Help Your Child Understand Challenges | Life Solutions of Dallas-Fort Worth

Your child or teen who struggles already knows he or she struggles: not talking about apparent problems only makes them worse for your loved-one. It is important to assure your child that you understand his or her trials.

Learn and Teach

First learn as much as you can about your child’s challenges by checking out our list of resources. Here, you can find books and materials suited for you and your child. There are a number of books available to help different age groups understand their challenges and abilities. Using age-appropriate vocabulary, these books discuss issues leading to self-awareness and understanding.

Explain the Brain

Executive functioning, attention, and many related challenges are brain-based. It can be helpful to explain to your child in simple language how their challenges are connected to differences in the brain. For example, the executive functions are located in the frontal lobe: they really have little to do with whether one is smart or not. It is important that your child or teen understand that you understand that she did not cause the chemistry in her brain that causes her to struggle with inattention, procrastination, or impulsivity. It is also important that she understand that she can develop skills to cope with her challenges. In fact, the frontal lobe is still developing until she is about 25 years old!

Look to the Future

As outlined in my next posts on this subject, you can help your child see that she can use her strengths and talents along with some directly taught strategies to deal with her weaknesses. It’s important to emphasize to your child who struggles with executive functioning that she can overcome old ways of thinking and learn new ways to be successful.

Once your child accepts herself, she will become less hard on herself about her challenges and she will be better able to focus on addressing her needs. Consider the additional posts in this series to help your child develop a better vision of her future.

Need help addressing your child/teen’s needs?

Call 817.421.8780 to learn about our research-proven counseling techniques.