Yellow Parachute Blog
Yellow Parachute’s Blog Mission
Our blog mission is to share the research and resources that inform our unique approach to coaching Executive Function Skills, to advocate for neurodiversity, and to uplift students, parents, educators, and leaders.
The Link Between Executive Function Skills, Vulnerability, and Connection
In June 2010, Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work who has now become a household name, rocked our understanding of human emotions in her Ted Talk The Power Of [...]
What Your Kids Need You to Do When They Mess Up
I tend to shy away from "how to parent" posts because I recognize parenting as such a personal choice. But after 20+ years of coaching, and 17+ years of parenting neurodiverse humans, I can offer some guidelines [...]
Parent Coaching Smoothes Out the Rough Spots
Parenting is often full of joys, and it is also true that sometimes our kids give us a real run for our money. Sometimes it really does take a village. We used to live in communities of family [...]
The Summer of MINDSET
Can we make this the summer of MINDSET? Oh my goodness, families, the more time I spend studying what makes us successful in every aspect of our lives….it’s…you guessed it. Mindset. I’m going to use the “show don’t [...]
The Secret to A Well-Lived Summer
Happiness is not a goal...it's a by-product of a life well-lived. - Eleanor Roosevelt What's the secret? Do more of what makes you happy. It's simple, right? So simple that I wondered if I should even write this [...]
My Brain With ADHD (And How I Can Help It)
"What does it feel like when you feel like you can't do something?" I ask. "It's kind of like this," he gestures for my apple pencil and begins to sketch in orange, "There's a big figure with a [...]
How to Get What You Want in Life (It’s Simpler Than You Think)
Congratulations Graduates! (Now what will you do with your life!?!?) Parents, do you remember, back in the day, when it seemed like EVERYONE was asking you that question? I wasn't one of those people who knew exactly what [...]
7 Steps to Show Your Work in Math
Does your student have trouble showing their work in multi-step math problems? Maybe they're not really trying to push your buttons! Looking through an Executive Function Skills lens, we can identify a stress on working memory bandwidth and [...]
How to Prioritize Time Using Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand
You may be surprised to know that not everything we do at Yellow Parachute is original to us. (Wink.) Part of our passion is to take the best habits, proven successful over time, and bring them to [...]
How to Coach “The Executives” in Your Brain Get What You Need
“Wait, so there are like, EXECUTIVES in my BRAIN?” Nothing like curiosity to inspire the development of new neural pathways! Analogies are a powerful way to teach, and we are grateful to @adhd_understood for lending us the vision [...]
Transform ADHD Stressors into Get-It-Done Super Powers!
It’s May! Outdoor activities have increased, and we are officially waking from winter slumber in Minnesota. In spite of these delightful beginnings, school year 's end can signal a RUSH of stressors to retake tests, turn in missing [...]
How to Conquer Your Lack of Motivation to Get Things Done
Tackling a to-do list when you lack motivation is not impossible. Read that again. Do you ever feel “a little bit sick” with overwhelm when you have too many things you don’t want to do on your plate? [...]
From Button Pushers to Problem Solvers: How to Manage Conflict With an EF Detective Lens
Do you feel like your kids have the User’s Manual on how to make steam come out of your ears? The good news? You are not alone. The even BETTER news? You can turn them from button pushers [...]
ADHD Parenting: How to Transform Your Kid From Button Pusher to Problem Solver
It might seem like your kid is a powerful button pusher; your kid is also a powerful problem solver! I hope this story brings you perspective in conquering regret #3 in “Parenting With No Regrets.” Regret #3: [...]
Parenting an ADHD Fam
How many Spring Break Schedules does your family navigate? Between the boys, husband and daughter, and my coaching families, we’re at 3! So I took some extra time to dig into our author’s second regret in ““If I [...]
Parenting With No Regrets – Know Myself
Do you feel like parenting is a tug-of-war? And you always end up in the mud? Do you feel like parenting involves giving your kid too many “chances” and too much “giving in?” Remember the conversation (or [...]
Parenting With No Regrets
Teens can be SCRATCHY, #amIright? It can be SUUUUPER hard to bite my tongue instead of unleashing a litany of complaints when I feel unappreciated. So in my mission to do what matters most in my role as [...]
ADHD Masking: When Coping Gets In the Way
What Is ADHD Masking? “I appear very organized to the outside world, but only because I spend an immense amount of time and energy putting everything together.” “My house is an embarrassing cluttered mess. I don’t let people [...]
