Being a parent isn’t easy. More often than not, we neglect the complexity of the job. Being present isn’t enough; you have to give it your all; otherwise, your child fails to adjust within society, and only the parent is to blame. With children who have Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,the responsibilities become extra meticulous. ADHD is becoming an increasingly common diagnosis among children, and parents must shed any misconceptions regarding the disorder and how to deal with it. Health2delivery has made it a mission to take away as much stress from parenting as possible. So, if you’re a parent hoping to make things easier for your child, here’s what you can do.
Give them a routine:
Children with ADHD don’t lack any functional growth; instead, their patterns of functional development are pretty different from neurotypical children. This means your child’s way of perceiving and responding to various stimuli will differ from neurotypical children’s. One of these differences arises when dealing with sudden changes. That’s why you need to focus on adding structure to your child’s life, so they remain engaged and know what to expect. Having a set timetable for every day, knowing when to wake up, when to sleep, when to have breakfast or do homework will instil a sense of responsibility and help them limit distractions.
Add more steps:
Sometimes, it’s easy to lose focus when the task at hand seems like a gigantic whirlwind. To help your child not feel overwhelmed by the enormity of a task, you can break it down into easy to follow steps. For example, if you’re in the kitchen baking cookies with them, add layers to the task like gathering the dry and the wet ingredients, picking out a cookie-cutter, making the batter or the cookie dough etc. As they go through each step, they’ll feel more satisfied with their ability to accomplish goals and have more incentive to stay committed till the end.
Help them process their emotions:
Emotional outbursts are common in children with ADHD. These may look like anger outbursts or tantrums triggered by a change in routine etc. Children with ADHD are more likely to give into disruptive behaviours. However, this isn’t a practice that can go on. Children have to understand the repercussions of negative behaviours and learn to take accountability to move on healthily. Parents can assist this process by using techniques like “time-outs”. This technique warrants that you immediately remove your child from the environment they have acted out in and give them space, such as an isolated corner to sit and process their emotions. Then, they can ask themselves questions like why they felt the need to give in to the negative emotion and how to stop it.
Also, while minor disruptions can be let off the hook, damaging behaviours that are borderline abusive should be punished so that children remember where the boundaries lie. With age, they understand the importance of these boundaries and adhere to them more strictly.
Final word:
Raising a child with ADHD may be challenging, but it has its rewards. Children with ADHD carry just as much potential as neurotypical children, but rarely do they have the support to act on it. As a parent, you must provide this assistance and having gone through these tips, you’ve probably realized it’s not as hard as it seems, mainly when the results include you and your child better adjusted to the world.