TL;DR: Executive function is a set of three critical brain skills (working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control) that affect everything from basic tasks to complex problem-solving. These “CEO skills” develop rapidly from birth to age 5, then continue fine-tuning until the mid-20s. Research shows they’re better predictors of academic success than IQ. Understanding how these skills develop helps parents set appropriate expectations and support their child’s growth at each stage.
“Ok, what is this and why do I care?”
What if we told you there’s something more predictive of your child’s academic success than how smart they are? According to Adele Diamond, one of the pioneers in the field of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience:
"If you look at what predicts how well children will do later in school, more and more evidence is showing that executive functions actually predict success better than IQ tests."
Executive function consists of three core skills that act as the brain’s “CEO”:
These skills enable people to plan, organize, remember things, prioritize, pay attention and get started on tasks. Think of them as your brain’s management system, helping with everything from basic tasks like going to the bathroom to complex ones like writing a book report.
This “CEO” in our brain starts at birth with limited capabilities but grows through:
The most dramatic development occurs from ages 0-5, when babies go from having no executive function skills to developing basic capabilities. After age 5, growth continues at a slower pace, with critical fine-tuning happening until the mid-20s.
Think of it like physical development:
The ability to remember and use information at the appropriate time
Development timeline:
The ability to maintain self-control and provide appropriate responses
Development timeline:
The ability to adapt actions and plans based on changing circumstances
Development timeline:
Understanding executive function development helps you:
As long as your child shows progress in these areas, there’s typically no need for concern.
Track Executive Function Growth with Era
Understanding your child’s executive function development is powerful – but keeping track of their progress and knowing how to support their growth can be challenging. Era helps you put this knowledge into practice by tracking developmental milestones, suggesting age-appropriate activities, and providing guided reflection prompts to understand your child’s challenges and successes. With expert content and mindfulness exercises, Era supports both you and your child on this developmental journey. Try Era today to turn your understanding of executive function into actionable support for your child’s development.
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