See below for more Tips, Ideas & Suggestions for Raising Kids with ADHD
Raising kids with ADHD can be very stressful for families. Fortunately, you can learn the best tips, ideas, and suggestions for raising children with ADHD. You Got This!!
Having a child with ADHD, can magnify the challenges of raising children and sometimes bring out the worst in parenting. On the flip side, it can also make life really funny and much more interesting! Anyone raising kids with ADHD will need to keep a sense of humor and a kind heart.
My granddaughter was diagnosed with ADHD five years ago. At that time, we discussed medication options, but she did (& still does) not want to be medicated.
Therefore, over the years, we’ve learned how to cope with her symptoms and laugh (& sometimes bite my lip) at her behaviors. Raising kids with ADHD is honestly no easy task!
This post may include affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you. For full disclosure read here.
WHAT IS ADHD?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is the most common mental health disorder in children.
There are many symptoms to identify children with ADHD, but the most common is a lack of focus and being overly active. Most kids with ADHD experience similar symptoms, but not all children have the exact same symptoms as others.
ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder is an outdated term and is no longer used. Both disorders are now referred to as ADHD.
ADHD SYMPTOMS
There are a variety of symptoms kids with ADHD may experience. Below is a general list of symptoms we have experienced at home and in school.
- Difficulty focusing or staying on task
- Staying seated for long periods of time
- Feeling fidgety, impatient
- Interrupting when others are speaking
- Unorganized
- Difficulty prioritizing information & responsibilities
- Forgetful, short attention span
- Impulsive, blurting out responses
- Difficulty managing time or planning
- Easily distracted
- Multi-tasking
- Listening to & following through with directions
OTHER SYMPTOMS for ADHD in Children
Although many symptoms are similar in all kids with ADHD, symptoms differ from one child to another. Other symptoms we have not experienced at this time are:
- Anger and frustration
- Recklessness
- Abusiveness
- Major mood swings (excluding typical teenager attitudes)
- Excessive hyperactivity
- Aggression
ADHD BEHAVIORS
Like ADHD symptoms, kids with ADHD’s behaviors differ as well. ADHD behaviors can be extremely frustrating and challenging for parents and siblings.
Understanding how to live with a child with ADHD is an ongoing lesson in patience, humor, and resolve.
Parents or guardians need to give up the idea of perfection. Most likely your ADHD child will not accomplish or complete a task the way you intended. But their efforts should be positively acknowledged.
Repetition is the Key
Typically, in order for a child with ADHD to achieve a task, there will be a lot of repeating. For example, after a shower, you may need to advise your child to pick up their clothes.
They may pick up some of their clothes, but leave the rest in the bathroom. You may tell them again to pick up their clothes. They may pick up one more thing but leave two other things in the bathroom.
This repetition could continue until every item is removed from the bathroom, which can cause frustration to both the parent and the child.
This behavior and repetition happen because the child can only process a small amount of information at a time in order to accomplish each task.
Therefore, removing ALL of the clothes or items from the bathroom doesn’t occur to them without repetition and guidance.
Help keep reminders visual with this Hanging White Board. Mark your child’s daily TO DO list so they can see exactly what they have planned every day.
Also, providing an organizational folder for your child will encourage them to keep all of their papers and school information orderly.
Other Tips for Raising Kids With ADHD
OTHER ADHD BEHAVIORS
In our situation, there are additional behaviors we’ve experienced with our ADHD child. Although, I honestly feel most children, regardless of having ADHD or not, have some similar behaviors.
In general, kids are preoccupied with their daily lives of growing up. They do not recognize or view life the way adults do. This is typical of ALL children!
Therefore, things that may seem obvious to adults are not obvious to children. Children are not always aware of the full trash can that needs to be emptied; or the dishwasher that needs to be unloaded.
Of course, they will complete the task if asked, but typically they don’t take notice until it is brought to their attention. Again, this is very typical behavior for all children but may be more difficult if you are raising kids with ADHD.
With that said, there are some additional behaviors we experience with our ADHD child, along with some helpful strategies.
To get your child up and moving, set this Wake-Up Lamp Alarm for easier morning wake-ups. Light colors can be adjusted to your child’s favorite color.
Additionally, a simple timer can be set to allow your child a specific amount of time to complete a task. Timers are great at helping kids with ADHD stay focused when moving from one task to another.
Strategies for Parents Raising Kids with ADHD
Not closing drawers. Especially dresser drawers:
- Honestly, this is a trigger for me! After my granddaughter gets dressed EVERY drawer is left open. Why? How? Huh! I can’t figure out how this doesn’t bother her, but it definitely doesn’t!
- She truly doesn’t notice when drawers or kitchen cabinets are left open until I mention it. I don’t know if this is a behavior for others with ADHD, but it’s absolutely a behavior we experience.
My Strategy: Constant reminders to close drawers when getting dressed. Then reminding her again and again and again! This also applies to kitchen drawers & cabinets left open. We have ongoing reminders throughout the house. Needless to say, we are still working on this strategy. PLEASE TOUCH BASE WITH ME IF ANYONE HAS A SOLID SOLUTION!!!!l
Listening to Directions:
- Yes, I understand tween and teenager behavior, but this is a behavior we have always experienced. Due to her extremely active brain, she is very forgetful. Therefore, giving verbal instructions or directions is usually useless because they are easily forgotten.
My Strategy: To achieve better results when giving directions, I make a written list to follow. I also find sending her a text message on her phone with information or instructions is a good way to stay on task.
Losing Things:
- Many items, clothes, jewelry, books, etc. often get lost or misplaced. Over the years I’ve created various storage systems, but as she’s gotten older, it seems more and more things go missing!
- This can be an expensive and frustrating issue to deal with on a regular basis. Continual discussions need to take place for children to understand their responsibility or lack of responsibility when they lose things.
My Strategy: I set limits on how many specific items she can have. I also remove items from her room if I feel she has an excessive amount that she cannot manage. For example, jewelry. Many family members will buy her jewelry, but she tends to lose it. She will also leave jewelry in bags, bathrooms, friends’ houses, etc. Therefore, I rotate her jewelry so she doesn’t have it in front of her at all times.
Of course, if she wants something she can ask to wear it. But usually, she doesn’t remember the pieces she has, so she wears what she has available. This strategy applies to other items as well. Clothes, make-up, etc. I feel having too many choices or too many options can be difficult for children with ADHD.
Never Ready:
- My ADHD child is famous for saying “not now”!!! She says this for EVERYTHING! Because she is generally focused on other things, mainly her phone!! Frustratingly, she is NEVER ready when others are.
My Strategy: Always give your ADHD child a heads-up before an event. Any event or change in an activity needs a prior warning.
Try to prepare your child for something taking place, such as “dinner in 5 minutes”, “leaving for school in 10 minutes”, etc., etc. Every morning, I set a 5-minute alarm to give her prep time before she has to get moving. I tell her she can rest (uninterrupted) until the alarm goes off and it normally works great!
Setting definitive guidelines and boundaries can lead be more successful outcomes. However, I think we will still always hear her words, “not now”! Don’t expect foolproof changes!
ADHD IN CHILDREN AT SCHOOL
Finding Support in the Classroom
School can be really overwhelming for kids with ADHD. It is difficult for ADHD students to sit in a structured classroom and focus on various topics throughout the day.
In addition, daily curriculums are taught to build from one topic into the next. Meaning, the information in each lesson needs to be understood in order to continue to the next lesson.
Many times, students with ADHD need more time to process and understand the information before moving on. Therefore, they may be left behind as the lessons continue.
This can be problematic for teachers trying to teach other students in the class while providing support to ADHD students.
Typically, students with ADHD or other learning challenges have an established IEP, Individualized Education Program, that requires additional support in the classroom.
For more information about IEPs, see WHAT IS AN IEP PLAN? DOES MY STRUGGLING CHILD NEED ONE?
Studies show, that subjects that truly interest children with ADHD will hold their attention longer than others.
For example, your child who may not be able to stay in their seat during a math class, but may fully focus during art class. They may even excel in subjects they enjoy.
The ADHD brain allows children to concentrate on their preferred interests, which at times can confuse a diagnosis.
Parents and/or teachers don’t understand why a child with ADHD can be an avid writer, scientist, or athlete, but can’t sit still in other classes.
If subjects truly interest the child, they generally will have the ability to stay focused. Isn’t the brain remarkable?
Testing for Kids with ADHD
ADHD testing can be completed privately or through the child’s school district. Our testing was done through the school district, so I am familiar with the school process.
As the child goes through school, teachers generally recognize ADHD behaviors in the school environment.
Teachers will meet with parents to discuss their findings and options for psychological testing and to establish a diagnosis.
Psychology testing is completed with information provided by the student’s teachers and parents/guardians. The school psychologist observes students on various occasions to document their behaviors in different environments.
Testing Results
Teachers, parents/guardians are asked to complete a detailed and thorough questionnaire. The questionnaire includes behaviors at home as well as behaviors in school.
Students also provide input during interviews with the school psychologist. This process could take several weeks to finalize.
After testing is completed, parents/guardians meet with the school psychologist, school principal & other school members to review the results of the testing.
Plans are discussed and determined for the student moving forward. If the student does not have an IEP, Individualized Education Plan, or 504 Plan in place, it may be established at that time.
Creating and documenting support for your child throughout their school years is the goal of an IEP or 504 Plan. It is beneficial for the student, families, and school to establish ongoing educational goals.
These goals will be re-evaluated annually with your child’s educational team to determine the best support process through your child’s school years.
ADHD TREATMENT
The Pros & Cons
Typically, both medication and behavior therapy is used for ADHD treatment. Behavior therapy includes meeting with a therapist to discuss behavior challenges the child is experiencing.
The therapist and child may discuss strategies and various methods to keep behaviors at a minimum. Behavior therapists can be very effective if the child is willing to utilize the strategies determined for support.
Medications used to treat ADHD generally include two types of drugs; stimulant based, such as Ritalin or Adderall. Stimulant drugs are used to increase the amount of dopamine or chemicals in the brain and have proved to be very effective.
If stimulants cause negative side effects, your doctor may advise a non-stimulant medication.
Non-stimulant medication, such as Wellbutrin, works by increasing norepinephrine, a naturally occurring chemical, in the brain.
While medications can be helpful, they may also lead to side effects. Children may need to try different medications before finding one that works for them. There may be a period of trial and error to find the best medication for your child.
Parents/guardians should talk to their child’s doctor to ensure the appropriate medication for their child.
NON-MEDICATION TREATMENTS FOR ADHD
Sleep:
Sleep is very important for children. Especially for kids with ADHD.
The suggested amount of sleep for school-aged children is between 9-11 hours. Set a consistent bedtime routine.
Be sure to create a cool sleep environment. Before bedtime, aim to reduce stress around the child.
Meditation:
Our therapist suggested a brief meditation we practiced while lying in bed. These voice meditations are guided relaxation stories for kids.
They worked extremely well for both my granddaughter and myself! Check out Peace Out meditation.
Balanced Diet:
Following a healthy meal plan provides the brain with the necessary nutrients it needs to stay alert and focused. Be sure your child is eating a balanced diet as well as drinking plenty of water.
Physical Activity:
Physical activity provides health benefits for all children, both mentally and physically.
Endorphins, which are chemicals produced in the nervous system, are released with exercise and physical activity. Releasing endorphins helps balance the chemicals in children with ADHD.
Limiting Screen Time:
These days screens are part of our child’s daily life. It’s hard to escape them. Schools provide iPads or laptop computers for school work and homework.
In addition, many children have cell phones and use multiple features on their phones throughout the day.
Therefore, limiting screen time can be difficult, but not impossible. Try to be mindful to ensure your child is limiting their screen time as much as possible.
ADHD Supplements
While we choose to not give my granddaughter traditional stimulant medication, we do give her a daily ADHD supplement.
We determined that some supplements include various vitamins and natural spices that have proven to be helpful for attention, focus, and executive function.
Although I FEEL that the vitamin supplement helps our granddaughter on some level, I can not or do not have proof. Therefore, I am not recommending any particular supplement or vitamin.
Additionally, I have NO medical training in order to make any recommendations. Please research any medication or supplement before taking it or administering it to someone else.
Parenting Kids with ADHD
Kids with ADHD do not truly understand that their behaviors and brain functions are different from that of someone without ADHD.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of the ADHD child to always be loving, patient, and kind, regardless of your internal frustrations!!!
Refrain from overwhelming them with your high expectations and allow them to be the unique individual they are.
Honestly, you may be surprised how wonderfully funny, creative, and resilient kids with ADHD can be!
This post may include affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you. For full disclosure read here.
TIPS, IDEAS & SUGGESTIONS FOR RAISING KIDS WITH ADHD
- Create “TO DO” Lists. Writing information down helps children with ADHD remember what tasks they need to complete.
- Give warnings BEFORE a scheduled event so kids with ADHD are aware in advance. This will help your child mentally prepare for the upcoming event. Setting alarms can be extremely helpful.
- Provide a stress-free environment. Of course, this can be challenging, but the less chaos surrounding kids with ADHD the better.
- Help your child with ADHD maintain good sleep habits, physical activity, a balanced diet, and limit screen time. These lifestyle treatments can be very effective in controlling behaviors.
- Some kids with ADHD crave caffeine, which is a stimulant. Offering caffeinated soda or iced tea early in the day may help kids with ADHD with focus and attention. (This is my personal tip. Always check with your doctor before giving your child caffeine.)
