We've made some changes in our home to cope with the unique challenges of raising an Inattentive Child. Here are our top ten tips for parents with ADHD Inattentive kids:
The 2 R's. Rules and Respect. One year my son received a handmade dinosaur birthday card. Each member of our family had their name twisted into that of a new reptile species. There was a Josephasaurus, a Michelotops, and a Ashleraptor. There was also, "The most terrible and wonderful dinosaur of all, the fantastic Daddysthaboss!" Read the entire article.
Order! Order! If you saw my house you would probably laugh at this one. We aren't terribly ordered on the surface. Underneath, however, we have specific places for everything. We have calendars and schedules and budgets, although I'm the one who keeps up with it all. A child with ADHD is notorious for being hopelessly disorganized. It is up to the parents to create a balance of structure for the home. Read the entire article.
Lower your expectations. I don't fold wash cloths. It's no problem if my boys lose their pencil; we keep an endless supply on hand. I have a friend who doesn't put top sheets on her beds. It's no big deal if our report cards have C's. We paint all our walls the same semi gloss color, and my mother repaints the woodwork every year. These are things that would have been unacceptable to me in the past, but my focus has changed. I've had to learn to make some things unimportant. To keep my sanity, I opted for the easy way out. I lowered my expectations. Read the entire article.
Staples? Yeah, we got that. Learning is enough of a struggle to children who find it hard to focus. They should therefore never have to look far for the proper tools. Like a surgeon, they need to concentrate on the task before them, and should have anything they need close at hand. We have a closet in our house that looks like the school supply section at Wal-Mart. They have tools to stay organized. They have plenty of socks, underwear, and soccer clothes. We have calculators, web enabled computer, dictionaries, encyclopedia, rulers, compasses, and even an electric eraser. Read the entire article.
Television--The Great SATAN! It became clear early in our school career that the television could not be on during homework. Since homework was such a long ordeal, we soon ditched the television on weekdays. (Also down the tube went video and computer games.) On the weekends, after chores and homework, they have one long electric fest, but during school, we don't need the distraction. Read the entire article.
Burger King? When you can't have it your way. We eat right. We're not fanatics about it, but we rarely eat at Burger King, almost every meal I serve includes a dark green salad, and the boys sometimes eat soup for breakfast. We also later than most families, trying to get the stress of homework and chores behind us. Read the entire article.
A chart for everything, and everything on its chart. For every season there is a chart. We have a chart for the school year that tracks schoolwork, personal hygiene, and chores. We have a chart for the summer that charts reading time and the computer and television time it 'buys'. The boys generate their own reading logs and grade sheets. Charts are a visual way for the ADHD child to be organized. Read the entire article.
School (Yuck)! The only word for school (besides YUCK!) is communication, starting with the principal, but focusing on your child's teacher. Early in the year, even before classes start, write a letter to your teacher, introducing him or her to the wonderful child they are going to have in their class. Initiate daily or weekly progress and homework reports that are quick and teacher friendly. Visit your child's class often, especially your child's desk. And go through the book bag every day.
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Drug Free? Some children rocket to the top when they are on medication. Other children suffer from unacceptable side effects. There are natural alternatives to traditional medications that seem to help some kids. Some children benefit from removing certain foods from their diet. What are the options, and what is right for your child? Your physician can advise you, but you must be proactive in deciding the course you will take for your family. Read the entire article.
Getting God's Attention Let's face it. You can't do it alone. After you do all you can, and after you enlist the help of others, sometimes you still feel overwhelmed. That's when prayer can do you a lot of good. Better still, instead of waiting until you are at the end of your rope, let God hear from you now. Read the entire article.
