Helpful Tips for Those with ADHD Children
The biggest issue for most people is getting their children to focus long enough to get a task done. This is important for many reasons. For those with ADHD, self-discipline is a challenge. First, it is important to see exactly where your child is struggling and why. Do they need to be medicated? Do they work better in the morning, afternoon or evening? Remembering to do things can also be a challenge, so it is helpful to anticipate events or tasks that your child may not remember to do and possibly set up a system where they will be reminded such as post-its throughout the house, reminders on their cell phone or even certain apps. An inability to manage time effectively goes hand-in-hand with the inability to focus and the need to be reminded to do things, so it is important for there to be a consistent routine. Consistency will keep your child from forgetting what they should be doing next, psychcentral.com.
It is important for you to understand that the inability for your child to do certain things on their own does not affect their intelligence in any way or form, however, your expectations of them may need adjusting. They cannot be held to the same standard as children without ADHD because they are simply unable to function that way, it would be unfair to punish someone for acting in a certain way if they are not able to act in any other way, AttitudeMag.com.
Limit the distractions around your child. You may have heard people saying, “Well everyone has ADD these days, we’re all distracted – it’s hard not to be.” While this statement is true, with all of the access to internet and constant notifications on our phones, we are all pretty susceptible to being distracted more easily. However, this does not take away from your child’s inability to process and execute things the same way others can. It will not be pleasant, but you will have to play the role of the parent. Take all the distractions away from your child when they are working on something that needs to get done. You will be teaching them discipline and hopefully forming a habit in them that they will live with once they are older and independent, Healthline.com.