Dandelion Hub

Dandelion Hub Helping neurodiverse children and teens across Australia build executive function skills through practical strategies.

EF therapy available in Melbourne and online, supporting organisation, planning, and self-management for daily life

When most people hear “executive functioning”, they think planners and reminders. While planners and reminders can be us...
04/06/2026

When most people hear “executive functioning”, they think planners and reminders.

While planners and reminders can be useful strategies to support organisation, that is but one part of our executive functioning!

Aside from planning and organisation, there are at least 10 other executive functions! These other executive functions include what a child uses to get started, to stay with a task, to manage frustration, and to shift when something isn’t working.

And executive functions never work on their own – they always work together. Think about getting ready for school: You need to stay on task, avoid distractions, hold instructions in your mind, start boring tasks like getting dressed.... That's four different executive functions working right there!

So when one part of executive functioning is hard, this can make a whole task quickly feel overwhelming.

If this feels familiar, this is exactly what I unpack in my free June webinar for parents. For more information and to book your spot visit: https://www.dandelionhub.com.au/parents-hub

When your child needs constant reminders and prompts to do everyday tasks… When strategies work one day and fall apart t...
01/06/2026

When your child needs constant reminders and prompts to do everyday tasks…

When strategies work one day and fall apart the next…
It can look like they’re not trying, but often there’s more going on underneath.

As parents, it’s easy to feel stuck, frustrated, or unsure what to try next.

Join us for a 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿: 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑠:
𝑈𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐵𝑒ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 𝑡𝑜 𝑆𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐸𝑥𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐹𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠
Tuesday 23 June | 7:00–8:00pm | Online (Zoom) | Free

During this webinar we will explore children’s actions (or inactions!) through the lens of curiosity. We’ll explore:
– what might be driving the patterns you’re seeing at home
– why behaviour and executive functions are so closely linked
– how small shifts in interpretation can change what actually works

This can assist the patterns you’re seeing start to become more understandable, and your responses start to feel more effective.

This is a practical session designed for parents and carers of neurodivergent children (including ADHD, Autism, ABI, etc.). Your child does not need a formal diagnosis to attend.

(This workshop will be recorded)

Bookings now open! Reserve your spot today: https://www.dandelionhub.com.au/parents-hub

Staying focused can be tough for many neurodiverse kids It’s not about effort or willpower - it’s about how the brain m...
28/05/2026

Staying focused can be tough for many neurodiverse kids

It’s not about effort or willpower - it’s about how the brain manages attention.

Before jumping to strategies to help them stay focused, start by working with your child to understand what’s getting in the way. Is the task too long? Too boring? Too noisy? Too unclear? Are there external distractions that are simply too hard to ignore (hello internet!)

Once you have some clues, small supports can make a big difference. Work with you child to come up with ideas they feel may work for them based on the obstacles you identified together. This may include:
✔️ reduce distractions
✔️ break tasks into short steps
✔️ connect work to interests
✔️ set a time based limit, instead of “stop when you are finished”

Curiosity and collaboration help kids build focus over time, as well as build knowledge on how their brain works.

Does your child forget instructions? Even though you asked them 5 times already?You are not alone! Many neurodiverse kid...
26/05/2026

Does your child forget instructions? Even though you asked them 5 times already?

You are not alone! Many neurodiverse kids struggle with the underlying skills needed to remember instructions: paying attention when the instruction was given (sustained attention), and the ability to hold the instruction in their head over time (working memory) are just two of the needed skills needed to take instructions on board and follow-through on them.

Try these ideas to support follow through:
- Make sure you have their attention before giving them information
- Give them information in small chunks (just 1-2 steps at a time, rather than 3 or 4)
- Write the steps down as you talk. Even better, ask them if they would like you to write the steps down and review later if that worked for them.

Notice which strategies work better. Do they work better/worse at different times of day or in different environments? Get curious about this and share your observations with your child. Being curious and collaborating are impactful steps any parent can take to support executive function differences.

When your child needs constant reminders and prompts to do everyday tasks… When strategies work one day and fall apart t...
25/05/2026

When your child needs constant reminders and prompts to do everyday tasks… When strategies work one day and fall apart the next… It can look like they’re not trying, but often there’s more going on underneath. As parents, it’s easy to feel stuck, frustrated, or unsure what to try next.

In this free parent mini workshop, we’ll step back and explore children’s actions (or inactions!) through the lens of curiosity.

We’ll explore:
– what might be driving the patterns you’re seeing at home
– why behaviour and executive functions are so closely linked
– how small shifts in interpretation can change what actually works

This can assist the patterns you’re seeing start to become more understandable, and your responses start to feel more effective.
This is a practical session designed for parents and carers of neurodivergent children (including ADHD, Autism, ABI, etc.). Your child does not need a formal diagnosis to attend.

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟯 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 | 𝟳:𝟬𝟬–𝟴:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺 | 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 (𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺) | 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲
(This workshop will be recorded)

Bookings will open soon.
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁!), 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/39249/179832095773820805/share

If this resonates with what you’re seeing at home, feel free to comment or message me “parent workshop” and I can share more details.

Did you know that moving from telling children what to do, and shifting towards asking curious questions instead, gives ...
22/05/2026

Did you know that moving from telling children what to do, and shifting towards asking curious questions instead, gives their executive function skills a powerful brain workout.

Read our latest blog for more insights: dandelionhub.com.au/blog/move-from-telling-to-asking

The PINCH strategy is a simple, practical way to support motivation—especially for neurodiverse brains.Try one idea at a...
21/05/2026

The PINCH strategy is a simple, practical way to support motivation—especially for neurodiverse brains.

Try one idea at a time and notice what works.
Which one does your child respond to most?

19/05/2026

I love this quote "knowing when to step might be one of the most powerful things you can do for your child".... allowing our children the time and space to try new things, the time and space to figure things out, the time and space to make mistakes is so important for their attention and regulation.... which are so important for later developing executive function skills.

However, as a parent, this can be super hard! (I did it this morning, offering to tie my son's shoelaces before he had finished trying 😬). Let's keep aiming for this, and reminding each other of the benefits!

When overwhelm looks like “I don’t care”…Sometimes our brains act like an ostrich.When things feel too big, too messy, o...
19/05/2026

When overwhelm looks like “I don’t care”…

Sometimes our brains act like an ostrich.

When things feel too big, too messy, or too unclear… one common instinct can be to stick our head in the sand and block it out.

This isn’t laziness.
It’s not a poor attitude.
And it’s not a choice.

It’s one way our brains protect us through applying an automatic stress response. It’s called freezing.

When our young people are overwhelmed, their brain can shift into an automatic stress response, which is a mode of protection. Some people freeze (shut down/get stuck), some people flee (escape/avoid), some people fight (push bask).

When we are in this stress state, our body saves resources by moving energy away from thinking, planning, organising - all those executive functions we rely on for starting tasks - and instead focuses on just getting through the experience.

This is why a teen can know they should start their homework… and still not be able to begin. The part of their brain that helps with initiation, planning, and problem solving has gone off line!

From the outside it might look like avoidance, procrastination, a “don’t care” attitude

But on the inside, it’s often
“I don’t know where to start.”
“This feels like too much.”
“I’m stuck.”

As parents, it’s so natural to want to see action — especially around homework. But the most helpful starting point isn’t pushing for doing. It’s creating space for understanding.

You might try: “I can see you might be avoiding your homework… I wonder if it’s feeling a bit overwhelming? What do you think is going on for you?”

This gentle, non-judgemental curiosity helps bring the brain back online. And from there, you can move into collaboration:
“Is there something we could do about this together?”

Because when we meet overwhelm with understanding, we open the door to problem-solving - together.

Many parents notice their child loses track of time, making mornings and transitions stressful. Poor time awareness is o...
14/05/2026

Many parents notice their child loses track of time, making mornings and transitions stressful. Poor time awareness is often coined "time blindness", and is a common executive function challenge. To be time aware we need to use the following executive function skills:

Working memory: Holding time‑related information in mind (e.g., “I have 5 minutes left”).

Planning and organisation: Estimating how long tasks will take and sequencing actions accordingly.

Inhibitory control: Stopping or shifting an activity when time is nearly up.

Cognitive flexibility: Adjusting plans when something takes longer (or shorter) than expected.

Self‑monitoring: Noticing the passage of time and checking progress.

Try externalising passing time through sand timers or visual timers such as time timers to help your child, and to reduce stress for everyone.

Important caveat!! I recommend you only introduce external strategies such as these after you have first discussed it with your child! "I've noticed you have a hard time.... what do you think about trialling....?" Without buy-in, strategies are less effective.

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