Summer Challenge Week 2: Freeze! (Why We're Dancing for EF)

The TGD

Welcome to Week 2 of our Summer Challenge. This week, we're talking about two heavy-hitting executive function skills that dictate how we handle big impulses and intense emotions: Response Inhibition and Emotional Regulation.

It is very fair for these to feel like a massive lift for neurodivergent brains, but they are muscles we can absolutely train. Here is how our team put them into action this week.

Skill 1: Response Inhibition

• Definition: The ability to put a buffer between an impulse and an action. It is your brain’s braking system.

• Why it matters: It gives you the split second you need to think before you act or speak.

Ed and I practiced this with a round of Freeze Dance. Classic games like this are great because they require immediate motor inhibition. For neurodivergent kids, physically stopping on a dime translates directly to cognitive control, making it easier to hit pause when an impulse strikes in daily life.

Skill 2: Emotional Regulation

• Definition: The ability to manage your internal state so you can still function and navigate a situation.

• Why it matters: It builds a solid floor for stress tolerance when the environment is safe, so the brain doesn't short-circuit later under high-stakes school stress.

Tabitha worked on her own regulation using aerial silks. High-adrenaline activities like silks or rock climbing force you to actively manage fear and physical anxiety to complete a task. Navigating those intense sensations in a safe environment can be a tool to build the neural pathways needed to stay grounded when life gets overwhelming.

Your Turn to Play

How did your family work on hitting the brakes or managing big feelings this week? Whether it is a game of Simon Says or navigating the friction of a difficult puzzle, we want to see it.

The Official Rules

• Complete to Earn: Tackle your chosen weekly challenge option to earn a digital sticker for that specific executive function skill.

• Proof & Submit: To claim your sticker, simply share a photo on Instagram or Facebook and tag @TGDCoach, or email a picture directly to our team.

• Show Your Work: No matter how you submit, you must include the reason why your activity counts toward that specific skill!

• Collect: All 12 skill stickers by the end of the summer to be automatically entered into a raffle to win a free coaching session!