Adhd Guide

The ADHD Child at Home

The home environment is the place where children should feel the safest, the place where their parents are, and they can retreat from the pressures and demands of the world of school and socialization. For ADHD children this may be particularly crucial and it may be more of a challenge for parents and siblings.

There are many things parents can do to help their ADHD child in the home setting and to help them manage when they are out of the house. Every thing on this list is essential for the development of any child, they are especially important for a child with ADHD.

One of the most important things is to have consistent routines in place so that your child knows what to expect. It also helps to have reminders posted around the house, in either written form or using pictures, to help them remember the steps to follow with a given routine such as bedtime. This gives them something to focus on to help them stay on task.

Behavior is generally an issue with children who have ADHD. When working to change behaviors, remember to focus on one behavior at a time. Also, don’t spend the entire day trying to correct or change a behavior. That will discourage your child and drive you crazy. Instead, focus on that behavior for just a few minutes each day. If your child is old enough, have him or her participate in setting behavioral goals with you. Remember that your child has a hard time focusing on one thing for a long period of time, so you need to keep explanations and teaching time to within 20 minutes.

You may find it difficult to get your child’s attention. Get down to your child’s level and gently have him or her to look you in the eye. Then speak to your child. Be sure to praise good behavior and strong efforts at least three times a day and always frame requests in a positive light, what you want them to do instead of what you do not want them to do. Offer positive, constructive feedback to your child throughout the day.

Other tips include: keeping choices simple by offering only two, maybe three, choices at a time; mix quiet activities with energetic activities; see that your child get a large amount of vigorous exercise everyday; have just a few rules and be consistent. You want to ensure that your child feels completely secure at home, that it is a safe haven.

Home is the place for any child to learn about what is acceptable and what is not in an environment in which they can make mistakes and learn from those mistakes while knowing that they have the safety of their parents and a familiar environment to fall back on.

A child with ADHD may need this feeling of safety more than the average child and parents are the key to this safe, secure environment. With this feeling that they have a safe place to return, these children can then go out into the world and apply what they have learned and have the self-confidence to succeed.