Lagging skills is a concept used to describe areas where a child has not yet developed certain abilities, such as emotional regulation, flexibility, problem-solving, or communication. The term is often associated with the work of psychologist Ross W. Greene, who emphasises that challenging behaviour is frequently a sign of skills that are still developing rather than intentional misconduct. In school environments, recognising lagging skills can help shift responses away from punishment and toward teaching, support, and collaborative problem-solving.