Aug 5, 2026
26 min
Why Struggling Students Need Skills Not Shame, with Dr. Norrine Russell
“Lazy” is one of the most expensive words we can use with a struggling child because it points us toward blame instead of solutions. We sit down with Dr. Norrine Russell, a psychologist and education expert, founder of Russell Coaching, and a parent of complex kids, to reframe what families are seeing at home and what schools often miss. When a student won’t start homework, won’t finish an assignment, or seems to “not care,” the real issue is often executive functioning, not motivation.
We dig into the specific skills that break down across ages: task initiation in elementary school, task completion and follow through in the teen years, and time management when workloads stack up. Dr Russell explains what’s happening inside the child who looks lazy from the outside, how repeated negative feedback damages school connection, self esteem, and self efficacy, and why ADHD, anxiety, autism, and learning differences so often travel together. The unifying thread is self regulation, and it fluctuates day to day depending on stress, sleep, support, and capacity.
We also explore what makes “connected coaching” different: we are not the homework police, and we are not simply tutoring. We identify the student’s pain point, test practical strategies, and track what actually changes behaviour in real life. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of executive functioning skills, more compassionate parenting strategies, and a roadmap for sustaining gains through inevitable setbacks.
If this shifts how you see your child, share it with another family, then subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what skill you want help building next.
Website: russellcoaching.com
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