If you’re a parent of a child with ADHD, you know the great challenges and rewards that come along with raising your son or daughter. It can be difficult to navigate public and private spaces at times. It asks you to see the world in a different way. It’s okay to feel a little lost at times. In those moments, all you need is a little guidance to put you back on the right path. Here are some dos and don’ts of parenting with a child with ADHD that should help you find your way.
Create a routine.
Routine is extremely important for children with ADHD. It helps them learn what to expect and what’s expected of them. This also applies to when and how often they take their medication if that’s part of their treatment plan.
If you haven’t been consistently giving your child his or her medication, because of the cost of medication, it’s understandable. Depending on how much your healthcare provider covers, ADHD medication can be expensive. That being said, it’s still important for your child’s every day functioning—especially in an educational setting—to have access to this resource. In order to mitigate some of the cost, you can use Adderall coupons.
You can get discounted rates using a free prescription discount card from USArx. All you have to do is sign up and print it out. The next time you go to the pharmacy to pick up your child’s prescription bring your card, and you’ll get money off. It’s an easy way to help your child and yourself.
Don’t compare them to other children.
It can be difficult not to compare your child’s progress to their siblings without ADHD or other children you know. You must understand that your child is unique and special. Their brain is made a little different, so a comparison isn’t useful or healthy. Comparing can be damaging to your child’s progress. Celebrate their individual success.
Provide your child with appropriate help.
Even if your regular pediatrician has provided a prescription for your child, there are other emotional and behavioral aspects of ADHD that can be difficult for them to navigate. A therapist for ADHD can be life-changing for your child.
Therapists that specialize in working with children with ADHD will be able to test and assess your child in a more specific way than a generalized therapist. Through working consistently with your son or daughter, they’ll be able to find strategies that work and potentially adjust medications based on their observations.
Therapists at the Ross Center understand how important you are in your child’s life. They also understand that unless the strategies they’re using in therapy are also applied at home and school, it won’t be as effective. The Ross Center will work with you to come up with strategies that work best for everyone.
Don’t lose your patience.
It can be difficult to cohabitate with someone who is hyperactive. If you’re having a particularly hard day due to work or other life events, you might find that you have a short fuse. Do what you need to do in order to get yourself in the right state of mind to help and live alongside your child. Your child doesn’t have the access to control that you have.
After you’ve found a way to calm yourself, provide your child with very clear directions about what you need to be accomplished. Whether that’s schoolwork, chores, or a bedtime routine by being specific, you’ll see much better results. Make your even more specific than you think you need to be. For example, “I want you to eat five more bites of your dinner, and then you can have thirty minutes of screen time.” This will set you both up for success.
