If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, I know it can be stressful to manage. Here’s the checklist you need to help manage your child with ADHD.
Nothing in here is a quick fix or a magic solution; all these tips are tested to be effective, however you as a Mom need to consistently adhere to them to make a difference in your child’s behavior. Although there is not a cure for ADHD, some children do outgrow it and the things in our checklist are highly effective at helping to shape and manage their behavior.
It’s going to require a ton of patience on your part to help uphold everything here, in addition to a lot of your time to implement them as well. Stick with it!
Rely On Rewards
I’m sure you have heard of a reward system, and it’s something you should rely on. It’s no secret children respond better to positive than negative reinforcement, and a reward system is a prime example of positive reinforcement.
The way a reward system works is you ask your child what do they really want for good behavior? Maybe it’s a pizza party, or the ability to buy a brand new toy they have been eyeing. Create a chart that lists out everything they want, which they can earn, and then decide what it will cost them using tickets, or gold stars, or tokens of some kind.
Every time they do something good, give them their little token to indicate they were doing a great job. Then, when they have enough, they can trade them in for something on their chart!
Structure Is Everything
For a child with ADHD, structure truly is everything. They thrive when they know exactly what they can expect from their day, and you too. Everything from breakfast, dinner, getting ready for school, getting ready for bed, and playtime are all activities you need to have structure around and a set routine in place for.
Get Into A Homework Routine
Get into a homework routine where you set aside the same amount of time every day for your child to sit down and accomplish what they need to. Ideally, this is an hour, so they don’t feel pressured or stressed to complete things as quickly as possible.
Make sure the time you set aside is not late at night or before your child goes to bed; try to make it as soon as they come home maybe or right before they eat dinner and have had a little time to decompress from school. Through making homework a routine, you’re creating something that is consistent and disciplined and that structure is exactly what children with ADHD thrive on.
The Art Of Consequences
Consequences for actions are truly an art form. You don’t want to over-punish your child or be too severe, but you also don’t want to let them run rampant and not have any consequences in place for bad behavior.
Explain to your child what the consequences are for certain behaviors, and make sure they understand them. That way, when they act in a way that requires a consequence, they won’t be surprised and will know what to expect. If this happens, you need to immediately implement the consequence so your child will make the connection between that and their behavior.
