Ep 73 How to Support Your Frustration With Your Distracted Child

Kids with Big Emotions Formerly Calm Nights, Strong Days

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In This Episode We Will Dive into:

How parents can manage their frustration when dealing with distracted children. Including:

1. Understanding the challenges of parenting a distracted child
2. Introduction to executive functioning skills and their impact on behavior
3. The importance of "refocusing" rather than just "focusing"
4. The concept of "flashlight vs. floodlight" attention (credit to Amisha Jha's book "Peak: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention")
5. Exploring three key executive functioning skills:

• Attention and refocusing
• Inhibition
• Planning

1. How executive functioning challenges can manifest in daily activities
2. The role of stress, fatigue, and other factors in a child's ability to focus
3. Strategies for parents to manage their own reactions and support their child

Resources mentioned:

• Book Reco - Dr. Amishi Jha - In Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention
• Facebook group for parents (scroll up for link)
• Option to book a 30-minute call with Andi (scroll up for link)

Key takeaways:

• Understanding the underlying reasons for a child's distraction can help reduce parental frustration
• Executive functioning skills develop into the mid-20s
• Breaking tasks into smaller steps can help children with executive functioning challenges
• Consider factors like stress, hunger, and fatigue when assessing a child's behavior
• Take a moment to breathe and reassess the situation before reacting

We invite listeners to reach out, share their experiences, and join our supportive community of parents navigating the challenges of raising children with big emotions and attention difficulties.