The person who really performs behavioral therapy should be the parent or teacher, because home and school are the two most important places where ADHD affects.
Getting attention and how to properly communicate with your child?
Make sure your child’s full attention is on you when you are talking to him/her by.
1. turning off the radio, television and other audio.
2. using the child’s name.
3. facing the child head-on.
4. for younger children you can squat down and gently hold the child’s hand so that the child and you are talking face to face
5. looking the child in the eyes.
6.Speak briefly and clearly, gently but firmly, do not yell.
Positive instructions
1. Tell your child what he or she should do, not what he or she cannot do. For example: “Ming, turn off the TV.”
2. much better than “Ming, don’t watch TV”.
Set rules
Make rules for behaviors that are important to your child, and don’t waste energy on behaviors that are not important. Make rules and record them and tell your child clearly so that he or she has a clear idea of what is allowed and what is not allowed in the house, so that arguments can be avoided. When there is a problem, follow the rules to the letter.
Say how you feel, don’t criticize rudely
Instead of criticizing your child directly, “You are behaving badly,” say how you feel about your child’s behavior, such as “I feel sad and upset when you …… “.
Develop good habits
Children with ADHD respond better to habits and they are better at doing things that have been planned. Changing habits and routines can interfere with their lives and learning. Therefore, care should be taken to give your child regular, good habits, such as getting up and going to school regularly in the morning, going to bed regularly at night, etc.
How to win your child’s cooperation?
1. Express your understanding of your child’s feelings and confirm to your child that your understanding is right.
2. Express sympathy for the child, but not forgiveness (tell him that you have had similar thoughts or behaviors).
3.Tell your child how you feel (make your child want to listen to you).
4.Help your child focus on how to solve the problem (listen to your child’s ideas and your suggestions and reach a consensus).
How to encourage your child?
Try to find your child’s strengths. When they complete a task or perform well, recognize it promptly and tell your child clearly what he is being praised for. Children with ADHD can easily fall into a vicious cycle of being criticized, which can lead to a lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem, and a cycle of brokenness. The purpose of praise is to create a virtuous cycle that makes children with ADHD feel better about themselves, reinforcing, reinforcing and sustaining their good behavior through praise and affirmation, so that they can perform better.
How to encourage your child?
Create a reward mechanism that gives points when a child behaves well and fulfills a pre-negotiated wish when a certain number of points are reached. Points can be represented by something the child likes – a little red flower on a card, plastic tokens in a jar, etc. Incentives can be short-term, such as 1 point for 10 minutes of good behavior on a trip, or long-term, such as 10 points for completing all homework on time for 1 week in a row.
You can make an agreement with your child by then posting the points on the fridge or in the cupboard so that both you and your child can remember the deal.
For example: Your child does something that you want him to do.
1. keep his bedroom neat and tidy for 1 week.
2. get dressed within 10 minutes for 5 days in a row.
3. Leave Mom alone on the phone for 1 week in a row.
In return, the child gets a reward they like: 1.
1. 15 minutes of extra Internet time.
2.Renting a DVD disk.
3. 30 minutes of extra outdoor activity.
Use “time outs”
You can prepare a specific area – a chair, a step, or a corner – where your child can stay for a period of time (5 to 10 minutes) to calm him or her down (and to calm yourself) when he or she has a tantrum. You can use a timer. Do not talk to your child or answer any questions during the “time out” period. “When the timeout is over, do not talk about what just happened again. The child has already been punished for his or her mistake. If your child refuses to accept the timeout, threaten to cancel the “privilege” by reducing the time spent on the computer or playing soccer. Encourage your child to color and decorate the sign and put it up when they need someone.
Hospice Program
Being a parent of a child with ADHD can be exhausting, frustrating and depressing. Try to give yourself a break for a few hours or even days when you are on the verge of a meltdown is you are hardly being a good father or a good mother. There are things you can plan to seem to relieve stress and gain peace of mind.