Understanding the Control Tower: A New Way to Think About ADHD
- Kimberly B. Harrison, Ph.D.
- Jul 6
- 4 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
"Why does my child know exactly what to do but still struggle to do it?"
It's one of the questions I hear most often from parents.
Their child knows the homework is due tomorrow, yet it isn't started. They know they're supposed to brush their teeth, pack their backpack, or put away their shoes, yet those tasks somehow never happen without repeated reminders. Parents often begin to wonder whether their child is being lazy, careless, or simply choosing not to cooperate.
In reality, something very different is happening.
Imagine an Airport Without a Control Tower
Think about a busy airport. Airplanes are constantly arriving, departing, taxiing, communicating, adjusting to changing weather, and sharing the same runways. Without an air traffic control tower coordinating and regulating everything, even the most advanced airplanes would struggle to move safely and efficiently.
Our brains work much the same way.
I often explain executive functioning using what I call The Control Tower Model™. Just as an airport control tower regulates the movement of airplanes, the brain's Control Tower regulates attention, emotions, behavior, memory, organization, planning, and action. These abilities are known collectively as executive functions—the brain's regulation system.
When the Control Tower is working efficiently, these systems work together smoothly. When it struggles, everyday tasks that seem simple to others often require much more effort.
The Control Tower Model™ isn't meant to replace the science of ADHD. Rather, it provides a practical way for parents, teachers, therapists, and children to better understand why ADHD affects so many different areas of everyday life. Throughout this series, we'll explore each part of the Control Tower and discover practical strategies that help it work more effectively.
The Brain's Regulation System
Throughout the day, the Control Tower is constantly regulating dozens of mental processes. It directs attention toward what matters, filters distractions, manages emotions, remembers important information, organizes tasks, helps us get started, shifts between activities, and pauses us before acting impulsively.
Rather than thinking of executive functions as a collection of separate skills, I find it more helpful to think of them as the different jobs performed by the brain's Control Tower. When the Control Tower regulates these systems efficiently, life feels more manageable. When it struggles, children often know exactly what they should do but have difficulty consistently doing it.
Intelligence Isn't the Problem
One of the biggest misconceptions about ADHD is that children don't know what to do.
Most do.
The challenge isn't knowing.
The challenge is regulating.
Imagine trying to land several airplanes simultaneously while answering radios, monitoring weather, changing runways, and responding to unexpected emergencies. Eventually, something gets delayed.
That's what life often feels like for a child with ADHD.
The challenge isn't intelligence.
It's regulating all of the mental traffic.
Four Important Jobs of the Control Tower
Although the Control Tower performs many functions, four are especially important in everyday life.
Regulating Attention
The Control Tower helps direct attention where it is needed, sustain it long enough to complete a task, and shift attention when circumstances change. When this system struggles, distractions often compete successfully with important responsibilities.
Regulating Action
Knowing what needs to be done is different from getting started. The Control Tower helps us initiate tasks, maintain effort, and follow through until the job is complete—even when the task isn't especially interesting.
Regulating Emotions and Behavior
The Control Tower also serves as the brain's braking system. It helps us pause before reacting, think through consequences, manage frustration, and respond thoughtfully rather than impulsively.
Regulating Time and Organization
Planning ahead, remembering responsibilities, estimating time, organizing materials, and preparing for future events all depend upon the Control Tower's ability to regulate time and organize information.
Changing the Question
Understanding the Control Tower changes the way we see children.
Instead of asking,
"Why won't my child do this?"
we begin asking,
"What is my child's Control Tower trying to regulate right now?"
That simple shift changes everything.
Rather than relying on repeated reminders, we build routines.
Rather than expecting children to remember everything, we make important information visible.
Rather than assuming they lack motivation, we recognize that getting started may be the hardest part.
Rather than trying to force better behavior, we strengthen the skills that help children regulate themselves.
Looking Ahead
Every child has a Control Tower.
For children with ADHD, the Control Tower develops differently and often needs additional support while executive functioning skills continue to mature. The encouraging news is that these skills can improve through understanding, practice, structure, and experience.
When we understand their brain, behavior begins to make more sense.
And when behavior makes sense, we can respond with greater confidence, compassion, and effectiveness.
The Control Tower Model™
See their strengths.
Understand their brain.
Strengthen the Control Tower.
Dr. H.'s Takeaway
A child's behavior makes much more sense when we understand how the brain is working beneath the surface. My goal is to help families replace frustration with understanding—and understanding with practical strategies that help children thrive.
Continue Exploring the Control Tower Model™
This article is part of my Control Tower Model™ series, a collection of practical resources designed to help parents better understand ADHD and the executive functioning skills that influence everyday life. Throughout the series, we'll explore topics such as attention, emotions, organization, time management, task initiation, thinking styles, and practical tools that help children thrive at home and at school.
If you'd like to explore the complete framework, you'll find it in ADHD: The Comprehensive Parent's Guide, where I take a deeper look at the science of ADHD and the practical strategies families can begin using right away.
What Is ADHD Really? Looking Beneath the Behavior
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