Book Recommendations

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Executive Function for Parents

  1. Smart but Scattered — Peg Dawson & Richard Guare — Practical strategies for building kids’ EF skills (excellent for parents).

  2. The Whole-Brain Child — Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson — A neuroscience-based guide to parenting that helps you understand how your child’s brain develops and how to respond in ways that build emotional regulation, resilience, and connection. The authors introduce twelve strategies to integrate the “upstairs” (thinking) and “downstairs” (feeling) parts of the brain, turning everyday parenting challenges into opportunities for growth.

  3. The Explosive Child — Ross W. Greene — A compassionate, evidence-based guide for understanding and supporting children who struggle with flexibility, frustration tolerance, and emotional regulation using a collaborative problem solving framework.

  4. The Crumpled Paper was Due Last Week — Ana Homayoun — A practical guide for helping disorganized middle and high school students develop better executive function skills. The book explains that academic struggles often stem not from laziness or lack of intelligence, but from underdeveloped organizational abilities that can be learned and improved.

  5. The Organized Mind — Daniel J. Levitin — Explains the neuroscience of attention, decision-making, and organizing info in daily life.

  6. Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning — Brown, Roediger, & McDaniel — Evidence-based study strategies and metacognition.

  7. Atomic Habits— James Clear — Focused on habit design and small changes that compound (useful for habit stacking).

ADHD Specific

  1. ADHD 2.0— Dr. Ed Hallowell and Dr. John Ratey —This updated guide from a leading ADHD expert focuses on the positive aspects of ADHD while providing practical strategies for management. Dr. Hallowell emphasizes that ADHD can be a gift when properly understood and managed, offering insights into brain science, medication options, and lifestyle approaches.

  2. What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew— Dr. Sharon Saline — The book centers around understanding what children with ADHD actually experience and think, giving parents insight into their child's perspective.

  3. How to ADHD — Jessica McCabe — This book combines personal experience with research-backed strategies, offering relatable advice on managing symptoms and building systems that work.

  4. Taking Charge of ADHD — Russell A. Barkley — Authoritative, practical guidance for parenting kids with ADHD.

  5. Scattered Minds — Gabor Maté, MD —This book challenges conventional views of ADHD as simply a brain disorder, instead proposing that it's often a response to developmental trauma. Maté offers insights into healing approaches that address the emotional and psychological roots of attention problems, emphasizing the importance of understanding the whole person rather than just managing symptoms.

  6. Driven to Distraction — Dr. Edward M. Hallowell & Dr. John J. Ratey — Classic overview about ADHD and practical management.

  7. ADHD is Awesome— Pen Holderness —With a focus on the entrepreneurial and creative advantages that can come with ADHD, offering encouragement and practical tips while maintaining an optimistic, entertaining perspective.

Stress Management

  1. The Polyvagal Theory — Stephen Porges — Understanding the nervous system for stress regulation tools.

  2. Dopamine Nation — Anna Lembke — Helpful for framing modern dopamine/tech habits.

  3. The Nature Fix — Florence Williams — Research and storytelling about nature’s benefits for mental health and attention.

  4. Wherever You Go, There You Are — Jon Kabat-Zinn — Approachable mindfulness practice for adults/parents.

  5. Zen and the Art of Productivity— Alan Brown — Accomplish more in less time with reduced stress through smart productivity strategies.