Friday Fun: Flexibility and the Magic of In-Between Thinking

Have you ever seen your child come undone because the plans changed? Maybe you were headed to the splash pad, but now there’s a tornado watch—and even though it’s clearly not safe to go, your child is furious, inconsolable, or completely shut down.

That kind of rigid thinking is really common in kids who struggle with executive functioning skills. For them, “maybe” doesn’t feel like a possibility. It’s either happening or it’s not. And when it’s not? Their brain reads that change as a threat.

It’s not because they’re being difficult. It’s because flexible thinking is hard—really hard—when your brain is already working overtime just to stay organized, regulate all the emotions, and get through the day.

Shifting gears means using mental energy they may not have access to in that moment. And sometimes, that rigid thinking is a way to cope with underlying anxiety.

When the world feels unpredictable and overwhelming, creating strict mental rules brings a sense of control. Which sometimes looks like stubbornness or defiance.

But true flexibility—the kind that helps kids adapt, collaborate, and connect—requires a beautiful mix of executive functioning skills: response inhibition (pausing before reacting), perspective-taking (seeing someone else’s point of view), and cognitive flexibility (knowing there’s more than one way to solve a problem) to name a few.

The good news? These are skills we can support. And sometimes the best place to start isn’t with a lecture —but with play.

With curiosity.

With low-stakes opportunities to practice thinking in new ways.

That’s where the real growth happens—and it’s exactly what we’re focusing on this week.

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Have you ever touched something that felt like a solid and a liquid all at once?

Welcome to the wonderfully weird world of Flexible Thinking Fluid.