Smart, but Scattered: Helping Children and Teens Build the Executive Skills to Succeed in School and Life

Being smart is one ingredient for school success. But, without the ability to stay focused, develop a realistic plan for completing tasks and organizing yourself and your stuff, being smart may not get you very far.   It is those “executive skills” that are the focus of Dr. Peg Dawson’s work, particularly with children and teens who struggle with attention problems. Peg also is co-author of three books on the subject, dealing separately with children, teens and adults who are Smart, but Scattered. Tune in for practical ways to help kids build executive skills, as well as some true confessions from Marti & Erin about their “smart, but scattered” family members!   How do your children and other family members (including yourself) measure up on the executive skills discussed in this Mom Enough interview? How do you put into practice Dr. Dawson’s tips (e.g. breaking down tasks, establishing routines, creating clean spaces and using incentives)? What could you do better?   Related Resources: Creating a Home Environment that Promotes School Success tip sheet by Dr. Marti Erickson, click here. To learn more about Dr. Peg Dawson's books, click here. For the Smart but Scattered blog, click here.