Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary "Executive Skills" Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential

There’s nothing more frustrating than watching your bright, talented son or daughter struggle with everyday tasks like finishing homework, putting away toys, or following instructions at school. Your “smart but scattered” child might also have trouble coping with disappointment or managing anger. Drs. Peg Dawson and Richard Guare have great news: there’s a lot you can do to help.

The latest research in child development shows that many kids who have the brain and heart to succeed lack or lag behind in crucial “executive skills”--the fundamental habits of mind required for getting organized, staying focused, and controlling impulses and emotions. Learn easy-to-follow steps to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses, use activities and techniques proven to boost specific skills, and problem-solve daily routines. Small changes can add up to big improvements--this empowering book shows how.

Peg Dawson, EdD, is a staff psychologist at the Center for Learning and Attention Disorders at Seacoast Mental Health Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she specializes in the assessment of children and adults with learning and attention disorders. Dr. Dawson is a past president of the New Hampshire Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the International School Psychology Association. She is a recipient of the National Association of School Psychologists' Lifetime Achievement Award.

Richard Guare, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist and is Director of the Center for Learning and Attention Disorders in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.