Executive functioning is now a buzzword in the formal school years, mostly because our children seem to show an all-time low of executive function skills. It is formally defined as “a set of processes that all have to do with managing oneself and one’s resources in order to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for the neurologically-based skills involving mental control and self-regulation.” The three main areas of executive function are • Working memory • Cognitive flexibility (also called flexible thinking) • Inhibitory control (which includes self-control)
