7 Behavior Management Tips about ADHD – ADD
Parenting your kid can be a difficult task. It makes your life even more miserable if you have a kid with ADHD – ADD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – attention deficit disorder) behavior. What should you do if your child has this issue? First, your kid needs more involvement, patience, and understanding. Second, you have to take a deep breath and know that there is work ahead! Never worry because with the following tips, you will be able to parent your ADHD kid a little easier!
1. Set Up Rules Of The Clear House
Kids with ADHD, as well as ADD, do best in settings with consistent and clear expectations. First, make sure you talk with your kid about your house rules. Next, together come up with the consequences for negative behaviors. Finally, reward good behaviors while providing suitable consequences for any negative behavior. Read more about behavior therapies here.
2. Organize Your Home
Parents often face more challenges from attention deficit disorder kids due to having disorganized homes. It can be helpful to remove any unused objects or other items that you do not use since kids with ADHD and ADD often like disorganizing these sorts of things. Get storage boxes or other organizing containers for items that you do want to keep. Be sure to clean out drawers. Make it clear for your child that when they use anything, it needs to be taken back to its original place. As the old saying goes, ‘a place for everything and everything in its place’. This will instill the responsibility that can be a serious challenge for kids with ADHD and ADD.
3. Set Up Daily Schedule
ADD or ADHD kids respond very well to routine. A daily schedule will help them define the day while providing some much-needed predictability.
4. Reward Effort
Sometimes tasks that look simple to us may be very difficult for a kid with ADD-ADHD symptoms. Make sure you reward effort and hard work, rather than focusing only on the result. For example, your kid may have worked extremely hard while studying for an English test, but the grade that he or she has may not reflect his or her effort. It is significant to reinforce the effort as well as reward progress.
5. Catch Your Kid Being Good
Most parents with ADHD and ADD kids often get too caught up in negative behaviors until they forget to praise or reward the positive behaviors that they see. For instance, whenever you notice that a kid put up his/her school backpack in the proper place after the school day, make sure you let your child know you have noticed it by saying “I really like what you have done by putting your bag in the right place. Good job!” This will definitely motivate him or her to do better things as well as behaving well.
6. Focus On Strengths
All ADHD – ADD kids have unique gifts. Make sure you focus on the positive behavior while working on improving any negative ones. Focus on your kid’s strengths and offer him/her the best opportunities to succeed. Through this, you will aid build a child’s confidence and self-esteem while managing the behavior.
7. Get Support
You are never alone! There are many parents out there who have the same problems with their kids. Discuss your challenges in forums on the best behavior management procedures to implement to curb your kid’s negative behaviors and encourage positive ones. What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Go here.
I believe with the above 7 ADHD – ADD Behavior Management techniques and tips, you will not only become a happier parent but also be proud of your kid!