Check out our articles on goal setting for health, money and living skills
How many times have you encountered a scenario like this with your neurodivergent learner—whether they’re a child, teen, college student, or adult? 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. Your learner—whether a student or an adult—has steadily … read more
Here at Life Skills Advocate, we spend a lot of time thinking 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. To better understand these concepts, it’s essential to look at the classic definitions … read more
Did you know that the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for executive functioning, is also known as the “CEO of the brain”? Unfortunately, some of us have a prefrontal cortex that could use some support with running the company efficiently. This is especially true for neurodivergent individuals, who may experience differences in … read more
If you are new to cooking, the process of creating meals can seem very challenging. Walk into any kitchen, and it’s sort of like entering a new country where you might not understand the language, culture, or exactly how things work. That can be a bit intimidating, right? The process of choosing recipes, planning meals, … read more
The ball has just dropped in New York City, confetti is flying around the room, and glasses are being toasted. It’s the New Year and it’s a new me. This year I vow to become healthier, travel to Europe and Asia, get the job promotion, and get that puppy. Do any of those resolutions sound … read more
Bullying. Stranger safety. Wandering. Personal safety and abuse prevention. Children, teens, and young adults with diverse learning needs face many safety concerns, regardless of their unique abilities. Parents and educators repeatedly report issues with safety as some of their top priorities–and biggest fears for their learner’s well-being. It’s why continuing to teach safety skills is … read more
It wasn’t long ago that a parent of a teen client came to us and asked about goals for their teen’s health. The parent expressed concerns about their teen’s low motivation to eat a healthy diet and do any physical activity. After trying several strategies without much progress, the family decided to pursue some extra … read more
Wouldn’t it be nice if our children and students showed up self-motivated, dedicated, and ready to learn all the daily living skills (DLS) required for transitioning to adulthood? Unfortunately, while pleasant to think about, not at all likely to happen. Helping our teens with unique learning needs navigate the journey toward young adulthood isn’t easy. … read more
In the world of behavior analysis, understanding the function, or ‘why,’ a behavior occurs is critical to how we help teens and young adults make meaningful changes and achieve BIG goals. Many times, we hear parents and teachers get caught up in myths of motivation and behavior that really don’t help their teen succeed. Over … read more
Setting wise and realistic short-, mid-, and long-term financial goals is an important step in becoming financially secure and financially independent. As an adult, you likely know how important it is to be working toward something specific so that you don’t spend more than you reasonably should. When you’re working with a child with unique … read more