Dealing with Impulsivity in Young Children: Promoting Reflection and Executive Function

Young children are naturally impulsive, from the 11-month-old eagerly crawling to explore the electrical outlet on the wall to the 3-year-old dashing into the street to retrieve her ball, to the preschool punching a classmate who gets in his space. With maturation and parental guidance, young children can build reflective skills and executive function, learning to pause, think, calm their emotions and problem-solve.   Mike Huber has been an early childhood educator since 1992 and is a member of the leadership team at St. David’s Center for Child and Family Development, a supporting partner of Mom Enough. Mike brings a fresh perspective to impulsivity, seeing both its positive aspects (initiative, goal-directed behavior) and challenges, and he offers fun, effective ways to help children learn to recognize and override misguided impulses and come up with more appropriate alternatives. Don’t miss a lively discussion of this important topic in lifelong human development!   IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU SEE IMPULSIVITY IN YOUR CHILDREN? Think of times when you’ve seen your children be more reflective, stopping to think even when they have an impulse to do something inappropriate, hurtful or dangerous. What practical tips did you hear in this Mom Enough episode to help your children learn to pause, listen and think before they act? What positive aspects of impulsivity did you learn about?   WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND OUR GUEST? ❉ Teaching With the Body in Mind.  Check out this page for helpful information that celebrates children's need to move in big, challenging, rough, and joyful ways.   ❉ Mike Huber's Children's Books. Check out our guest's facebook page to learn more about his children's books.