6 Tips For Raising A Child With ADHD
If your child is hyperactive, ADD, ADHD, or simply has a difficult time focusing on homework and classwork, “it’s okay”.
It is 100% okay.
There are so many strategies and tools that your child can implement in their problematic areas. I myself, am what my mother would call “a long-lasting battery”. I remember middle, high school, and even college struggling with hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors.
Through my education and practical professional experience, I have learned that hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors are just factors that play into a larger equation. The real emphasis is on building a foundation that supports your child’s ability to manage/control/tame their hyperactivity and impulsiveness so that he/she is able to function and perform at their best.
Before diving into each one. I really want you to consider changing your parenting style. The factors listed below are able to support your child in managing their hyperactivity or impulsiveness and in total performing their best.
6 Ways To Help Your Child With ADHD.
1. Time management
As an adult and a parent, you have some sort of schedule that you follow. Maybe you follow an 8 am to 5 pm job schedule which you create time management around. Creating a schedule for your child in no way inhibits their ability to function or labels that they have a problem. Think about it rationally. You as an adult, have a schedule and utilize time management to make your life function in a healthy manner.
Your child’s schedule can include everything from waking up in the morning to going to bed. Some things in the schedule can be a rough estimate while others such as school hours are more exact.
The most important factor in it is that you and your child stick to it – consistently.
One way to help your child is by encouraging the practice of journal writing. CLICK HERE to check out the journal: Becoming Your Best Version.
2. Prioritization
Now that you have a schedule create a system of prioritization and importance. Sit down with your child and identify which areas of their schedule are more important and need a more defined approach in structure. For instance, if your child requires a quiet room for homework – make it your responsibility to create a distraction-free space for your child to do their homework at. In addition, on the schedule add the space/location and time. This way your child will connect the dots.
3. Creativity
Your child and literally everyone should have a unique approach to time management, prioritization, and scheduling in order to support hyperactivity and impulsiveness. I would first recommend you communicate with your child as they are your vessel to understanding what will work. Reflect with them on the past educational strategies you have taken to pinpoint which worked and which did not. The good ones – keep them!
Communicate with your child to identify what unique approaches would support them educationally. Examples include:
- Would studying at a public library be more proficient and effective than at home?
- Are flashcards on a cell phone/tablet more effective than hard copy?
- Are audiobooks better than physical books?
Again, you really want to invest time and energy into your child and in creating awareness.
4. Commitment
Once you have a plan, stick to it. Make sure that you are following up with your child and equally invested in their changes. The truth is that “no one likes to be in it alone”. Walk with your child side by side in their journey to understand and conquer their ADD, ADHD, hyperactivity, or impulsiveness.
5. Self-care
When someone is going through change, there often comes a phase of exhaustion and frustration due to the change. Provide your child with self-care in the manner of rewards. Activities such as playing video games, Netflix, or socializing with friends are great ways for your child to “reset” and “recharge their batteries”.
With self-care, it is important to create commitment and time management. Provide your child with their activity under a specific time frame otherwise like many of us, they will take advantage of it.
Lastly, your child is often exhausted and stressed with the entire educational struggle due to overcoming their hyperactivity or impulsive behaviors. Self-care directly creates balance.
6. Practice patience.
Parenting requires patience. Lots of patience. I want to encourage you to listen. more than you speak and to try to give your child time to find their way. Remember they are not you and they are deserving of love and patience.
Counseling is a great way to learn different ways to practice self-care.
A recap – at this point, you have some awesome strategies to support your child educationally with barriers caused by ADHD, ADD, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity.
Be patient and willing to invest time and energy into your child.
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Benefits of Counseling For ADHD
- Improve focus and concentration.
- Gain education on hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity.
- Learn to make healthy decisions that are thought out.
- Gain skills for controlling impulsivity.
