The Top 10 Strategies for Adults of ADD Children

The Top 10 Strategies for Adults of ADD Children

Category: Situations/Situational Advice (CH14)

Originally Submitted on 2/6/97.

ADD adults have a tough time parenting ADD kids, and non-ADDer's find it difficult as well. In order to soften the parenting load associated with raising ADD children and create an environment that promotes a positive lifestyle and philosophy, we have created the S.A.F.E. H.O.M.E.Parenting Pill. Every child should have a safe home and every parent should have the S.A.F.E. H.O.M.E. Parenting Pill.The safe home pill was specifically developed for the purpose of alleviating parental stress, by positively affecting the regional and macro levels of the brain. This innovative medication dramatically improves blood flow to:1. the pre- frontal cortex of the brain which advances and modulates emotional responses. 2. the caudate which is responsible for inhibiting, initiating and influencing attention and movement, 3. the corpus callosum which permits the right and left hemispheres of the brain to internally communicate,

1. SELF-ESTEEM

Enhance the child's self-esteem. Don't rip it apart. Communicate positive ideas. Acknowledge strengths and accomplishments. Avoid using sarcastic, degrading or humiliating comments which can destroy any semblance of self-esteem . Children will remember these negative moments for years, so accentuate the positive. Remember, these kids have lived with a great deal of failure. They need all the positive reinforcement they can get.

2. ATTITUDE

Treat your child with an attitude of respect. If you respect your child he/she will respect himself, respect you, and respect the love of the family.

3. FUN

Have fun with your child. It is an essential element of a successful parent-child relationship and ADD children love to play. It motivates them and captures their attention. Remember ADD children get bored easily. Create lively, humorous and adventurous activities to relieve the boredom of structure, organization and rules that are usually a dominant part of their treatment.

4. ENCOURAGEMENT

Encourage and emphasize the success of your ADD children as much as possible. They have lived with failure for so much of their lives,that they need all the positive feedback you can provide. These children desire, require, and directly benefit from positive reinforcement. They LOVE ENCOURAGEMENT and have a tremendous thirst for it. So why not quench their thirst. Tell them how special they are!!!

5. HELP

Ask your child how you can help them; whether it is a difficult situation or simply something that needs clarification . JUST ASK THEM! Let them know they are not alone; that you are there for unconditional support whenever he/she needs you.

6. OVERCONTROL

Don't overcontrol all aspects of your childs life by fanatically insisting on control over all situations all the time. This type of behavior impedes the development of independence necessary for the ADD child to effectively perform and progress outside the home.dgcoach1@aol.com

7. MANAGE

The ADD child is capable of infuriating parents on one day and pleasing them on another. Don't allow their inconsistent behaviors to produce harmful reactions. Manage a consistent even keel temperament, and don't fluctuate with the child's behavior because this will create a disorderly and uncontrollable family environment.

8. EDUCATION

It is essential that your family learn the facts about ADD. Education is the first step in the successful treatment of ADD. Many of the problems of ADD will resolve themselves once understanding within the family occurs.

9. POSITIVE

Focus on communicating and building positive strategies with your children. Secure and direct your child's attention toward achieving positive goals based on their strong personality traits and natural abilities. Get on a positive track and stay on a positive track. Don't allow negativity to enter in any communications with your child.

10. PARENTING

As a parent you have the tremendous ability and power to heal and help soothe your child's ADD. The key is acceptance of his/her disorder. However, if parents belittle or mock their child's condition as an "excuse"for their mistakes, it can set back the entire healing process. Through encouragement, praise and positive communication, parents of the ADD child can reverse feelings of failure into a strong sense of positive growth and success in life.

About the Submitter

This piece was originally submitted by David Giwerc, Business and Personal Coach, who can be reached at DgCOACH1@AOL.COM. David Giwerc wants you to know: David Giwerc, a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), is an Associate Coach with the Optimal Functioning Institute and is a business and personal coach with over 15 years of marketing and advertising agency experience. He currently coaches a diverse group of entrepreneurs and corporate executives, most of whom have been diagnosed with ADD. "My true enjoyment of coaching manifests through my ADD clients. They are such Affectionate, Dedicated, Daring, Enthusiastic, Resourceful and Sensitive people. Many ADDers have been focusing solely on the challenges of ADD without realizing its unique gifts. My coaching philosophy is designed to explore each ADDer's strengths, accentuate them, and develop systems that facilitate daily utilization of these positive attributes. I want my clients to fully develop their natural selves, making life choices aligned with their passions. As an ADDer myself, I understand what ADDers have gone through from discovery, through grieving, to education, to lives so much bigger than ADD and richer because of it." David, who is also affiliated with Coach University, can be reached at (518) 482-3458, or at dgcoach1@aol.com.

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