Parenting ADHD Children
Parenting a child, any child, is a difficult task to begin with. When you have a child with ADHD, you are parenting a child who has greater demands, needs more involvement and requires greater patience and understanding by the parent. Take a deep breath! Pat yourself on the back for the hard work you have done. Here are a few tips that may make parenting your ADHD child a little easier:
Tips for Families
Parenting a child with ADHD can create a mixture of feelings. Educating yourself and gaining a better understanding about ADHD, finding support, taking care of yourself and the relationships within the family -– all go a long way to making life a little easier.
Learn simple tips for every family who has a child with ADHD.
The Importance of Positive Attention
Days are often so busy. Our to-do list can sometimes be pages long. It may seem difficult to fit one more thing in, but regular one-on-one time with your child is very important. How often do you sit down with your son or daughter with no distractions, just focusing on him or her, listening without correcting, being together and soaking up positive one-on-one attention? Make sure you set aside at least 20 minutes a day for
positive one-on-one time with your child.
Too often we fall in to the trap of pointing out problematic behaviors in children with ADHD. In doing this, we lose sight of the unique abilities and strengths that each child possesses. What are your child’s gifts? What are his/her strengths? Once you identify these areas, it is easier to keep moving in a positive direction. Learn more about nurturing your child’s strengths.
Feeling Isolated as a Parent?
Sometimes it can feel a bit isolating to have a child struggling with ADHD issues. It can certainly be overwhelming at times. You may question whether there are things you should be doing differently. It may even cause strain within the family and in your relationship with your partner. You may feel guilt at getting frustrated at times. You may feel exhausted and unsure. You are not alone. These feelings are human feelings, and they are a normal part of being a parent. Learn more about what you can do to help
relieve some of these feelings.
Tips for a Scream-Free Home
It is sometimes hard to get children to listen and follow directions, especially if they have ADHD. This leads to stressful feelings and frustrations on the part of the parent. The child’s behavior may end up escalating; as a result, the parent may feel a loss of control and escalate his or her own negative feelings. Sometimes arguing and yelling begins. The child may throw a tantrum. Madness ensues. Learn tips for
maintaining a scream-free home and
improving communication.
Understanding Your Child’s Anger
It is not uncommon for
children with ADHD to react in anger. It can be very difficult for these kids to manage and regulate their emotions. They may also be hypersensitive. Stressful or frustrating situations can quickly boil over into intense anger. Children with ADHD also have a tough time being able to stop and think through problems before reacting. As a parent, it can be hard to see your child losing control. While we can’t make the anger disappear, we can
help our children better manage these intense reactions.
Simplify for Easier Clean Up Time
Getting our children to clean up after themselves and keep track of their things -- these are two tedious tasks of parenthood. For a parent with an ADHD child, this job becomes even more important and certainly more difficult. Luckily, there are some
basic things you can do to help your child develop good habits when it is time to clean up.
Morning Routines
If you aren’t a morning person, getting your kids up and out the door on time for school can be quite a challenge. It is easy to fall into the pattern of being late or in a rush, rush, rush. Neither one of these is helpful for our children. Avoid the morning rush with planning, preparation and
these simple tips.
