He Only Needs to Tweak a Few Things.
Since there is nothing we can do about it anyway, I have decided not to worry about alerting teachers to Shane’s possible malady. (It helps that it is summer and there are no teachers nearby.)
But I have also decided that we can tackle some of the issues that Shane presents, using a simple summer program. I’ve purchased a copy of The Executive Functioning Workbook for Teens. It should help us identify his problem areas and work on them.
So we read through Chapter 1, and Shane determined that his troublesome areas are primarily in organization.
The book is wonderful – specifically oriented to the tasks that teens need to do on a regular basis, and how to make them happen, especially if it’s been tough to make them happen prior to reading the book. It’s easy reading, and the activities are very do-able for anyone who takes the time to work through the book.
Best of all, the first chapter outlines the various problems – which you peruse and then circle – and one only needs to do the activities related to those problems. So you don’t spend a lifetime going through the workbook. The activities are concentrated toward whatever issues the reader might have. So Shane is working through the activities this summer, which will hopefully help him to stay on task and more organized during the school year.
However, as happens periodically in this family, I have identified a different child who is more in need of this workbook. And, on the heels of this realization, I am realizing that Dylan’s issues are so extreme that he wouldn’t be able to use the workbook. He simply doesn’t have the focus needed to get through it.
Still, I have decided to give Dylan a chance. Since he is morally and ethically on the right path, he only needs to tweak a few things to become a full-fledged, responsible adult. Maybe this workbook would help him!
And maybe he’ll throw it in the corner with all the other books I’ve given him over the years.
So I will let Shane use it first, and we’ll move forward with Dylan after that.