When a Smart Kid Starts Failing: Executive Function, Attention, and What Evaluations Should Actually Tell You
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When a Smart Kid Starts Failing: Executive Function, Attention, and What Evaluations Should Actually Tell You
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About this listen
It starts as "one missing assignment" and somehow turns into you refreshing the grade portal like it's a slot machine. Your kid looks… fine. Eating chips. Talking about a video game. Meanwhile your nervous system is writing a five-act tragedy. In this episode, Dr. Amy Patenaude breaks down why this is so often not a motivation problem. It's a load problem. A systems problem. An executive function problem. You'll learn what executive function actually is, why middle school and high school can suddenly expose the cracks, what a good evaluation should tell you (beyond a label), and what to ask for so you leave with a real Monday-morning plan.
In this episode you'll learn- What executive function actually is (and why "just be responsible" isn't a plan)
- Why this often shows up in middle school and high school even if elementary seemed "fine"
- How "missing assignments" can be the last stop in a whole chain of breakdown points
- What a good evaluation should answer so it changes what happens on Monday morning
- How to talk about bottlenecks (starting, planning, working memory, turning it in) without blaming your kid
- Simple, copy-paste scripts for meetings and emails when your brain forgets English
- Create a 5-minute after-school landing pad: backpack spot, charger spot, "TURN IN" folder.
- Add two project checkpoints: (1) directions/rubric captured, (2) first tiny step started.
- Try the "one missing assignment" experiment: recover one this week, not twelve.
- Reset before requests: snack, water, ten minutes, then homework talk.
- Externalize time: set a 10-minute timer to start, not finish.
Pick one. One is enough.
Free resources- Boredom Buster Guide
- Big Feeling Decoder
- 50 AI Prompts for Tired Parents
- School Psych in Your Back Pocket: The School Testing Toolkit (K–12)
"This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area."