| Class Dismissed, | | | | finish, I check the list to make sure I did |
| | | | all of the steps. |
| Millions of children long to hear each day | | | | |
| those wonderful words Class dismissed. | | | | The same process can be followed when helping |
| However, different children respond to those | | | | your child be successful. By sitting down |
| words differently. Most students learn fairly | | | | ahead of time, prompting them to write out |
| quickly that when the teacher dismisses them | | | | the necessary steps, and impressing on them |
| that they need to check their homework, put | | | | to follow the list; you reduce the multi-step |
| the right books in their backpack, make sure | | | | activity to one action. |
| they have the materials they need, straighten | | | | |
| up the desk and possibly put up their chair | | | | As an example, when the teacher says Class |
| and then leave. But the ADD child responds to | | | | dismissed, your child will open up their |
| Class dismissed by bolting out the door | | | | binder to find the list posted on the inside |
| leaving homework, books, materials, jacket, | | | | cover. |
| backpack, etc. behind. Why Punish them for | | | | |
| things they can't control? | | | | 1. Do you have your homework written down |
| | | | into your calendar? |
| Our pleadings, scoldings, groundings, and | | | | |
| bribings fail to create a long term solution. | | | | 2. Do you have the books you need for that |
| What can we do to help our child be | | | | homework? |
| successful? | | | | |
| | | | 3. Do you have the homework paper? |
| This is only one example of a much larger | | | | |
| pattern common to ADD. The reason for this | | | | 4. Do you have the supplies that you need for |
| behavior is not to avoid homework, it is not | | | | the homework?... |
| to make us mad, it not deliberate. ADD people | | | | |
| struggle with thinking and acting at the same | | | | If they follow the list, they succeed. |
| time. They just do. They just do the one | | | | |
| response that comes to their mind and usually | | | | I know, how in the world are we going to make |
| the one that brings the most immediate | | | | sure the list is followed? |
| pleasure. | | | | |
| | | | ADD people lose concentration by definition, |
| This also explains why when you tell your | | | | they need ways to remind themselves what they |
| little angel to hang up her jacket, get out | | | | should do next. Plan, do and review can be a |
| her homework, get a snack from the | | | | very powerful tool once added to the goals |
| refridgerator, and settle down to do | | | | and rewarding yourself for each step, this |
| homework, she will get a snack and not do the | | | | reinfources us too this step as positive. |
| rest. You will probably find her in front of | | | | |
| the TV enjoying her treat. Would this make | | | | Listed below are the steps of Plan, Do and |
| you mad, if so know the syptoms, so you can | | | | Review. Plan |
| be part of the sloution not the problem! | | | | |
| | | | 1. Determine the necessary steps in order. |
| What can we do to help our child be | | | | |
| successful? | | | | 2. Determin the necessary items. |
| | | | |
| One important principle for training | | | | 3. Determine a reasonable time per task |
| successful habits for ADD children is: | | | | |
| | | | Do |
| Separate the Thinking from the Doing. Often | | | | |
| at the moment of action, ADD people have a | | | | 1. Follow plan consistently |
| hard time thinking in steps; therefore, steps | | | | |
| are often missed. I suffer still from this | | | | 2. Monitor each step |
| problem as an ADDult. I compensate by a | | | | |
| process I call Plan, Do and Review. I try to | | | | 3. Celebrate completion |
| make sure there is a goal in each step, I | | | | |
| stop and think is this correct, if not why | | | | Review |
| and I continue to do this step by step and it | | | | |
| really helps. | | | | 1. Check for completeness |
| | | | |
| When I need to do something, and since I | | | | 2. Check for accuracy/quality |
| don't think and act at the same time; the | | | | |
| best thing for me to do is sit down and write | | | | 3. Evaluate and revise plan |
| out the steps ahead of time. Then I have | | | | |
| follow the list. By following the list, I get | | | | By separating the thinking from the doing, |
| it done and if I am distracted, I know where | | | | especially for routine tasks, you can help |
| to go to find out what to do next. Before I | | | | your ADD child succeed in life. |