Losing Track Halfway Through: Why Kids Start but Can’t Finish

You’ve seen it happen.

Your child starts building a LEGO tower, packing their backpack, or writing a paragraph. They’re focused at first. Then somewhere in the middle, it’s like they just… forget what comes next.

Parents often tell me, “We start every morning ready to get things done, and it still falls apart.” That’s the frustrating part! Your child wants to do well, but their brain drops the steps halfway through. You end up doing double the work.

Many kids can remember the first step but struggle to keep the rest in their head. Their working memory (the part of the brain that holds the steps and goal in mind) just gets overloaded.

When working memory is shaky, kids lose track of what they were doing and jump to something else. At home, this can look like “being forgetful” or “getting distracted,” but it’s really a skill gap, not a behavior problem.

One thing you can try today: when your child starts a task, have them say the next two steps out loud before they dive in. Even saying “First I’ll pack my pencil, then I’ll grab my notebook” gives their brain a mental anchor and makes it easier to follow through. You’ll also get a peek at where they might lose track and need support.

Executive function therapy helps kids learn to keep track of steps, visualize what’s next, and follow through to the end.

If you’re ready to get help, you can set up an evaluation for your child with Playhouse Speech Therapy or set up a parent coaching consult through my coaching platform, Vivid Embers. If you’re not sure which is right, send me a message and I’ll help you find your next step.