The foundation for good behavior lies in learning three important life skills: reading social situations, managing emotions, and problem-solving abilities. Children with ADHD tend to be deficit in these skills but they can be learned and reinforced with a little help from you and a therapist.
There is a lot of biological truth behind the statement “breaking the habit.” The developing brain of a child is made up of electrical wires, which forge connection between nerves that record patterns of association. These patterns of association are the things that make up an experience – for instance, feeling anxious and relieving this anxiety through pulling out hair. Such patterns can be common among children with ADHD. Parenting these behaviors is important because patterns become habits when they are done repeatedly. Once a child has a habit, he or she performs the action automatically, without giving it a second thought.
Does your ADHD child have a habit of cutting you off in mid-sentence? Do you find it difficult to carry a conversation on the phone or with your spouse because of constant interruptions? Interrupting is a common behavior among kids with ADHD because they have a hard time keeping their impulses in check and censoring what they say. But just because this behavior occurs naturally, it doesn’t mean that it’s right, nor does it become any less annoying! Here are some ADHD parenting tips on dealing with kids who interrupt.
ADHD parenting can be particularly challenging when the weather turns cold and snow starts to fall. Kids have to stay indoors, and the four walls of the house might not be enough to contain their excess energy. Here are some activities that will help manage hyperactive behavior during the winter.
The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but you can’t deny that it also comes with its own set of stressors. When you work ADHD parenting magic while dealing with holiday havoc, it’s easy to see why you might feel frustrated, exhausted, and overwhelmed. The fast and busy pace of the holiday season stimulates an ADHD child and increases his or her need for instant gratification. Unfortunately, this also aggravates the symptoms he or she might have. Here are some ways to help your child during the holidays and keep your sanity.
“What toys should I buy for my ADHD child?” This is one of the most common questions parents ask from experts, especially during Christmas or birthdays. Kids with ADHD need the right kind of toys that allow them to express themselves. The tricky part is making sure they find these toys stimulating and exciting; otherwise, these presents end up gathering dust at the back of a closet. Generally speaking, simple toys that encourage pretend play and artistic ability are enough to capture the imagination of kids with ADHD. These Christmas gift ideas for kids with ADHD feature some toys they will surely love playing with.
Well-meaning relatives, friends, and magazine articles have probably given you lots of advice on how to parent your ADHD child. However, the so-called “rules” of good parenting don’t always work, especially when many of these techniques are only fads. Here are the five most ineffective ADHD parenting approaches and how you can make them work for your child.
The holidays are a great time to catch up with family members you haven’t seen, enjoy good food, and simply relax for a couple of hours. That is, assuming that your ADHD child will behave. In the typical family gathering, adults usually gather together in one room while the kids play in another. Although you try your best to pay attention to the relatives you’re talking to, you’re also alert for any signs of trouble. After all, you don’t want family members to judge your ADHD parenting skills or assume that your child is in the middle of any trouble that might happen. Here are some tips you can use to help manage your child’s ADHD symptoms and make your holiday family gatherings fun and tantrum-free.
Every October 31, children around the world dress up in their most ghoulish costumes and knock on doors in search of a wonderful prize – candy. The days before Halloween are almost as exciting as trick-or-treating itself, what with all the pre-holiday festivities like decorating the house for Halloween, pumpkin carving, and shopping for a costume. While this holiday is certainly fun for any child, a nine-year study discovered that Halloween is among the top three holidays that result in the most pediatric emergency room visits. Injuries to the finger or hand account for 17% of injuries, while 20% of injuries were fractures. Naturally, their impulsive nature and high energy levels make children with ADHD the most accident-prone of the bunch. Here are some Halloween safety tips you can use to protect your ADHD child.
Taking care of a child with ADHD is a 24-hour challenge. From getting your child out of bed in the morning to making sure he sleeps at night, it feels like you’re engaged in a tug-of-war all day long. While there are certainly many resources that can help parents cope with ADHD behavioral problems, it seems that the more they read, the more confused they become as to how to discipline their child. The key to ADHD parenting is to realize that your child’s brain is wired differently from his peers. One-size-fit-all parenting approaches won’t always work with your child, but here are five secrets that do.