Executive Function and ADHD: What Every Parent Should Know
If you’ve ever wondered why your child finds it so hard to get started on homework, remember their lunchbox, or manage big feelings after school, executive functioning might be the missing puzzle piece.
Executive functioning and ADHD are closely linked — so much so that it's hard to talk about one without mentioning the other. Many of the traits we associate with ADHD, such as distractibility, impulsivity, and difficulty following through, are often rooted in lagging executive function skills.
But what is executive function?
Think of them as the brain’s management system. Executive function is our ability to pause, pay attention to what we’re doing, reflect, and choose the best action in the moment, so we can create better outcomes now and in the future. They’re the reason we can plan, prioritise, and keep everything running smoothly. In other words, they’re kind of a big deal.
Key Executive Function Skills
• Activation – organising, prioritising (mapping out steps to reach a goal), and getting started (even when you don’t feel like it)
• Focus – sustaining attention and shifting between tasks or adjusting to change
• Effort – regulating alertness, sustaining effort, and processing speed
• Emotion – managing frustration and modulating emotions in helpful ways
• Memory – using working memory and accessing recall
• Action – monitoring and self-regulating behaviour
These skills don’t just magically appear — they develop slowly over time, with the frontal lobe (the part of the brain responsible for executive functioning) maturing well into our twenties. When kids are younger, adults often act as their ‘external brain,’ scaffolding these skills until they can manage more on their own.
However, for children and teens with ADHD, these skills don’t always develop at the same pace.
ADHD: It’s Not Just About Focus
A common misconception is that ADHD is just about not paying attention. But in reality, it’s more about regulating attention. The brain systems that support executive function are among the slowest to develop. Their growth is influenced by genetics, biology and the environments we live and learn in. It is understood that executive functions develop hierarchically, with working memory and response inhibition developing first, then cognitive flexibility and finally higher level skills such as problem solving, planning and reasoning. The cognitive development of ADHD individuals is, however, delayed. Not everyone who struggles with executive functioning has ADHD, however nearly everyone with ADHD will experience executive function challenges at some point.
For this reason, instead of thinking about attention deficits, it’s helpful to consider executive function challenges—like difficulty planning ahead, managing emotions, or switching gears. That’s why understanding your child’s unique executive functioning profile can be so powerful. It helps you figure out what kind of support they actually need—whether that’s staying organized, getting started on tasks, breaking tasks into steps, creating visual routines, or practicing emotional regulation strategies.
Is It ADHD or Something Else?
It’s worth knowing that not every child who struggles with executive functioning has ADHD. These kinds of challenges—like trouble staying organised, getting started on tasks, or managing big emotions—can also stem from things like learning differences, anxiety, or simply how their brain is wired at this stage of development.
That said, if your child does have ADHD, executive functioning challenges are almost certainly part of the picture. In fact, it’s one of the most consistent patterns we see. At some point—whether it’s difficulty shifting gears, following through on instructions, or remembering what they were meant to be doing in the first place—executive function struggles will likely show up. It’s not a personal failing, it’s just how the ADHD brain is built.
The good news? Once we understand which executive skills are strong and which ones need support, we can get really practical about how to help. There are strategies that work—and coaching can make a real difference.
Resources That Actually Help
If you're feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it all out from scratch. There are some fantastic, research-backed resources designed to support families navigating ADHD and executive functioning challenges:
• Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare: A go-to guide for understanding (and building) executive skills in children and teens
• ADHD 2.0 by Edward Hallowell and John Ratey: A strengths-based look at how the ADHD brain works and what can help
• ADDitude Magazine: Full of practical strategies, real-life stories, and downloadable tools
These resources are a great starting point, but sometimes what’s really needed is tailored support—someone to walk alongside your child (and you) and help put strategies into action. That’s where ADHD coaching can be a powerful complement to other supports like school accommodations, tutoring, or therapy.
The Takeaway
Executive functioning skills are the scaffolding for just about everything we ask young people to do: from getting ready in the morning to handling homework, friendships, and big feelings. And for kids with ADHD, those skills can be slower to develop, inconsistent day to day, or harder to access when they’re stressed or tired.
But that doesn’t mean they can’t be strengthened.
With the right tools, encouragement, and strategies that actually make sense to their brains, young people can grow their executive function skills in ways that feel achievable; not overwhelming.
And the ripple effect? More independence. Less conflict. A greater sense of capability and calm.
Want some support?
If this article has you thinking, “Yes! This is my child!”—you’re not alone. I work with students and families to build practical, real-world executive function strategies tailored to ADHD brains. If you're curious about whether ADHD coaching might be a good fit, I offer free discovery calls where we can chat about what’s going on and how I might be able to help.