Parenting today’s tweens and teens is no small task, especially when executive function challenges, ADHD, and anxiety are in the mix. In this episode of Surfing the Quicksand, Kathy sits down with Leslie Josel, award-winning academic and parenting coach, to explore how parents can move from frustration and helplessness to practical tools that actually support their kids. Leslie shares how the landscape of student coaching has shifted: once focused on time management and study skills, it now often involves navigating anxiety, overwhelm, and school systems that don’t always provide the right supports. She helps parents understand what it means to accept their child’s “executive age” (which may lag years behind their chronological age) and why recalibrating expectations is the first step to easing tension at home. Leslie highlights how critical intentional communication is at every step of the way.This conversation is packed with strategies parents can use right away, including:How to set parameters while giving your child agency.Why structured choices reduceanxiety and increase motivation.The importance of letting kids experience safe discomfort and failure.How to shift your language from “you have to” to “you get to choose.”The role of micro-moment willpower in building lifelong resilience.Leslie also introduces powerful communication tools, like WAIT (“Why Am I Talking?”), that help parents step back, listen, and guide instead of fixing. And she reminds us that resilience deserves recognition and that specific praise for kids’ small wins can have a lasting impact. If you’ve ever felt helpless, frustrated, or unsure how to support your child through the challenges of ADHD, executive dysfunction, or just the daily overwhelm of growing up, this episode offers both validation and hope.Leslie Josel is an internationally recognized academic and parenting coach, the founder of Order Out of Chaos®and one of the most trusted voices on ADHD and executive functioning. For over 22 years, she’s helped parents, students, and professionals cut through the overwhelm and build the skills needed for success in school, at work and in life. Leslie is an author of three acclaimed books including How to Do It Now Because It’s Not Going Away. She’s the creator of the award-winning Academic Planner: A Tool for Time Management®. She’s been named one of the Top 20 Time Management Experts in the World by Global Gurus for eight consecutive years. And for years, Leslie penned ADDitude Magazine’s beloved “Dear ADHD Family Coach®” column, where her real-talk advice helped families navigate the complexities of ADHD and executive functioning. For years, A sought-after speaker, she presents globally, equipping audiences with practical, proven tools to thrive and today, she shares that experience and wisdom with the Surfing the Quicksand community. Where to find Leslie:Websites: Orderoochaos.com and LeslieJosel.comInstagram: @order.out.of.chaos https://www.instagram.com/order.out.of.chaos/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/orderoutofchaos Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/orderoutofchaos ADDitude Magazine column about ADHD teens and driving referenced in the episode: https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-driving-teen-license-safety/More about Executive Dysfunction and Executive Age:https://www.additudemag.com/what-is-executive-function-disorder/

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