The BestEFC Blog
Welcome to my blog. In my coaching practice, from middle school through college, I see the same struggles again and again: missing work, homework that never gets started, no idea how long an assignment will take or what to work on first, and grades that keep slipping while no one is sure how to turn them around. I write about what actually helps, so you get the benefit of coaching from home. Pick a topic below, read what fits your student, and bookmark this page. I add new posts regularly. — Natalie
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How to Run a Tutoring Business That Actually Pays (Not Just Busy)
A full calendar isn’t a business plan. Three shifts that turn tutoring from a gig into a business that pays, from a tutor turned coach.
How Much Do Tutors Make? The Honest Numbers, Mine Included
Tutors earn about $22 to $60 an hour, depending on who they work for. Here’s what that adds up to, and why so many tutors hit a ceiling.
Can You Use an FSA or HSA for ADHD and Executive Function Coaching?
Many families can use FSA or HSA dollars for ADHD and executive function coaching with a doctor's letter. Here's what to ask your plan and what you'll need.
Can College Students With ADHD Get Executive Function Coaching Over Video?
Yes, college students with ADHD can get weekly executive function coaching over video. Here's what good video coaching looks like, who does it well, and how educational consultants refer.
My High School Student Is Smart but Forgets Everything. Is There a Coach I Can Hire?
Smart but forgets everything? An executive function coach helps high school students build a simple system for remembering, planning and following through, so the reminders stop coming from you.
Who Do Educational Consultants Refer College Students to for Executive Function Coaching?
Educational consultants refer college students who struggle with planning, deadlines and follow-through to an executive function coach. Here’s what to look for, when to refer, and when a tutor or therapist fits better.
Report Card Night: What to Say (and What to Skip) When Your Teen’s Grades Come Home
Report card night doesn’t have to end in a fight. Read it alone first, let your teen talk first, and end with one line that helps them try again next quarter.
Your Child Gets A's. Why Are You Still Managing Every Assignment?
Your teen’s grades are great, but you’re the one checking the portal. Here’s how to hand over one job at a time without letting the grades slip.
How I Help Students Plan Their Week on Paper
School runs on screens, but a week’s work can still feel scattered. Here’s a simple three-step paper planning routine that helps students see their week and stay on top of what’s due.
How I Help Students Build a Trusted Adult at School
Students with a trusted adult at school are more likely to take advanced classes. Here are three simple steps to help your student build that relationship before they need it.
Missing Assignments? A Parent’s Plan to Help Your Teen Catch Up
How I Help Students Use AI Without Handing Over Their Thinking
AI can make homework look great while test scores slip. Here's a simple three-step routine to help your student study with AI without skipping the thinking.
Class Ended, Studying Never Started: The 20-Minute Study Block for College Students
Between classes and the first free evening, studying slips away. A 20-minute study block with a visual timer helps college students start without a big plan.
The 20-Minute Start: How a Visual Timer Ends the After-School Homework Standoff
When “I’ll start later” turns into 9 p.m., a visual timer gives homework a clear starting line. Here’s a simple 20-minute routine for teens and student-athletes.
How I Help Student-Athletes Stay Ahead of Schoolwork During Travel Season
Away games and travel weekends don’t have to wreck your grades. Three simple steps student-athletes can use to stay ahead of schoolwork all season.
Your Kid Doesn’t Have a Diagnosis. That Doesn’t Mean Nothing’s Going On.
Your kid doesn’t check the box for any label — no IEP, no 504, no diagnosis on paper. That doesn’t mean nothing’s going on. Here’s what an EF gap actually looks like at home, with or without a diagnosis.
Good News for Families: You Can Now Use 529 Funds to Pay for Tutoring
If you’ve got a 529 college savings account, we’ve got good news: tutoring is now a qualified expense.
The Only Homework Plan You Need Until High School
This routine isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about giving your child a system built for success — one that aligns with what research actually says about attention, motivation, and developing brains.
Set the stage. Run the focused 35 with a visual timer ticking. Stop hard and celebrate.
Try it tonight, and you’ll see the shift start on night one.
Tutoring vs. Executive Function Coaching: What Parents Need to Know
Is your child struggling in school even though they understand the material? Learn the difference between tutoring and executive function coaching, and how to tell which support your child really needs.
Executive Function & ADHD: Why Movement‑Based Activities Build Executive Function Skills (And Why Parents Should Act Now)
If your child is bright, capable, and full of potential—but still missing assignments, forgetting instructions, losing track of time, or underperforming in school—you’re seeing a real and significant executive function (EF) gap. This gap is not laziness or immaturity. It is a developmental delay in the mental skills that support planning, organization, working memory, task initiation, and follow‑through.