DISCIPLINE STRATEGIES FOR KIDS WITH ADHD

Children with ADHD may have difficulty with completing their tasks, inattentiveness, sitting still, impulsive behaviour and trouble in following directions. As a parent of a child with ADHD, you may require a different set of approaches to discipline him/her. Therefore, you need to make some simple changes in your parenting strategies so that you could train your child more effectively so that they can manage their behaviour well. 

Therefore, we have listed five discipline strategies that can contribute a significant help in managing your child’s challenging behaviour.

POSITIVE ATTENTION 

Parenting a child with ADHD can be extremely challenging and fatiguing. They demand a lot of attention and the desire to talk continuously can make the patient’s parents more tired and helpless. Therefore, it is recommended that as a parent you must provide whole positive attention to the child with ADHD. 

Positive activities such as productive activities or playtime; can invariably diminish the attention seeking behaviour. This would result in them being engaged and you can also relax a bit! Indeed their behaviour is a lot to handle and it can be exhausting sometimes for you as a parent but take one step at a time with your child everyday. Only 30 minutes of positive attention is sufficient to dismantle their imbalance behavioural pattern. It is the simplest yet most effective way to lessen their behavioural issues.

GIVE SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS 

Kids with a short attention span may have difficulty comprehending your instructions. Generally, they don’t hear the instructions clearly in the first place. To make them hear instructions more coherently, you must gain their attention first. Establish eye contact, and put a hand on your child’s shoulder before giving them instructions. However, you must refrain yourself from giving them commands such as “do your homework, clean your desk and then  go to sleep”. A child with ADHD may ignore your instructions due to their impulsive behaviour. Therefore, only give one instruction at a time. 

APPRECIATE THEM 

It is crucial to acknowledge your child’s efforts and appreciate them accordingly. Your praise would motivate the child with ADHD to behave properly and give them feedback frequently. Make your appreciation statement more specific. Instead of saying “great job”. Say” it is nice of you to put your socks in the drawer back”. Admire them for following the directions, doing their homework quietly and sitting still. You will motivate them to keep up this behaviour. 

WORK WITH THEIR TEACHERS

When parents work closely with teachers, it ensures the desired outcome. A child with ADHD would be more attentive in the classroom and you may find change in his behaviour patterns. Some children may require some corrections in their homework, extra preparation time on tests in order to be successful in the classroom. Parents and teachers may design a plan that would effectively improve their child’s performance thus reducing their symptoms.

IGNORE MILD MISBEHAVIOURS

It is generally observed that the children with ADHD may exhibit their attention seeking behaviour. Giving them attention would imply that they can get away with their behaviour and encourage them to continue. Avoiding mild misbehaviour teaches them to behave properly. Ignore behaviour such as whining, shouting loud, complaining and attempting to distract you. In due course, your child will stop doing these annoying things.