executive functioning challenges

One thing I think is important to understand is that executive functioning challenges don't just show up during big tasks. Sometimes they show up during the smallest tasks imaginable.

In our house, I have one kiddo who can look at something as simple as putting a plate in the sink after dinner, throwing away a snack wrapper, or putting clean laundry away and react as if you've just asked him to climb a mountain.

To someone looking from the outside, it can be easy to think, "He's just being lazy," or "He's old enough to know better."

But that's not what's happening.

For many kids with executive functioning challenges, those seemingly simple tasks require a mental switch that doesn't happen automatically. The connection between finishing one activity and starting the next task isn't always obvious to their brain. What many people see as common sense is actually a skill their brain is still learning to process.

After dinner, most people automatically think, "I'm done eating, now I put my dishes in the sink and throw away my trash." For some neurodivergent kids, that next step doesn't naturally register. When they're suddenly reminded to do it, it can feel frustrating, overwhelming, or even upsetting because their brain wasn't prepared to make that transition.

It's not something they're choosing to do. It's not something they're doing to be difficult. It's not even something they fully understand themselves.

That doesn't mean we stop teaching those skills. It simply means we approach them differently.

In our house, we're constantly working on helping make those connections stronger. We practice routines, use reminders, and help build habits so eventually those next steps become easier for his brain to recognize. Progress doesn't always happen overnight, but every small success helps build those pathways for the future.