The real reason behind disorganization—and how to help without nagging
If your child or teen constantly forgets things, loses track of time, or melts down when they can’t find something… you’re not alone.
It can feel frustrating—especially when it looks like they just don’t care. But most of the time, what looks like laziness or defiance is actually something else: a lagging skill in executive functioning.
And good news—skills can be built.
✨ Instant Strategies:
Avoid the “you should know this by now” trap—it shuts down the learning brain
Offer a bridge, not a rescue: “Do you want help making a checklist or want to try on your own first?”
Normalize the overwhelm: “Lots of people struggle to hold all this in their head. Let's build a system that works for you.”
🛠 Proactive Strategies:
Set up environmental cues: visual checklists, consistent drop zones, using speech to text reminder apps (older teens)
Use external reminders over internal ones (alarms, sticky notes, time-blocking)
Start with one small system (like “packing your bag the night before”) and build from success
🧠 The Neuroscience:
Disorganization is often a sign that the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for planning, prioritizing, and managing time—is still developing or under stress.
When kids feel shamed for not having it “together,” it triggers the amygdala, shutting down learning and increasing avoidance.
At CAMP, we teach tools that help families reduce that shame spiral—and build the systems and habits that actually support executive functioning over time.
Because “getting organized” isn’t about being perfect. It’s about having tools that work for your real life.
Why everything you’ve tried isn’t working:
5 parenting shifts that actually help.
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This is just a small piece of what you will learn in the CAMP online course to manage challenging behavior in children.
