120 When Simple Tasks Turn Into Big Struggles
Update: 2025-07-21
Description
Website: đ www.andiclark.com
Self Assessment form: https://subscribepage.io/big-emotions-self-assessment
Book a 30-Minute Call with Andi â Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall
đĄ Key Takeaways:
- If your child melts down over getting dressed, avoids homework, or canât stick with a simple routineâitâs not defiance or laziness. Their brain might be overwhelmed by the steps weâre asking them to take.
- Many kids are expected to follow plans or routines before theyâre readyâbecause no one has helped them with the basics their brain needs first.
- Before kids can follow a list or stay focused, they need help with skills like noticing whatâs happening around them, managing distractions, and stopping themselves from going off track.
- When we slow things down and meet them at the step they can handle, they feel more successfulâand thatâs when real progress begins.
- Your child isnât failing. They just need support that matches how their brain works.
âąď¸ Episode Highlights & Timestamps:
- [00:01:15 ] Why even adults struggle with attentionâand how screens play a role
- [00:06:40 ] Real-life examples of attention struggles and how they affect daily routines
- [00:08:15 ] Introducing the fire metaphor: Kindling, logs, and flames of executive functioning
- [00:10:20 ] The four foundational skills that must come before planning
- [00:13:10 ] Why giving your child a âbeautiful visual scheduleâ might still lead to meltdowns
- [00:14:35 ] How skipping steps on the ladder causes overwhelm, shutdowns, and feelings of failure
- [00:16:00 ] The hidden complexity of getting dressedâand why itâs not just one task
- [00:18:45 ] How brain maturation and scaffolding work together over time
đ Resources Mentioned:
- Want to better understand your childâs executive functioning challenges?
- Start with the Kids With Big Emotions Self-Assessment:
- đ https://andiclark.com/assessment
Ready to explore personalized support?
Book a free 30-minute call to see if 1:1 coaching is the right fit for your family:
đ https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall
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