Preventing Behavior Problems in the Home for Kids with ADHD
Prevention tips
Preventing Behavior Problems in the Home for Kids with ADHD
Here are some recommendations for preventing -- or at least reducing -- bad behavior.
Establish and provide the necessary structure: rules/expectations and consequences.
Set limits; be clear and consistent.
Your responses to your child's behaviors/misbehaviors should be predictable, not random.
Organize and arrange the home environment in a way that will optimize the chances for success and avoid conflict.
Anticipate problem situations and avoid them.
Set up routines and adhere to them as closely as possible. For example: morning routines for getting ready for school, mealtime routines, homework routines, and bedtime routines.
Try to keep calm and avoid discipline that is reactive and not thought out in advance.
"Child-proof" the house: Remove items or objects you don't want your impulsive/hyperactive child to touch or play with.
Anticipate stressors and frustrating expectations and work around them.
Avoid fatigue -- your own and your child's.
Focus on your child when he is behaving appropriately. Make it your goal to catch him doing things right with high frequency and praise. Identify and specifically point out the positive behavior(s) and positively reinforce them at those times. Parental approval is very important to most children. Knowing that you are aware of his efforts to exhibit self-control and that he can earn your approval and other awards is a strong incentive.
Try to give your ADHD child as much of her own space as possible.
Plan ahead which behaviors you will work towards increasing and how you will reward (positively reinforce those behaviors).
More tips
Plan ahead how you will deal with inappropriate, challenging behaviors -- what you (both parents if possible) agree to be the consequences/punishments for those specific behaviors. Make sure all of these expectations and the consequences are spelled out to your child and clearly understood.
Be observant. Notice when your child is becoming agitated, overly stimulated, angry, etc., and intervene. Try redirecting your child's attention and focus on something else.
Only give your child chores and responsibilities that he is developmentally able to handle. For your child, that means what he is capable of, not what other kids of his age or other siblings may be able to do.
Provide the supports to enable your child to follow through with chores and responsibilities. Remember that forgetfulness, procrastination, and disorganization are part of the ADD picture. Your ADHD child will need reminders, help getting started, etc.
Provide physical outlets. Your child needs to be able to release energy and participate in (running, swimming, gymnastics, dancing, riding bike, playing ball).
Maintain flexibility and a sense of humor!
Avoid sarcasm, ridicule, criticism, nagging, yelling, and screaming or physical punishment.
Monitor and supervise.
Prepare your child for changes in the home, such as redecorating, a change in parent work schedules, and visitors/house guests. Talk about the change and avoid surprises.
Purchase toys, books, and games that are developmentally appropriate for your child -- not too frustrating.
Avoid competitive activities and/or prepare for games and activities that involve competition. Walk your child through the strategies of what to do if she loses a game. Reinforce good sportsmanship — and that when playing games, she can't always win. Praise and reward behavior when playing games that require your child to display self-control.
Provide a limited number of choices. Don't allow your child to dump out all of his toys, or choose from all the music/video tapes, or examine all the books before choosing one for you to read with him. Allow your child to choose from only a few at one time.
Be aware of siblings who are teasing and provoking your ADHD child, and intervene.
Follow the tips on how to give directions for more strategies that will prevent behavioral problems and conflict at home.
Excerpted from The ADD/ADHD Checklist by Sandra Rief, M.A.
-
Lunch MenuWhat you need: Old magazines Glue stick Scissors Plain paper Pencil Pad What you do: 1. Print the word Lunch at the top of the paper. 2. Cut out pictures of foods your child likes to eat, for example, milk, juice, sandwich, crackers, carr
-
Parent-Teacher ConferencesAre you the parent of a child whos not a problem in class? Not even much of an attention getter? If so, getting a conversation going in your parent-teacher conference may prove frustrating. The teacher may have less to say,
-
Approximately 20% of children in the United States speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish as the most common non-English language. The research on the benefits of bilingualism is constantly growing. Becoming bilingual supports c
