…starting, prioritizing, and/or completing tasks
…following directions
…time management
…self-regulation and self-control
…focusing on a task and following it through to completion
…multitasking
…completing math problems mentally
…reading and reading retention

These children struggle with things that are automatic for other children, and appear to be lazy, unfocused, defiant, or disobedient,

7 Tips to Boost Your Child’s Working Memory

1) Be clear and concise when giving directions. Make sure you have your child’s full attention when giving directions. Remove distractions, get down to their level, and look them in the eye when speaking. Remember to keep directions short and sweet, and to break them down into manageable tasks that won’t cause feelings of overwhelm. By keeping your requests as specific as possible and limiting the number of things you’re asking a child to do at once, you’re setting him or her up for success.

2) Ask your child to repeat directions back to you. After providing directions, ask your child to repeat what you’ve said back to you to ensure they heard you correctly. This extra step is a great way to improve retention, and allows you to fill in any gaps if your child forgot one or more of the things you said.

3) Teach visualization. Teaching your child to create a mental picture of the things you ask him or her to do is a great way to improve working memory. You may need to take it a step further at first and have your child draw his or her mental picture for you, but the more you practice, the better able your child will be at visualizing the things asked of him or her.