Understanding the Role of Online EF Coaches for Your Child: A Guide for Parents
Updated: Jul 23
Want to share a product or service with over 6,000 parents and educators interested in executive functioning?
As parents, it's important to know what you can and cannot expect from an online Executive Function Coach.
In this post, we will clear up any misconceptions and provide a comprehensive guide.
Table of Contents
So you think you're ready to hire an executive function coach for your child? Hold that thought for a moment.
Making the decision to enlist professional help to support your child's educational journey is a significant step, but it's not one to be taken lightly.
Executive function coaching can be transformative, honing vital cognitive skills like organization, planning, and task management.
But before you jump in, there's something you need to consider.
Just like any other educational tool, understanding the role of an EF coach is crucial.
Yes, they can do wonders, but it's essential to know the boundaries of what they can and cannot do.
Let's dive in and unravel the world of EF coaching, painting a realistic picture of how it can foster your child’s growth and development.👇
What You CAN'T Expect from an EF Coach
It's critical to outline the limitations of an EF coach.
While our coaches are trained professionals, they are not a replacement for certain roles and responsibilities.
For instance:
Completing Assignments: EF coaches do not turn in or do assignments for students. They are here to guide, not to act as academic surrogates.
Perfection: EF coaches understand that every child is unique and learning is a process, so expecting instant perfection isn’t realistic or healthy.
Child Fixers: EF coaches aren't here to “fix” your child. They are here to teach skills and strategies that help them succeed academically and in life.
Therapist Role: EF coaches are not family therapists, counselors, or intensive counselors. They cannot help with trauma, nor should they be used to mediate parent-child disputes.
Device Monitoring: EF coaches do not monitor your child’s phone or screen time usage. That remains a parental responsibility.
Total Communication: While EF coaches will communicate with parents and stakeholders about coaching progress, they won't communicate directly with teachers on behalf of students.
Major Change in a Few Sessions: It's important to be patient and understand that major changes, especially concerning lifelong behaviors, can't occur in just a few sessions
What You CAN Expect from an EF Coach
Now that we have established what EF coaches are not here to do, let's focus on what they can provide:
Skill Development: EF coaches teach crucial skills like note-taking, task prioritization, and effective study methods. They also help students understand how to chunk out larger assignments/projects into manageable parts.
Strategy Planning: They work with students on planning strategies and creating organizational systems that enable successful task management.
Team Collaboration: EF coaches collaborate with stakeholders and work as a team to ensure that the student is working to their potential. This includes regular communication and possibly facilitating family team meetings.
Emotional Support: Coaches provide tools for stress management/reduction and emotional regulation, fostering resilience and self-confidence in students.
Advocacy Skills: They model and teach self-advocacy and self-efficacy skills, especially valuable for students with Special Education Needs (SPED) or Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and 504 Plans.
Academic Support: Coaches provide help with things like grade checking, making to-do lists, tracking assignments, and provide help in navigating school assessments and services.
Routine Establishment: They assist in establishing a daily routine/structure to get "life tasks" done, contributing to a child's ability to self-regulate over time.
ADHD Awareness: For parents with ADHD children, EF coaches can provide insights to help parents understand ADHD better.
Positive Reinforcement: EF coaches aim to be a consistent, positive support for the student, building their confidence along the way.
With the right expectations, EF coaching can be an invaluable tool in supporting your child.
Is this the type of support you are looking for for your student? Book a no-cost inquiry call with our team at EF Specialists here.
If you're curious what a typical executive function coaching session might look like, check out this webinar I did on How to Run an Effective EF Coaching Session👇
Why Are Clear Expectations Upfront Beneficial For Parents?
Unrealistic expectations often lead to dissatisfaction and disappointment.
There is a famous saying on this:
Expectations are the dark room in which resentments develop.
Think of working with an EF coach as setting off on an exciting adventure with your child and the EF coach as your seasoned guide.
But before we set sail, it's critical to chart the course, or in other words, to set realistic expectations.
Just as a fitness coach can't lift weights for you, an EF coach can't do your child's assignments.
Their role is akin to teaching your child to "flex their educational muscles", aiding them in mastering planning, organization, and task management.
Setting expectations is like building a lighthouse, guiding the journey and preventing detours into the choppy seas of disappointment.
It allows parents to direct their resources (time, effort, and finances) effectively, steering the child's educational journey in the most beneficial way.
Moreover, clear expectations create a harmonious rhythm between parents and coaches, enhancing collaboration.
It also makes progress easier to spot, like cheering for each nautical mile traveled instead of waiting to reach the destination.
And the best part?
Your child becomes a confident sailor, ready to navigate the vast ocean of learning without feeling overwhelmed.
So, let's set a realistic course and embark on this exciting EF coaching voyage together!
The Bottom Line
The journey to better executive functioning is an engaging and rewarding one.
Understanding and working on these skills can profoundly enhance your child's educational experience and offer them tools for life-long success.
Interested in helping your child make the most of their potential? Working with an EF coach could be the key.
You can book a no-cost inquiry call here to learn more about how our team of executive function coaches can help your child.
Coaches work alongside your child, fostering skills that will help them navigate not just school, but life beyond the classroom.
Your dedication is your child's advantage. Here's to fostering skills today for a brighter, more successful tomorrow.
Hope this helps 🤙🏻
FAQs
How long does executive function coaching usually take to show results?
Some students begin using new strategies within a few weeks, while deeper changes in habits and independence often take several months. Progress depends on the student’s needs, consistency, motivation, and opportunities to practice skills between sessions.
How involved should parents be in executive function coaching?
Parents should stay informed and support the systems being developed without taking over responsibility for the student. A good coach will help parents understand when to step in, when to step back, and how to encourage growing independence.
How do I know if executive function coaching is the right support for my child?
EF coaching may be a good fit if your child struggles with planning, organization, time management, task initiation, prioritization, or managing school responsibilities independently. If the primary concern involves significant mental health, trauma, or emotional challenges, additional support from a licensed mental health professional may be more appropriate.
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P.S. If you want to work on executive function skills with your students, consider joining hundreds of other educators and parents who have completed my Semester Success Blueprint Course. In less than 2 hours, this comprehensive course will teach you and your student the system I developed to help hundreds of students learn how to manage school effectively and raise their self-awareness and engagement with school.
About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and growing my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.
Want me to speak on executive function skills at your event? Learn more about my speaking topics here.