5 Ways to Support Children with ADHD
Does your child have ADHD? Do you ever feel stuck or overwhelmed trying to connect and communicate with your ADHD child? You are not alone. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is very common in children. Children with ADHD can have difficulty paying attention and concentrating. They can also be hyperactive or impulsive. While some children cope well with their symptoms, other children have more difficulty. Here are five ways you can support children with ADHD.
Create a Schedule
Making a schedule and sticking to it may seem impossible for busy parents. Creating a schedule, though, can make your child’s day organized and predictable. Parents can begin by slowly integrating a routine into their child’s schedule. This ensures there is plenty of time for the child to adjust to these new changes. Parents can start by setting aside a specific time to do homework or chores. Overtime, parents can add new routines. Be sure to know your child’s limits, though! Don’t overschedule and be sure to make room for free time. When your child has a schedule, the whole family can benefit. A predictable and organized family is less stressed. Children will be less likely to be impulsive since they have a structure to follow. Routines can also help support ADHD children by building good habits, like doing their homework on time.
Break Large Tasks into Smaller Tasks
When given a large task, ADHD children can become overwhelmed and try to avoid it. Breaking a large task into smaller task helps make the task seem more manageable. When a task seems smaller, children are less likely to try to get out of doing it. Instead of asking your child to “clean the kitchen”, try giving them a list of smaller kitchen tasks. Be sure to reward your child along the way as they complete their smaller tasks. Children are still people, and people love to feel appreciated and valued.
Create an Area to Focus
Encourage Activity and Sleep
Children already have lots of energy they need to burn off, but ADHD children have so much more. It’s easy for their energy to build up, causing them to be unable to sit still and focus. Parents can help with this extra energy by finding healthy outlets. Sports are often an option parents with ADHD children turn to. When choosing a sport, though, be sure to find one that does not have a lot of downtime. Sports that involve lots of sitting and waiting for a turn may not be the best option. Ensuring your child is active can help them sleep better, as well. Insufficient sleep can worsen ADHD symptoms. To help your child get a good night’s rest, try incorporating a nighttime routine into their schedule. This could be an hour or so of calm down time to transition from a fast-paced mindset to a relaxed one.
Parent Self-Care
Self-care is essential for any parent. If you start to feel overwhelmed, seek support. Remember, parenting a child with ADHD is hard, and you don’t need to do it alone. Reach out to your loved ones and talk about it. You could even reach out to your child’s doctor, counselor, or teacher. There are also local support groups for parents with ADHD children. Be sure to take breaks, too. It’s easy to get caught up in life, and sometimes slowing down and taking a breath is the best thing we can do for ourselves. Don’t get too caught up taking care of your child that you forget to take care of yourself. Make sure you’re eating right, getting good sleep, and finding ways to reduce stress in your life. You can’t do your best unless you feel your best!
About the Author:
Brandy Chapman is a counseling intern studying to receive her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Brandy specializes in providing services to children and adolescents and strives to enhance the lives of her clients.
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