This is for all those parents whose teen is a procrastinator!
When teens procrastinate, they are doing so for a reason. Maybe it is fear of failure, sheer boredom or lack of motivation and drive in the moment.
For Neurodiverse Teens this is certainly more prevalent.
As the quote states, teaching them to understand that putting it off in many cases leads to late assignments, lack of preparation and missed opportunities, is vital to helping them self-motivate.
The key is finding a collaborative way to do so. Some kids respond well to someone constantly reminding them, others may shut down from that strategy.
However, before they will collaborate, they need to see the potential consequence of their inaction. Helping them reflect on the future result of the procrastination often will help them realize the importance of getting the task done.
Then asking them what you can do to support them to accomplish the task is key. Maybe they want a reminder, maybe you need to help them chunk it into bite size tasks that can hold their attention. Maybe it’s teaching them how to use a digital or written planner to manage their time, tasks and track assignments.
At the end of the day, not doing it, only leads to a negative outcome. When we can learn to understand what they need to stay motivated, then we can support them to be successful.
#executivefunctioning #youthmentalhealth