Many parents of ADHD children have felt frustrated with their child’s impulsivity, inattention, and restlessness. What you, as parents of an
An ADHD child may not know that five tips can help/teach your child to be more in control of their behavior and still maintain their natural curiosity and enthusiasm.
- Be clear with the “rules” in advance. Take a little extra time to calmly remind your child what is expected of them. Many ADHD children are not auditory learners and literally will not hear you tell them something from across the room. Make sure you have your child’s attention by gently touching them on the shoulder and looking directly into their eyes with your request. Have them repeat the expectation to be sure they have “heard” you. Keep your request brief and succinct.
- Answering the “Why?” Like most children with ADHD, they want to know why they must follow the rules. They often comprehend things concretely and truly benefit from a simple statement as to “why” they must behave. For instance, if the rule is “not to jump on furniture”, follow this request by telling your child, “because it is not safe. You could fall and get hurt.”
- Consequences. A child must understand what will happen if they misbehave. By establishing this beforehand, disciplining becomes more matter-of-fact. If your child is seven years old or older, they can join this discussion. Remember, consequences for misbehavior should “make sense” or follow the specific misbehavior logically. For instance, if the rule is that they cannot hit another child because it hurts them, the consequence for this misbehavior may be to have them removed from the situation. In other words, if they are unable to act appropriately in a social situation, they will need to be removed until they can.
- Develop a “Signal”. Develop a signal between you and your child that will serve to remind them if they are starting to misbehave. By engaging your child in coming up with the “signal,” you will be more likely to get a response. Some examples include winking at them, putting your finger to your lips, or making a downward hand motion. The more involved your child is in coming up with the “signal”, the more they will respond when it is given.
- Consistency. ADHD children are nothing if inconsistent. As parents, we need to model consistency for them so that they learn that rules make sense. To reinforce this, we need to follow our rules consistently. Never engage or negotiate after the rules have been established. Remind the child what the rule is… “why” it is important, and follow through with the discipline.
Here is to your parenting success!
