about supporting students with their executive function needs over the coming weeks.

Tip of the Week: Finding Balance in the Summer

Finding the right balance when promoting executive functions in the summer can be challenging. Creating too much structure for kids’ days can be a recipe for sensory overload and rebellion, triggering emotional regulation landmines in both kids and adults. Too little structure, on the other hand, can cause kids to gravitate toward endless TV and video games and leave them too moody to participate in anything else. So, how do we find that Goldilocks sweet spot of balance?

One strategy I like to use is “Brain, Body, Spirit, Heart.” Essentially, kids have four objectives that they need to accomplish each day.

1. What is something you will do today that’s good for your brain? Examples could include anything learning-related, like math activities or summer reading, or challenging, like jigsaw puzzles or strategy board games.
2. What is something you will do today that’s good for your body? This category could be exercise-related or, for some teens, personal hygiene-related if that needs to be an area of focus.
3. What will you do today that’s good for your spirit? This category captures personal passion projects and interests—things that bring the child joy and happiness.
4. What will you do today that’s good for your heart? I use this category to include actions that bring joy to others, acts of service and kindness, and anything that generally contributes to developing good character.

Early in the summer, we start building menus of ideas for each category, adding to them as we think of new options. Then, each morning at breakfast (or at dinner the night before, depending on what’s going on), we set intentions for what we’ll accomplish in each category. Some days, I may assign something to a kiddo in one of the four categories, but I never assign more than one item, and I try not to do that every day. Giving kids autonomy over what they’ll select and how they’ll structure their day to get everything done is a good way to practice developing their executive functioning skills.

The one caveat I would add is that I only incorporate this routine on days when we don’t have other primary activities scheduled. Weeks when we’re doing day camps or traveling don’t follow this routine. I also set the expectation that the selected Brain-Body-Spirit-Heart activities must be accomplished before doing other things. The shared intention setting in the morning allows them to plan their day while building social accountability.

What structures and routines work best for you in the summer months? Hit reply and share!

Executive Function Elsewhere in the World

Here are a couple of my favorite articles and resources from this week:

• The New York Times recently shared a solid list of 6 Books for Adults with ADHD. I’ve read most of the books on the list, but I’m adding a couple new finds to my Audible list. If you’re the parent of a kiddo with ADHD (suspected or diagnosed), I’d recommend starting with Hallowell & Ratey’s ADHD 2.0.
• Rumination is a huge issue for some when it comes to motivation and self-talk. I appreciated this video from How to ADHD on coping with rumination and why it’s such a big issue for ADHD brains.

New Location and Small Group Classes

It’s been two years since I started working with students virtually, and I’ve missed having the option of seeing students in person and working with groups of students. The idea of opening a brick-and-mortar location had been percolating for a while, so when a great spot opened a few hundred feet from my front door, I decided to make the leap.

Starting in late July, Building Savvy Learners will offer virtual, in-person, and hybrid coaching options to students and families at 505 Medlock Rd., Decatur, GA 30030.

Starting in mid-August, we’ll offer the first of four six-week classes for middle and high school students. Together, these four six-week classes will build a year-long curriculum teaching important foundational skills for EF and academic success.

1. Achievement Unlocked: Building Savvy Habits for School Success (August/September)
2. Achievement Unleashed: Building Savvy Study Skills for Better Performance (October/November)
3. Achievement Unlimited: Building Savvy Strategies for Effective Time Management (January/February)
4. Achievement Unblocked: Building Savvy Writers through EF-based Strategies (March/April)

Visit the small group page on my website to learn more about these courses and register for the inaugural cohort at a discounted rate.

Have a great weekend!

P.S. If this email content is valuable to you, would you please forward it to other parents who might benefit from it? I’m on a mission to build savvy learners who can develop and leverage tools that support executive functioning, and I’d love to connect with more parents. Your support in that endeavor means the world to me.