Building Independence, Personal Advocacy

The Importance of Home & School Collaboration When Developing Daily Living Skills

When Sophie’s grades started slipping, it wasn’t just her family and teachers who noticed—it was her counselor and her coach who stepped in, showing that it truly takes a village to raise a child. Collaborative efforts among families, schools, and communities play a crucial role in developing essential life skills in neurodivergent youth. Home-school collaboration … read more

Wellness & Mental Health, Executive Functioning

Building Resilience in Learners with Executive Functioning Challenges

Neurodivergent youth with executive functioning challenges may forget assignments, struggle with organization, or feel overwhelmed with school or work demands. For these learners, every setback chips away at their confidence, making it harder for them to “bounce back.” These frustrations may become a part of daily life. According to the Youth Right Now survey, half … read more

Personal Finance, Building Independence, Executive Functioning, Neurodivergent Experiences

Understanding the ADHD Tax: The Unseen Cost of Executive Dysfunction

Let’s start with a story. Not long ago, we received a call from a caregiver, Susan, who vividly remembers the day a few weeks earlier when her son, Michael, called her in a panic. At 23, Michael, who was diagnosed with ADHD in elementary school, had been determined to manage his own finances after college. … read more

Career Planning, Building Independence, Personal Advocacy

How to Talk About Your Neurodivergence in a Job Interview

One of the common themes we work on with LSA coaching clients is balancing neurodivergence in the workplace–especially how and when to discuss your unique learning needs with an employer. Do I share that I’m autistic in a job interview? Am I hiding something if I don’t want to talk about it? How do I … read more

Executive Functioning, Behaviors, Building Independence, Career Planning, Goal Setting

From School to Home: How to Promote Generalization of Executive Functioning Skills

How many times have you encountered a scenario like this with your neurodivergent child or student? You and your learner have worked for hours on teaching an executive functioning skill in the classroom–let’s say, using a visual timer for homework sessions. The student has steadily progressed towards independence and can now complete 30 minutes of … read more

Executive Functioning, Building Independence, Making Stuff EF Friendly, Schedules & Routines

How to Embed Executive Functioning Skills in the Classroom

As a classroom teacher or parent, it can be difficult to fit in practice with executive functioning skills along with all the other skills that your neurodivergent teen or young adult is currently working on. Yet without also prioritizing executive functioning skills like time management, organization, and problem-solving, your teen is likely to hit barriers. … read more

Self-Monitoring, Building Independence, Executive Functioning, Wellness & Mental Health

Alternatives to Journaling for Neurodivergent Teens

We’ve already written before about the benefits of journaling, especially for neurodivergent teens. Keeping a journal can help your teen or young adult organize thoughts, build mental discipline, and track progress over time. However, journaling may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It can be hard to stick with it, and some people may feel … read more

Self-Monitoring, Building Independence, Executive Functioning, Wellness & Mental Health

17 Journaling Prompts for Neurodivergent Teens

As a parent, educator, or family member of a neurodivergent teen, you’ve likely seen first hand the day-to-day ups and downs of navigating an unpredictable world. It’s hard enough to work your way through adolescence and young adulthood, without the added stressors of anxiety, impulsiveness, forgetfulness, and distractibility that can come along with forms of … read more

Self-Determination, Behaviors, Building Independence, Goal Setting, Neurodivergent Experiences

Understanding Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation: A Comprehensive Guide

Here at Life Skills Advocate, we spend a lot of time talking about goals and motivation. There’s a lot of misguided, mentalistic, and frankly–not at all helpful–information available to parents and educators about motivation, especially the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Have you ever wondered why some teens and young adults continue to achieve … read more

Building Independence, Schedules & Routines

Autism & Transitions: 20 Strategies to Ease Changes in Routine

Transitions can be tough for any child, but for teens and young adults with autism, they can be especially challenging. If you’re a parent or a teacher of a child with autism, you may have noticed that transitions, or moving from one activity or environment to another can cause anxiety and stress. But why is … read more