| When you're the linear-thinking parent of an | | | | 3) Know your child's teacher: Be sure to get |
| ADD child, it's difficult to relate to your | | | | all the pertinent information about your |
| child's behaviors. You undoubtedly feel every | | | | child's classes at school. Ask for due dates |
| pain of attention deficit, but maybe you | | | | of specific assignments, quizzes, and |
| aren't quite sure how to deal with it, | | | | anything else that you child needs to |
| especially when you child is very young. If | | | | remember. |
| you're an ADD parent of an ADD child, at | | | | |
| least you can remember what being a kid with | | | | 4) Provide sanctuary: Your children suffer |
| attention deficit was like, and maybe you've | | | | frustration every day, and it stems from |
| learned some ADD-friendly ways to cope with | | | | within themselves, from their peers, and |
| attention deficit that you can pass along. | | | | perhaps from their teachers. Allow them some |
| But then again, maybe you don't even realize | | | | downtime to unwind when they get home. Make |
| that you have attention deficit yourself. | | | | sure that they have a room of their own or a |
| Well, whatever situation you find you belong | | | | special place they can go to be alone for a |
| in, here are a few tips to help: | | | | while to help them feel less stressed. |
| | | | |
| 1) Make things simple: Don't send your kids | | | | 5) Make them feel successful: First, find out |
| into another room to get a pen, a piece of | | | | what your child is good at. It may take a |
| paper, and an envelope. They'll forget at | | | | while to decide what it is, but maybe they're |
| least one of the three and have to go back to | | | | artists, musicians, or good with technology. |
| get what they forgot. To save frustration, | | | | Whatever that is, support them in that area |
| send them for one thing at a time. Because | | | | and lavish praise on them when they do |
| they can manage to come back with that one | | | | something well to boost their self-esteem. |
| item, when they do, they'll feel happy if you | | | | |
| tell them what a great job they did. Rather | | | | You can use these 5 tips to help make your |
| than deflating their self-esteem, you'll be | | | | child's life better, as well as your own. But |
| pumping it up. | | | | it won't happen overnight. You'll have to be |
| | | | consistent in applying these techniques, and |
| 2) Get a game going: Try involving the whole | | | | through a slow process will your child begin |
| family in this strategy. Make sure that | | | | to improve. Some kids will be lucky enough to |
| people get extra points for positive | | | | control the symptoms of attention deficit as |
| behaviors, and that points are deducted when | | | | they're older. Some of them turn into ADD |
| someone breaks a rule or doesn't take their | | | | adults. Learn more coping mechanisms for |
| turn in the proper order. | | | | parents and adults at Instant ADD Success. |
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