Enhancing Executive Function Skills for Emotional Regulation in Kids

Do you have a child who struggles with controlling their emotions? Especially during unexpected changes in their routine, like going to the grocery store after school instead of heading straight home.

This specific challenge can be addressed by improving their executive function skills. In this blog post, we will explore how fostering these skills can support your child's emotional regulation, specifically in response to routine changes, and provide you with some quick tips you can implement. 

Imagine if your child could adapt to changes in their routine more easily, handle their emotions effectively, and turn potential meltdowns into opportunities for growth. By improving their executive function skills, you can help them navigate these challenging situations with resilience. 

As parents, we want to see our children develop the ability to handle unexpected changes without melting down. By targeting their executive function skills, we can equip them with the tools to regulate their emotions and navigate these situations, fostering a sense of self-confidence and adaptability.

So, how can can we do this?

Here are some practical tips to implement:

1. Encourage Flexibility: Label their emotions when they feel upset or frustrated about the change in routine. Say, "I notice you're upset about going to the grocery store. Ask your brain to be flexible, just like the time when you [give an example of a previous situation where they adapted successfully]." This helps them recognize their emotions and connect it to a previous experience where they coped well.
2. Model self-talk and problem-solving: As the parent, model self-talk by talking through the steps involved in going to the grocery store and returning home. For example, you can say aloud, "First, we'll get out of the pickup line then we'll have to go a different way to get to the store because of traffic. We have to go because we don’t have two ingredients for supper tonight. It might be busy so we probably won’t use a cart." By verbalizing your thought process and problem-solving steps, you're demonstrating using your working memory. Which is such an important executive functioning skill and is lagging in kiddos with executive functioning challenges. 
3. Say less: If your kiddo is in total meltdown mode, these strategies aren’t going to help much. It’s best to say less and try your best to stay emotionally regulated. Breathe! ;) 

By following these tips, you will equip your child with essential tools that will help them become more resilient and adaptable in any unexpected situation. In Pozzi Kidz Academy we go into all of these strategies in depth (plus a lot more).