Here Comes the Bus! - Parenting Strategies for ADD/ADHD School Kids

According to the ChADD organization and the National Mental Health Association (NMHA), the United States Senate has recently designated September 14, 2005 as National ADD/ADHD Awareness Day. The purpose of this declaration is to eliminate stigma and facilitate a greater awareness and appreciation of the challenging dynamics of this disorder (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) within our own communities.

With the onset of school, parents of children with ADD/ADHD are once again faced with some of the same situations that may have haunted them throughout the last school year. Typical problems such as homework struggles, social awkwardness, learning challenges, and at-home or at-school behavioral issues are just a sample of the kinds of difficulties that can arise for an ADD/ADHD child. Often these problems are not brought to light until long after the school year is under way and this child’s learning progress and self-esteem has already been put at high risk.

ADD/ADHD children and their parents will benefit from being made aware of practical solutions to maximize school-time success with these delightful, special needs individuals.

• Be ready for the bus.
  Load backpacks the night before. Avoid morning chaos by locating important papers to be signed and completed homework into your child’s backpack before bedtime. When a day starts off well planned for, this provides your child a sense of readiness and security while reducing their risk of disorganization and poor follow-through on important school related tasks.
• Get plenty of rest.
  Studies show that individuals with attention related disorders require more sleep since their sincere efforts to sustain attention and focus can significantly tax the brain, creating low motivation, fatigue, irritability and mood problems. Assure that your child gets to bed at a reasonable time. Make this time a routine during the school week. Utilize a brief wind-down time before bed to allow your child to mentally de-escalate from the activities of the day. This calming period will assist them in easing into sleep, also a typical problem area for most ADD/ADHD persons.
• Jump-start your child’s brain!
  Make breakfast a non-negotiable meal. Avoid high sugared cereals and junk foods, especially in the mornings. Instead, provide ample amounts of proteins and high complex carbohydrates to your child. This healthy start to the day will give your child the best opportunity to access their active working memory, a skill that is a challenge for most ADD/ADHD individuals.
• Maintain a feedback loop.
  Early on, advise your child’s teacher that you wish to stay informed regarding his/her school progress. Devise a reliable means to accomplish this communication goal. Most teachers appreciate these parent efforts to become involved in their child’s learning styles, and this approach helps avoid the surprise of academic or behavioral problems.
• Catch your child being successful.
  Although ADD/ADHD children frequently struggle, research also suggests that these unique individuals are often exceptionally bright and/or particularly talented or creative. Make a special effort to notice and praise your child when he/she has mastered a skill or successfully completed a task that you know is challenging. Post these accomplishments for your family to appreciate and comment on as well. Off-set any social or academic struggles by providing them access to their more competent abilities, such as art, drama, sports etc. These efforts help your child to feel more skilled and accomplished, and can de-emphasize the perfectionist tendencies that are inherent in ADD/ADHD persons.

Although raising an ADD/ADHD child can be a challenging experience, it can also be exceptionally rewarding. These special children look at the world through curious eyes. Every moment to them is perceived as an exploration that leads to an elaborate adventure. Instead of viewing this type individual as a problem, we might greatly benefit from learning how to incorporate their unusual perspectives into our own lives. Learning to live life in a manner in which we appreciate the thrill, uniqueness, and element of simple surprise that these spirited children model to us is a skill all of us can certainly use to enhance the quality of our lives.

Lisa Kurth, M.S., LPC is Clinical Director of the Alpine Behavior Therapy Clinic in Fort Collins.

Her areas of specialty include the assessment and treatment of ADD/ADHD children and adults.