Blessing: Exceptional Talent / Challenge: Lack of Focus and Follow-Through

My son was a music major in college and is currently in the music industry as Production Coordinator and Tour Manager.  If you know any really gifted musicians, then you probably understand what we mean when we refer to the “musician personality.” Musicians often seem to be in real need of a manager as their brilliant, creative personality does not always lend itself to being on time, remembering commitments, and organization.

A mom at one of our recent parent nights shared that her 16-year old son is just one of those musicians.  He’s been told that he “has it all” as a musician.  The challenge is getting him through high school.  This very bright, motivated young man can drag assignments out over hours and then may forget to turn them in.  He starts each day with good intentions and ends up disappointed in himself.

When a Talented Child Struggles in School

You may have a smart, creative, or talented child or teen who experiences challenges with reading, comprehension, attention, or some other aspect of school.  The discrepancy between how they are performing and what you know they are capable of is confusing.  What’s important to understand, is that this is not typically a matter of laziness or lack of caring, poor parenting, or poor teaching.

Somewhere, in the underlying foundation that supports efficient attention and academic learning, there are skills that are not as strong as they need to be to support the student.  These may include various aspects of attention, working memory, auditory or visual processing, processing speed, comprehension and reasoning, or executive functions.

Our smart, creative, talented kids often find ways to work around their challenges – trying harder, working longer, using their social strengths to cover or enlist the help of others, or becoming extremely dependent upon their parents for management and support, but like most parents, you look at your kids getting older and wish there were a different way for them

Retraining the Brain at the Root of the Problem

And there is!  The neuroplasticity research and our work with thousands of students over more than 40 years tells us that our amazing brains can be retrained to process information more effectively or completely.  The great thing about building the underlying skills at the root of the problem is that the exceptional abilities remain, but the challenges no longer need to get in the way.

One of our adult students shared with me that, while he is very successful, he was extremely frustrated with his attention challenges and lack of self-management.  He tried medication and found that it helped, but he was no longer his happy creative self – and he hated it.   He said that he is so grateful to have found a way to address the challenges – to see real change – and still get to be himself!

If you have a child or adult in your life who is bright but struggling with reading, attention, or some other aspect of learning, there is hope.  Real and permanent change is possible!

Call us today at 877-774-0444 to talk to someone about your child, your teen, or yourself.

Quick Answers

Is my talented child’s struggle in school due to laziness?

Not typically. This is not usually a matter of laziness or lack of caring, poor parenting, or poor teaching. Somewhere in the underlying foundation that supports attention and learning, there are skills that are not as strong as they need to be.

Which underlying skills can affect attention and learning?

These may include various aspects of attention, working memory, auditory or visual processing, processing speed, comprehension and reasoning, or executive functions.

Can the brain be retrained to learn more effectively?

Yes. Neuroplasticity research and work with thousands of students tell us that the brain can be retrained to process information more effectively or completely, and the exceptional abilities remain.