As a pediatric occupational therapist, one of the most common questions I hear from parents of twice-exceptional (2e) children is: "Why does my child have such big reactions when they're so incredibly smart?" Twice-exceptional children are those who are both gifted and have one or more learning, developmental, or neurological differences such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia, anxiety, or sensory processing differences. These children often possess remarkable creativity

When Even the Best Plans Fall Apart My 18-year-old sister and I planned what was supposed to be the perfect New York City summer adventure. By day two, we were fighting every single day, and I could not figure out why we kept ending up in the same place. After a fun day at The American Museum of Natural History, we were exhausted and needed to take a break. Our next plan was to end the day by watching the sunset at Summit One Vanderbilt. But every “perfect” plan has its own f

I have started more planners in my life than I can count. Paper planners, app-based ones, even a chaotic color-coded sticky-note phase I would rather forget. Not to mention the 24x18 whiteboard calendar that still read “September” as Thanksgiving approached, a loving tribute to my gift for starting systems and my brain’s total indifference to maintaining them. I am twice-exceptional, and for a long time I assumed the unused planners meant something was wrong with me. It took

Executive functioning challenges impact school, but school isn't always the best place to learn them. Discover how low-stakes family day trips create natural, stress-free opportunities for neurodivergent and 2e children to practice planning, organization, and resilience when things change.

What do you want your child to remember about your next trip? Instead of focusing on packed itineraries, explore how prioritizing regulation and emotional safety can help your neurodivergent or 2e child navigate the unexpected and build lasting, positive family connections.

Small Tools Make a Big Difference If organizing has ever felt harder than it “should”… If your new planner only worked for three days… If the labeled bins looked beautiful but didn’t change anything… You’re not doing it wrong. Most organizing systems aren’t built for neurodivergent brains. They assume that structure automatically leads to follow-through. If you just buy the right container, print the right checklist, or commit harder, everything will click into place. But

If you’re parenting a child who is both wonderfully bright and wired a little differently, you’ve probably seen just how incredible their mind can be and how frustrated they can get when everyday tasks feel harder than they “should” be. Many twice-exceptional (2e) learners have incredible abilities, yet still face real challenges with executive functioning , communication, and day-to-day routines. The good news is that with the right support, your child can learn the skills

High school brings an increase in EF demands, as students are expected to take more responsibility for tracking assignments, managing...

At the July 2025 PHP REEL Support Group, Leisa, a 2e/neurodivergent parent and professional from Calm in Chaos Co who specializes in organizing spaces for neurodivergent brains and lifestyles, spoke about organizing for back to school. She follows a “strengths-based” philosophy. "What strengths do I have and how can I use my strengths and awareness of struggles to organize our spaces to work for us?" She offered great tips like, “take sensory sensitivity into consideration w

In this video, we explore the concept of scaffolding through the worksheet Can We Figure Out a Different Way?—a tool designed to support neurodivergent learners by focusing on accessibility, not ability. Learn how to scaffold tasks in a way that aligns with your child’s strengths and unique neurodivergent profile.

This worksheet helps you reframe a challenging task and identify a strength-based way your child might approach it differently. Use it to brainstorm alternatives that preserve the goal but make the path more accessible. It may be helpful to refer to EF Vocabulary Cheat Sheet . 1. What task or situation is currently difficult for your child? ________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________

Strengths & Struggles Map Instructions: Draw two overlapping circles, similar to a Venn diagram. One circle is labeled "Strengths" and the other "EF Struggles." In the overlap, identify the areas where gifted traits and executive functioning challenges intersect —this is often where 2e complexity resides, and we can begin to strategize scaffolding that works with a child’s strengths. (Refer back to the Example Strengths and Struggles Map for examples.) Circle 1: Strength

This cheat sheet is designed to help you better understand the executive functioning (EF) skills your twice-exceptional (2e) child may be...

Parents of twice-exceptional (gifted + learning differences) kids face challenges with executive function (EF) skills, which develop slower in neurodivergent children. Tools like the EF Vocabulary Cheat Sheet and Strengths & EF Struggles Map help families identify challenges and strengths. Involving kids in these exercises builds self-awareness and support strategies.

This is an example from our facilitated small group discussions. It is meant to help parents realize they are probably already scaffolding in some areas and how tailoring scaffolding to their child's strengths could be more helpful in finding the best way to scaffold their child.

Do you have a question you’d like the column to answer? You can email asklucy@reel2e.org. My autistic 2e teenager is highly resistant to changing his ways of doing things. I've encouraged him to write down important events in his calendar, but he won't because he "doesn't need to" (even though he inevitably forgets). His inbox has nearly 4,000 messages because he refuses to delete or archive emails. Whenever I try to talk to him about this stuff, we end up in a tug-of-war. Is

Learn how to support executive functioning in twice-exceptional (2e) learners with expert Rachel Kapp. This online talk offers practical strategies, tailored tools, and school advocacy tips to help 2e students thrive by leveraging their strengths and understanding their unique learning profiles.

In Action: Examples and Scenarios (Part 4 of 4) The first article in this series provides an Introduction and Overview to Emotional Regulation. Then, the second article outlines A 3-Step Pathway to Better Regulation Management. In the third article, we discuss the Importance of Co-Regulation. In this final article in the series, we provide Real-Life Examples and Scenarios. We also include a Reference and Resource List. Plus, you can download this template of the 3-Step Pathwa

Important to Know: The Role of Co-Regulation (Part 3 of 4) The first article in this series provided an Introduction and Overview to Emotional Regulation. Then, the second article outlined A 3-Step Pathway to Better Regulation Management. In this third article we ground ourselves in the importance of co-regulation. We begin with ourselves. As with all skills, learning self-regulation and emotional management strategies isn’t accomplished in isolation—children will learn from

A 3-Step Pathway to Better Regulation Management (Part 2 of 4) The first article in this series provided an Introduction and Overview to Emotional Regulation. In this second article we address the question “How do we put all of this information into action?” Based on our synthesis of the available information, small group discussions, and hands-on work with dozens of families of 2e learners, we suggest a 3-step pathway that simplifies and combines ideas on self-regulation and