As students head back to school, there is so much focus on new teachers, new classes, new schedules, and academic expectations. But one piece that can easily get overlooked is how students are actually going to manage it all.

That is where executive function skills come in.

During our webinar, Téa and I walked parents, educators, and professionals through practical executive function strategies designed to help students build routines and systems that actually stick. Our goal was to give families simple, actionable tools they can begin using during these first few weeks of school, before small gaps have the opportunity to turn into bigger stressors.

What We Talked About

We focused on six key areas that can make a meaningful difference in how students navigate the school year: daily routines, organization systems, planning, study strategies, student autonomy and goals, and the executive function coaching approach.

1. Building Daily Routines That Actually Work

One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation was that routines are about much more than simply having a schedule.

Consistent routines help students develop time management, planning, and independence. When certain tasks happen in the same order and around the same time each day, students do not have to rely on motivation every single time they need to get started. Over time, that consistency can turn behaviors into habits.

We shared practical examples for before school, after school, and bedtime, including preparing backpacks and clothes the night before, creating a consistent homework space, setting an alarm for homework time, previewing the next day’s agenda, and protecting sleep.

2. Creating Organization Systems

We also talked about the importance of giving everything a consistent “home.”

That can mean color-coded folders for school, one designated place for homework and tasks, a weekly backpack clean-out, a consistent study space at home, or keeping activities, study blocks, and deadlines together on one digital calendar.

The goal isn’t to create the most elaborate organization system. The best system is the one a student can realistically use and maintain.

3. Planning Beyond the To-Do List

Planning is where we take “What do I need to do?” and turn it into “When and how am I actually going to do it?”

We discussed planning on three levels: daily planning for homework and activities, weekly planning to see the bigger picture, and monthly planning to break larger projects and papers into smaller milestones before they become overwhelming.

4. Studying Smarter, Not Just Longer

Another major topic was helping students understand how to study effectively.

We discussed strategies like the Pomodoro Method, active studying instead of passive rereading, self-quizzing, explaining concepts out loud, using tools like Quizlet, and spaced repetition. Rather than relying on one long study session the night before a test, students can benefit from shorter, more active study sessions spread across multiple days.

5. Giving Students Ownership

One of the most important parts of executive function coaching is remembering that our goal is not to create systems for students forever. It is to help students eventually create and manage systems for themselves.

We encouraged families to let students have a voice in choosing the strategies they use, recognize small wins along the way, and connect everyday responsibilities to larger personal and academic goals. Ownership can be a powerful driver of follow-through.

Progress Over Perfection

If there is one message I hope families take into this school year, it is this: we are looking for progress, not perfection.

A forgotten assignment, messy backpack, or difficult homework night does not mean a student is failing. Back-to-school is an adjustment.

What matters is paying attention to patterns, identifying where a student may be getting stuck, and giving them the tools and support to move forward.

It was such a wonderful experience connecting with the ROWI community and having the opportunity to share strategies that families can put into practice right away.

Thank you to ROWI Teen & Parent Wellness Centers for partnering with us and creating space for conversations like this.

Keep These Resources Handy!

We don’t want the conversation to end with the webinar.

Our full slide deck and webinar recording are resources you can come back to throughout the school year.

Whether you’re working on rebuilding a morning routine, cleaning up an organization system, preparing for a busy week, or helping a student find a study strategy that works for them, revisit the slides and video whenever you need a refresher.

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- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

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We focused on three important transition points throughout the day: before school, after school, and before bed. These everyday moments can become meaningful opportunities to build predictable routines, strengthen connection, and gradually give children more responsibility for managing their day.

Small, consistent practices can help students feel more prepared, capable, and supported as the school year begins. They can also make the transition feel calmer for parents.

Watch our conversation above for practical ideas to support your child’s back-to-school routine and help them build independence along the way.

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- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

As the reality of the new season sets in, the conversation in most households shifts to the checklist: new sneakers, a faster laptop, the right number of spiral notebooks. We treat the new school year as a logistical event.

However, the research suggests that a successful transition is actually a cognitive and biological event.

The shift from the low-demand, high-novelty environment of summer to the high-demand, high-structure environment of school requires a total recalibration of a student’s internal systems.

1. The Call for Predictability: Reducing the Cognitive Tax

For many students, the first few weeks of school are exhausting not just because of the work, but because of the uncertainty. Every new teacher, new hallway, and new schedule adds a cognitive tax, which is a drain on mental energy that leaves less room for actual learning.

Research shows that routines act as a protective factor for mental health and cognitive development. A 2022 systematic review found that predictable routines are associated with the positive development of executive functioning and social-emotional skill1. When a student knows exactly what happens when they walk through the door or sit down to do homework, their brain can move out of threat-detection mode, which is anxiety, and into processing mode, which is learning.

Predictability does not just make life easier; it lowers cortisol levels and frees up working memory for complex tasks like math and writing2.

2. The Call for Environmental Support

We often expect students to simply focus, but focus is frequently a byproduct of the environment. The new school year calls for a deliberate design of the spaces where a student is expected to perform.

Studies in environmental psychology highlight that a space fostering safety and minimizing distractions is crucial for students with executive function challenge3. This is not just about a quiet room. It involves visual structure, such as having a clear, visible calendar that externalizes time, and a dedicated launch pad for school materials that reduces the demand on organization skills.

Research into natural environments also suggests that even small exposures to nature or a green school environment can significantly boost cognitive functioning and attention restoration during the high-stress transition period4.

3. The Call for Incremental Cognitive Loading

Summer is often a period of cognitive offloading. We do not ask our brains to hold multi-step project deadlines or complex formulas for months. Expecting a student to jump from zero to sixty on the first day of school is a recipe for burnout.

A successful transition back to school starts with rebuilding those cognitive systems gradually. Before the workload piles up, give students space to reestablish routines, practice planning, and strengthen the skills they’ll rely on all year long.

The goal isn’t to do more, but to make the transition feel manageable.

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Good luck to everyone starting school this week! You’ve got this.

- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

After five years of this, I’ve learned that the families who feel calm in August aren’t just lucky. They just used late summer differently.

The weeks before school starts are the highest-leverage moment of the year.

Why?

Because nothing is “on the line” yet. It’s the perfect time for a little proactive groundwork. NOT a cram session, just a head start.

Usually, the subjects that felt “hard” last year weren’t actually about the content. They were hard because they demanded a lot of executive function.

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But for students who struggled in a subject last year, or who are about to jump into something harder, like Algebra 2, AP Chemistry, a new foreign language, or executive function-heavy coursework like multi-step lab reports, late summer is actually the highest-leverage moment on the calendar. It’s the last stretch where a student can build a skill without the pressure of a grade attached to it.

The Research on Getting Ahead, Not Just Catching Up

Most conversations about tutoring focus on remediation: closing a gap after it’s already shown up on a report card. But the evidence on tutoring points to something bigger than damage control.

1Studies consistently show that tutoring increases students’ learning by an additional three to fifteen months across grade levels, and can move an average student from the 50th percentile to the 66th percentile. That’s not a small nudge. That’s the difference between a student who starts the year already behind and one who starts it with a foothold.

2Research also points to what actually makes tutoring effective: sessions that happen consistently, several times a week, led by a trained tutor rather than an ad-hoc helper. In other words, the format matters as much as the subject. A single cram session before finals isn’t the same intervention as a summer spent building fluency in small, repeated doses.

This is exactly why we frame subject tutoring at Just Start LA as a fall-readiness tool, not a fall-rescue tool. The goal isn’t to wait until a student is drowning in October. It’s to give them working knowledge and a sense of competence before the first unit test even exists.

Where Subject Tutoring Meets Executive Function

Here’s the piece that often gets missed: struggling in a subject is rarely only about the subject.

A student who’s behind in math isn’t just missing formulas. They’re often also missing the EF skills that makes math manageable: breaking a multi-step problem into parts, checking work before moving on, tolerating the frustration of getting something wrong on the first try. A student who’s behind in writing isn’t just missing grammar. They’re missing the planning and organization skills to go from a blank page to a structured essay.

This is why subject tutoring done well isn’t just content review. It’s content review paired with the executive function skills that let a student actually use that content independently once the tutor isn’t sitting next to them. A student who spends August getting ahead in a subject and practicing task initiation, working memory, and self-monitoring walks into September with two things most of their peers don’t have yet: knowledge, and a process.

That combination is what turns “getting ahead” into something that sticks past the first test.

This week’s tangible tool: The Fall Subject Readiness Checklist, a printable planning guide to help families map out which subjects need a head start and how to build a realistic tutoring rhythm before the first day of school.(Available for paid subscribers!)

Stay tuned!

-Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

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Here’s the tool I promised: a five-minute memory-chain game you can play in the car, at the dinner table, or on a slow afternoon. No worksheets, no planner system, no prep. Just a category and a little repetition.

The Rule

Everyone picks a category. Player 1 names one item. Player 2 repeats it and adds a second item. Player 3 repeats both and adds a third. Keep going around. You have to say the whole list, in order, before you’re allowed to add your own item. Forget one, and the chain starts back over at Player 1.

“I’m packing my backpack, and I’m bringing a water bottle... and my keys... and a snack.”

That’s it. That’s the whole game.

Pick a Category

• Packing a suitcase

• Grocery store list

• Things at the beach

• Zoo animals

• Foods

• Superheroes

Let your kid pick, or take turns picking. The category matters less than you’d think. The practice is in the repetition.

If It’s Too Easy or Too Hard

Make it easier: Stop at 4-5 items. Let them look at the category list while they think.

Keep it as-is: 6-8 items is the sweet spot for most kids.

Make it harder: 9+ items, alphabetical order only, or no repeats within a category.

No version is “more correct” than another. If a 9-year-old wants to play the hard mode and a 15-year-old wants easy mode, let them. The goal is a little stretch, not a struggle.

Why It Works

Working memory is the mental scratchpad kids use to hold onto information long enough to use it — directions, a train of thought, or what they walked into a room for.

During the school year, teachers and routines do a lot of that holding for them. In the summer, that all disappears, and a lot of what looks like “not listening” or “being scattered” is actually just an unpracticed working memory trying to keep up.

This game doesn’t fix that overnight. But it’s low-stakes, repeatable practice for the exact skill underneath it.

Want the printable version? I put together a one-page handout with the rule, the categories, and space to write out each round’s list. It’s perfect for sticking on the fridge or tossing in a beach bag. [Download it here.]

Play it a few times this week and let me know how it goes in the comments!

- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

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- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

When a student has spent the academic year relying on the rigid routines of school to prop up their working memory, the open-ended nature of summer can cause those hard-won organizational skills to slip away. This phenomenon is often referred to as the summer slide.

The Reality of Working Memory Fade

Many ADHD and autistic individuals have a limited working memory capacity.

1According to Neurodivergent Insights, working memory is “the ability to hold and manipulate information in the mind long enough to use it in the moment.” It is the mental scratchpad that allows a student to remember a multi-step instruction, keep track of their belongings, or hold a thought while transitioning between tasks.

Neurodivergent Insights also notes that for many neurodivergent people, “working memory capacity may be more limited or more easily disrupted by stress, sensory load, or fatigue.” During the school year, teachers and parents often provide constant external scaffolding to compensate for this. When that external pressure and structure disappear in the summer, neurodivergent students are left to manage their own time and tasks without the supports they have come to rely on.

This creates a paradox where a student might have all the free time in the world, but they cannot seem to organize themselves to do the activities they actually enjoy. Their mind might be full of ideas, but the cognitive load of planning and executing those ideas leads to paralysis rather than genuine relaxation. They are not resting; they are simply trapped in a holding pattern of executive dysfunction.

To truly support a neurodivergent mind during the summer months, we have to recognize that working memory needs gentle, consistent exercise. Maintaining organizational skills is not about rigid schedules. It is a biological necessity for reducing cognitive overload and anxiety.

When we view organization through the lens of working memory support, we stop measuring the success of a summer routine by how strict it is. Instead, we measure it by how much cognitive load it removes from the student’s daily life.

Discovering Authentic Organization

We need to help students understand that their version of organization might look entirely different from what society expects.

Traditional advice often suggests that organization means perfectly tidy rooms or complex planner systems. However, for an ADHD brain, a complex system can actually increase cognitive load and lead to avoidance. Authentic organization for these students often involves visual cues and extreme simplicity.

2The Child Mind Institute offers a helpful reminder from Linda Hecker, MEd, lead education specialist at the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training: “Routines are the goal. When we’re able to automate a task it no longer requires working memory to function. Remembering what to do next takes up cognitive workspace, and that’s not necessary.”

This is the heart of authentic summer organization. The goal is not to build a perfect system. The goal is to reduce the number of things a student has to actively hold in their mind at any given moment.

Organization might look like having a single “doom box” where all miscellaneous items go, rather than expecting every item to have a specific drawer. It might look like using a giant whiteboard in the kitchen to track the day’s one or two main activities. It might mean parallel planning, where they sit in the same room as a parent, breaking down a fun project into smaller steps without the exhausting pressure of doing it entirely alone.

These activities provide necessary structure and allow the brain to engage in tasks without the heavy burden of holding all the information in their working memory.

By helping students identify their unique organizational needs, we give them permission to drop the guilt of not being perfectly tidy. We empower them to claim the exact type of structure their working memory requires to function smoothly.

This week’s tangible tool: The Working Memory Challenge, a fun, printable game designed to strengthen working memory and build organizational thinking in neurodivergent students! (Available for paid subscribers on Thursday!)

Stay tuned!

- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

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This post is the full answer. Because “just relax” is not an instruction a neurodivergent nervous system can follow. Rest is not one thing. It is a category of needs, and the wrong type of rest for the wrong state does not restore you. It just wastes time and confirms the lie that you are bad at resting.

Here is the framework that changes that.

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When a student has spent nine months pushing through sensory overload and masking to meet neuronormative expectations, their nervous system becomes wired for constant activation. Slowing down suddenly feels unsafe.

The Reality of Productivity Guilt

Many ADHD and autistic individuals internalize the message that their worth is tied directly to their output. When the external pressure of grades and assignments disappears in June, they are left alone with an inner critic that demands they constantly do something “useful.”

This creates a paradox where a student might physically lie in bed all day, but mentally, they are sprinting. Their mind is racing with everything they “should” be doing, leading to a state of exhausting paralysis rather than genuine relaxation. They are not resting; they are simply trapped in a holding pattern of shame.

To truly support a neurodivergent mind during the summer months, we have to redefine what productivity means. For a nervous system that is chronically dysregulated, returning to a state of calm is the most productive thing a person can do. Rest is not a reward for hard work. It is a biological necessity.

When we view rest through the lens of nervous system regulation, we stop measuring the success of a summer day by how many chores were completed or books were read. Instead, we measure it by how safe the student feels in their own body.

Discovering Authentic Regulation

We need to help students understand that their version of rest might look entirely different from what society expects.

Traditional advice often suggests that relaxation means quiet meditation or sitting still. However, for a monotropic or ADHD brain, sitting still with no stimulation can actually increase anxiety. Authentic rest for these students often involves motion and deep engagement.

Rest might look like spending four uninterrupted hours hyper-focused on building a complex Minecraft world. It might look like pacing the room while listening to the same song on repeat to discharge built-up physical tension. It might mean parallel play, where they sit in the same room as a friend or family member, doing completely separate activities without the exhausting pressure of holding a conversation.

These activities provide deep proprioceptive input and allow the brain to enter a flow state without the heavy burden of social masking.

By helping students identify their unique regulatory needs, we give them permission to drop the guilt. We empower them to claim the exact type of rest their nervous system requires to heal.

This week’s tangible tool: The Regulation Menu, a customizable framework to help students map out their unique sensory and cognitive rest needs! (Available for paid subscribers on Thursday!)

Stay tuned!

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- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

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Most vision boards end up in a drawer by August.

Not because the person who made them stopped caring. But because nobody told them the second part: how to make the board do anything after you hang it up.

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The summer break is not just a pause button; it is a unique opportunity for cognitive recovery, habit maintenance, and intentional pacing.

The Science of Purposeful Rest

Executive function skills are the brain’s management system. They help us plan, organize, and execute tasks. During the school year, students are often operating at maximum cognitive load. They are constantly juggling deadlines, social dynamics, and extracurriculars.

The transition into summer provides the necessary downtime to let those mental muscles recover.

However, complete cognitive inactivity can lead to what educators call the “summer slide.” When a student loses all structure, their executive function skills can atrophy. Their brain shifts from high gear to neutral, making the inevitable return to high gear in the fall feel overwhelming.

Research in cognitive psychology suggests that the brain recovers best not through total inactivity, but through a balance of rest and low-stakes engagement. Furthermore, studies indicate that students who maintain a baseline of routine during the summer demonstrate stronger executive function skills and greater resilience when facing the new academic year.

Summer intention is the “active recovery” phase of the executive function world. It is the moment the brain has to ask: How can I rest effectively while keeping my foundational habits intact?

The Goal is Balance, Not Just Inactivity

A summer break that lacks any intention is a missed opportunity for true recovery and growth.

We are not aiming for a summer schedule that feels like a punitive extension of the school year. We are aiming for a conversation where a student learns that they are capable of designing a lifestyle that balances rest with purpose.

When we ask them to set intentions, we are not being demanding. We are being coaches. We are giving them the space to practice the very skills they will need when they eventually manage their own time, careers, and personal well-being.

This week’s tangible tool: The Summer Vision Board, a visual collage of images, words, and goals to pick an intention and stick with it! (Available for paid subscribers on Thursday!)

Stay tuned!

- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

The students who thrive in September are not the ones who had a perfect year in June. They are the ones who spent a few quiet summer minutes figuring out what went wrong and deciding to do one thing differently.

It is officially summer.

The backpack is by the door.

The planner has been abandoned somewhere between the kitchen counter and the recycling bin.

And the last thing anyone wants to do right now is think about school.

I get it.

But here is what I know after years of working with students on their executive function systems: the fall does not start in August. It starts right now, in the quiet space between the last day of school and the first lazy week of summer, when the year is still fresh enough to learn from.

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End-of-year reflection is not just about celebrating the finish line. It is a critical executive function exercise that turns hindsight into a strategic advantage for the fall.

It usually happens the moment the final backpack is unceremoniously dropped by the front door.

The frantic pace of June has finally ended.

The last exam is taken, the locker is cleaned out, and the summer break has officially begun.

And then, the collective sigh of relief sets in.

As parents and educators, our first instinct is often to close the book on the school year immediately. We want to pivot straight to summer relaxation, camps, and pool days. We feel like the best way to recover from the academic grind is to forget it entirely until August.

But when we rush past the transition without a deliberate pause, we are accidentally leaving valuable data on the table.

The end of the school year is not just a finish line; it is a rich laboratory for self-monitoring, metacognition, and strategic planning.

The Science of Looking Back to Move Forward

Executive function skills are the brain’s management system. They help us evaluate our performance, recognize patterns, and adjust our strategies. During the school year, students are often moving too fast to see the big picture. They are simply surviving from one assignment to the next.

The transition into summer provides the necessary distance to evaluate those systems.

When a student takes time to reflect on what worked and what fell apart, they are engaging in metacognition (thinking about their own thinking). Their brain is shifting from reactive survival mode to proactive evaluation.

Research from the Harvard Business School suggests that learning from direct experience is significantly more effective when coupled with reflection. Furthermore, studies in educational psychology indicate that students who regularly engage in structured reflection demonstrate stronger executive function skills and greater resilience when facing new academic challenges.

Reflection is the “data analysis” phase of the executive function world. It is the moment the brain has to ask: What systems supported me this year, and what friction points do I want to eliminate before the fall?

Try this: Review, Recognize, Reframe, Reset

When your student crosses the finish line of the school year, instead of just celebrating the end, provide a framework for processing the journey. The goal is to shift them from a passive participant in their education to an active architect of their learning systems.

Review the highs and lows.

When the dust settles, create a low-pressure environment to look back. Give the brain a chance to objectively review the timeline of the year without judgment.

Try asking:

“What was the easiest part of your routine this year, and what was the part that always felt like an uphill battle?”

Recognize the invisible systems.

If they are struggling to articulate what worked, help them identify the habits they built. This helps the brain recognize that success is often the result of small, repeatable actions rather than just raw talent or luck.

Try pointing out:

“I noticed that when you started packing your backpack the night before, your mornings were much calmer. That is a great system you built.”

This forces them to use self-awareness and evaluation to identify their own effective strategies.

Reframe the failures as data.

Often, the hurdle to reflection is the fear of dwelling on mistakes. A student might think about a failed project and feel shame. Help them reframe that experience as valuable information for future planning.

1. Identify the specific breakdown (e.g., waiting until the night before).

2. Note the consequence.

3. Brainstorm one small adjustment for next time.

Once the failure is viewed as data, the barrier to learning from it drops.

Reset with one clear intention.

Encourage a “focused commitment” for the fall. This is not about a massive overhaul; it is about the act of moving from evaluation to intentional planning. Whether it is a commitment to using a planner daily, communicating earlier with teachers, or protecting Sunday evenings for review, the goal is clarity.

Try saying:

“You do not have to change everything for next year. Let’s just pick one small intention that will make your life easier when August rolls around.”

The Goal is Growth, Not Just Completion

A transition into summer that avoids reflection is a missed opportunity for growth.

We are not aiming for a reflection process that feels like a punitive review of their grades. We are aiming for a conversation where a student learns that they are capable of designing systems that work for their unique brain.

When we ask them to reflect, we are not being demanding. We are being coaches. We are giving them the space to practice the very skills they will need when they eventually head to college, start a job, or manage complex projects.

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This week’s tangible tool: The Fall Friction-Finder, a structured reflection worksheet for this past school year that helps your student plan for their upcoming one.

Stay tuned!

- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

However, this well-intentioned impulse can inadvertently hinder a child’s development of crucial executive function skills. When we consistently provide solutions, we deny them the opportunity to engage their internal problem-solving mechanisms.

Boredom, far from being a problem to be fixed, is a powerful catalyst for growth in areas like task initiation, planning, and cognitive flexibility.

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Summer boredom is not a problem to be solved by parents. It is a signal for the student’s brain to start its own engines.

It usually happens around week three of summer.

The novelty of the late wake-ups has worn off.

The “must-see” summer movies have been watched.

The initial excitement of “no school” has settled into a long, hot, flat afternoon with no clear direction.

And then, you hear it.

“I’m bored.”

As parents, our first instinct is often to fix it. We suggest a craft, point toward the backyard, or—in moments of summer exhaustion—hand over a screen just to stop the whining. We feel like it is our job to be the Chief Entertainment Officer of July.

But when we constantly solve summer boredom for our students, we are accidentally doing the heavy lifting for their executive function systems.

Summer boredom is not a void to be filled; it is a laboratory for task initiation, planning, and cognitive flexibility.

The Science of Doing Nothing in the Summer

Executive function skills are the brain’s management system. They help us decide what to do, how to start, and how to keep going. During the school year, these “management” decisions are often made for the student. The teacher says, “Open your book to page 42,” and the task initiation is triggered externally.

Summer removes that external trigger.

When a student says they are bored on a Tuesday in July, what they are often experiencing is a breakdown in self-initiation. Their brain is waiting for a bell schedule that isn’t coming.

Research from the University of Central Lancashire suggests that boredom can actually be a gateway to increased creativity and problem-solving, as the brain searches for internal stimulation when external stimulation is low.1Furthermore, studies highlighted by NWCP Pediatrics indicate that children with more unstructured summer time—periods where they must navigate their own “boredom”—show stronger executive function skills than those whose schedules are entirely managed by adults.2

Boredom is the “resistance training” of the summer executive function world. It is the moment the brain has to ask: What do I want to do with this open afternoon, and how do I make it happen?

Try this: Pause, Prompt, Plan, Produce

When your student hits the “summer boredom wall,” instead of providing the solution, provide the framework. The goal is to shift them from a passive state (waiting for input) to an active state (generating output).

Pause before providing a solution.

When you hear “I’m bored,” wait. Give the brain a few minutes to sit in the discomfort of the quiet house. You can acknowledge the feeling without taking ownership of it.

Try saying:

“Summer boredom is just your brain getting ready to think of something new. I’m excited to see what you come up with before dinner.”

Prompt the internal search.

If they are truly stuck, don’t give a specific task. Give a category. This helps the brain narrow the field of choices without making the final decision for them.

Try asking:

“Are you looking for a summer activity that uses your hands, something that gets you outside, or something that uses your brain?”

This forces them to use categorization and self-awareness to identify their own needs.

Plan the first three steps.

Often, the hurdle isn’t a lack of summer ideas; it’s a lack of sequencing. A student might think, “I want to set up the sprinkler,” but then get overwhelmed by the “how.”Help them name the first three tiny steps.

1. Find the hose.

2. Clear the patio.

3. Grab your towel.

Once the sequence is clear, the barrier to initiation drops.

Produce something—anything.

Encourage a “low-stakes output.” This isn’t about a masterpiece; it’s about the act of moving from thinking to doing. Whether it’s a five-minute sketch of the backyard, a new LEGO configuration, or a quick summer obstacle course, the goal is the transition.

Try saying:

“You don’t have to do it for an hour. Just see what you can produce in the next ten minutes of this afternoon.”

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The Goal is Independence, Not Entertainment

A summer plan that avoids boredom is a missed opportunity for growth.

We aren’t aiming for a summer where every minute is “productive” in the traditional sense. We are aiming for a summer where a student learns that they are capable of navigating their own time.

When we let them be bored, we aren’t being “mean.” We are being coaches. We are giving them the space to practice the very skills they will need when they eventually head to college, start a job, or manage a household.

The “I’m bored” whine is just the sound of the brain’s engine trying to turn over in the summer heat. Let it crank.

This week’s tangible tool: The Boredom Menu, a visual guide that helps your student categorize their interests and identify the “First Three Steps” for any activity.

Stay tuned!

- Jordyn, Founder of Just Start

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