Planning feels important right now…
This time of year, I start to hear a shift from parents.
“We need to get organized.”
“We need a plan.”
“We need to figure out how to finish strong.”
And that instinct makes sense.
Because when things feel off track, planning feels like the next right step.
What You’re Seeing
Your child has a plan. They’ve written things down. They know what needs to get done.
And still…
They don’t start. They get stuck. They avoid it altogether.
From the outside, it can feel like: “They’re not using the plan.”
“They’re procrastinating.” “They just need to try harder.”
But often, something else is happening. This is the part we don’t always see.
Executive function is layered. There are foundational skills: like attention, working memory, and regulation and advanced skills, like planning and time management.
Planning feels like the place to start.
But it’s actually an advanced skill.
So when a child can’t follow through on a plan, it’s often not the plan that’s the problem.
It’s what’s happening underneath it. When the foundation is overwhelmed, the plan falls apart.
That’s why I wanted to share a resource from a colleague of mine, Suzy Carbrey.
She created a Quarterly Goal Planner designed to help break big goals into manageable steps and reduce that all-or-nothing pressure so many families feel.
With this planner, you’ll be able to:
✔ Break big goals into doable steps
✔ Stay focused on what matters most
✔ Build rhythms that work with your brain
✔ Head into the next quarter with more clarity
Simple, practical, and designed for real life.
The other day, a student said to me,
“My perfectionism is holding me up. I have a plan. I know what I need to do… but I keep getting stuck.”
And honestly, as a coach, this was a successful moment.
Because for so long, it looked like the plan wasn’t working.
Like something needed to be fixed or changed.
But that wasn’t it.
She was starting to recognize that the breakdown wasn’t in the planning.
It was in the perfectionism that was stopping her from starting.
That awareness changed everything.
Because when a student can name what’s getting in the way,
we can begin to work with it instead of pushing against it.
And that’s where real progress begins.
Next week, I’ll share something that helps explain why even the best plans can still fall apart—and what to look for instead.
ADHD isn’t just about attention. Often, the real challenge is working memory. When that system gets overloaded, kids aren’t being careless or unmotivated—they’re losing access to information in the moment.
If you’ve ever wondered why your child forgets, avoids, or struggles to follow through, this is exactly the kind of insight you’ll gain in the Parenting Your ADHD Kid Summit.
Kristina Manning has gathered 35+ experts to share practical, research-informed strategies on:
✔️ Routines that actually work for ADHD brains
✔️ Medication decisions
✔️ Nutrition and focus
✔️ ADHD in girls
✔️ Connection-based discipline
And you can get access to all of it by clicking here
Warmly,
Crista
Owner and Founder of Connected Pathways Coaching & Academy
