Parenting a child with ADHD can be hard, especially if they have an extremely difficult condition. Fortunately, there are several steps that a parent can take to provide their child with a consistent and supportive upbringing that will help them deal more effectively with the challenges that their medical condition presents.
What Exactly is it?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 5 percent of children have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and this can make it difficult for them to concentrate, follow directions and control their impulses. Because of this, it is common for children with this disorder to have a hard time functioning properly at home and school.
Unfortunately, ADHD that is not treated can lead to adults who have self-esteem issues, problems with time management and difficulty with employment and relationships. Therefore, it is essential for the parents of these children to take steps as soon as they realize that their child might have this condition.
Tips for Effective Parenting
1. Early Stimulation
There have been several research studies that have concluded that early stimulation can have a big impact on the level of difficulty that your child will face. Therefore, you should always take steps to provide a child with mental stimulation from birth. Fortunately, you can easily locate items such as a play gym or soft blocks that have been created by Baby Einstein and other well-known manufacturers to give your child the level of early mental stimulation that they need.
2. Stick to a Schedule
One of the best ways to help manage your child and their condition is to put a schedule in place for everything from bedtime to play time. Doing this will give your child an important level of consistency, and this will make it much easier for them to respond appropriately to every aspect of their daily lives.
3. Set Clear Expectations
You will need to exhibit a high level of patience with your child, but this does not mean that you should let them get away with anything. Instead, it is best to take a loving but clear approach to exactly what you expect from them and what their limits are. Taking this approach will help your child learn how to curb some of their most inappropriate impulses.
4. Create the Right Environment for Homework
Every child can benefit from having a quiet homework area that is free of distractions, but this will be imperative for someone with this condition. Continuously encourage your child to write down all of their assignments in a notebook, and make sure that you give them clear instructions regarding your expectations for homework time. Additionally, you need to make sure that your child is held fully responsible for completing their assignments. If you do their homework for them, they will never learn how to do it for themselves.
Although ADHD will definitely complicate your role as a parent, you can ensure that your child behaves appropriately and gets all of their necessary daily tasks completed by providing them with a patient and structured environment. Keep in mind that early mental stimulation can help you avoid many major issues later on.
As a mother with a ADHD son, Lisa Coleman understands the difficulties that can accompany parenting a child with such a condition. She shares tips to help encourage and support others that might be struggling. She encourages early childhood development from an early age through stimulation and interaction with toys that entertain such as Baby Einstein, and at a later age through patience and clear communication and instruction.
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