Answer to the Brain Teaser:

He’s playing Monopoly.


The “car,” the “hotel,” becoming “bankrupt” — it all makes perfect sense once you zoom out and see the hidden rule.

 

But most teens don’t see it immediately.


And that’s not a sign of intelligence — it’s a sign of how their brain processes information.

Why This Tiny Puzzle Reveals Something Big About Writing

The riddle isn’t about being clever.


It’s about noticing patterns, slowing down enough to make meaning, and feeling safe enough to take a guess.

 

For a lot of ND teens — ADHD, dyslexic, autistic, PDA, anxious, literal thinkers — this is the part that trips them up in writing too:

 

They understand the idea
…but the words get in the way.


They know the answer
…but can’t always pull the pieces together fast enough.


They want to get it right
…so they freeze, rush, or shut down.

 

This isn’t a motivation issue.
This is a thinking-pattern issue.

And thinking patterns = trainable.

 

What strong writers do instinctively

High-writing-confidence teens (even if they aren’t neurotypical) tend to build three habits:

🟩 Habit 1: They pause before answering
Not to stall — but to let their brain organise what it already knows.

🟩 Habit 2: They look for the hidden rule
“What is this really asking me?”
This alone reduces overwhelm dramatically.

🟩 Habit 3: They connect ideas before writing
They don’t jump straight into sentences — they warm up their thinking first.

These habits make writing feel safer, calmer, and possible.

And they don’t come from talent.
They come from support and tools that match an ND brain.

A smoother way forward for ND thinkers

If your teen:

  • freezes when asked to start writing

  • says “I don’t know” even when they do

  • understands the content but can’t get it onto the page

  • shuts down around open-ended questions

  • needs structure, clarity, and small steps

  • learns differently and needs a system that respects that

…then building these habits isn’t optional — it’s essential.

And this is exactly why I created the ND Writing Confidence Bundle.

It gives teens the systems and scaffolds they need to write without overwhelm — in a way that matches their wiring instead of fighting it.

You can take a look at everything included here:

👉 See what’s inside the ND Writing Confidence Bundle

Answer to the Brain Teaser:

He’s playing Monopoly.


The “car,” the “hotel,” becoming “bankrupt” — it all makes perfect sense once you zoom out and see the hidden rule.

 

But most teens don’t see it immediately.


And that’s not a sign of intelligence — it’s a sign of how their brain processes information.

Why This Tiny Puzzle Reveals Something Big About Writing

The riddle isn’t about being clever.


It’s about noticing patterns, slowing down enough to make meaning, and feeling safe enough to take a guess.

 

For a lot of ND teens — ADHD, dyslexic, autistic, PDA, anxious, literal thinkers — this is the part that trips them up in writing too:

 

They understand the idea
…but the words get in the way.


They know the answer
…but can’t always pull the pieces together fast enough.


They want to get it right
…so they freeze, rush, or shut down.

 

This isn’t a motivation issue.
This is a thinking-pattern issue.

And thinking patterns = trainable.

What strong writers do instinctively

High-writing-confidence teens (even if they aren’t neurotypical) tend to build three habits:

đźź© Habit 1: They pause before answering
Not to stall — but to let their brain organise what it already knows.

đźź© Habit 2: They look for the hidden rule
“What is this really asking me?”
This alone reduces overwhelm dramatically.

đźź© Habit 3: They connect ideas before writing
They don’t jump straight into sentences — they warm up their thinking first.

These habits make writing feel safer, calmer, and possible.

And they don’t come from talent.
They come from support and tools that match an ND brain.

A smoother way forward for ND thinkers

If your teen:

  • freezes when asked to start writing

  • says “I don’t know” even when they do

  • understands the content but can’t get it onto the page

  • shuts down around open-ended questions

  • needs structure, clarity, and small steps

  • learns differently and needs a system that respects that

…then building these habits isn’t optional — it’s essential.

And this is exactly why I created the ND Writing Confidence Bundle.

It gives teens the systems and scaffolds they need to write without overwhelm — in a way that matches their wiring instead of fighting it.

You can take a look at everything included here:

👉 See what’s inside the ND Writing Confidence Bundle