“Smart but Scattered” - Does that describe your child? Filed under: General

Does your child start playing with toys as he is cleaning up his room?  Or is the morning routine a struggle to get out the door in time? 

I just check out this book “Smart but Scattered” and think many parents will benefit from the information and with the school year quickly approaching, you may want to check it out.

They include executive skills questionnaire by grade level and one for adults to take to see what are their strengths and weaknesses.  The skills are broken down into 11 executive skill categories:

• response inhibition
• emotional control
• task initiation
• organization
• goal-directed persistence
• flexibility
• working memory
• sustained attention
• planning/prioritization
• time management
• meta cognition

I especially agreed with Chapter 5 - Ten Principals for Improving Your Child’s Executive Skills.  For instance, in principal Number 8 “Provide just enough support for the child to be successful” I couldn’t agree with more. So often I have seen parents either provide too much support (carrying their child’s lunch into school, making excuses for their not finishing an assignment rather than their child owning up to it, cleaning out their child’s locker of papers, etc.)  but the child fails to be able to do it independently or not enough support (not helping with assignments that require an adult, not available to take them to the library when they need books for an assignment or not helping them get their school supplies in a timely manner or not helping with a difficult math problem where they keep do the same thing wrong ) and the child repeatedly fails without learning what they are doing wrong. Both approaches don’t foster a feeling of success in their efforts which is very frustrating.  Learning ways to help parents so they in turn can help their children reach their potential is a win-win situation.

“Smart but scattered” has suggestions and techniques for elementary to middle school students with checklists that you can use in the book.

Let me know what you think!

                                              
Summary of the book:
Scientists who study child development have recently found that kids who are “smart but scattered” lack or lag behind in crucial executive skills—the core, brain-based habits of mind required to “execute” tasks like getting organized, staying focused, and controlling emotions. Drawing on this revolutionary discovery, school psychologist Peg Dawson and neuropsychologist Richard Guare have developed an innovative program that parents and teachers can use to strengthen kids’ abilities to plan ahead, be efficient, follow through, and get things done. Smart but Scattered provides ways to assess children’s strengths and weaknesses and offers guidance on day-to-day issues like following instructions in the classroom, doing homework, completing chores, reducing performance anxiety, and staying cool under pressure. Small steps add up to big improvements, enabling these kids to build the skills they need to live up to their full potential. More than 40 reproducibles are included.

Reviews from Amazon:

“The best parent resource on executive skills that I have seen. As a parent of three children, one of whom has learning disabilities, and as a special education associate who works in the classroom, I highly recommend this book. It shows there is hope for children who are struggling, and offers practical, detailed advice.”–L. Libbey, parent, Hampton, NH

“Filled with real-world examples and solutions, this easy-to-read book is the first comprehensive guide to the management of children’s executive skills. It gets to the heart of the matter, offering both parents and teachers accessible and highly efficient means to cope with a gamut of obstacles faced by children of all ages and abilities.”–Kristina Mecelicaite, MEd, special education coordinator, North Central Charter Essential School, Fitchburg, MA

“Do you feel stymied by your child’s failure to live up to his or her potential? Have you run out of ideas about how to handle the situation? Look no further–this fascinating and readable book is packed full of useful ideas that will help you understand what the problem is and how you can help. It presents practical and proven techniques based on rigorous scientific research.”–Peter Farrell, PhD, University of Manchester, UK; past president, International School Psychology Association  

“If you’ve ever wondered why your child struggles academically or behaviorally–despite having the ‘right stuff’ to succeed–this book is essential reading. Drs. Dawson and Guare explain the importance of executive skills and provide science-based strategies that empower you to start helping your child today.”–Sam Goldstein, PhD, coauthor of Raising Resilient Children “Drs. Dawson and Guare translate cutting-edge research into meaningful, practical, well-organized, and easy-to-implement strategies that parents can use to enhance a child’s natural executive abilities. This brilliant book is by far the best on the topic that I have read to date.”–Russell A. Barkley, PhD, ABPP, author of Taking Charge of ADHD

“Groundbreaking….Compassionate and parent friendly….Dawson and Guare’s personal anecdotes lend immediacy….Smart But Scattered is comprehensive, accessible, and hopeful….Dawson and Guare’s work should be considered essential. (starred review).”–Library Journal