Fw: This Week Is ADHD Awareness Week

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Subject: [FND Heart Network] This Week Is ADHD Awareness WeekTo: popinlist@..., fndfllistserv@...Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 10:51 AM

Parenting Tips from ADDitude Magazine:ADDitudeMag.com4 Ways to Be a Better Parent: Raising ADHD Childrenhttp://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/print/946.htmlExpert advice for parenting your ADHD children -- forging powerfulconnections and becoming a positive life coach.by Hallowell, M.D.Parenting children with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD) brings moreups and downs than a roller coaster.One day you're basking in your child's creativity, the next you're worriedabout his social isolation and discipline problems at school<http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1973.html> . You do everything youcan think of to help your son or daughter, yet wonder if you could do more.What does it take to be a

good, even great, parent of an ADD child? How canyou create an environment that helps your special, wonderful child overcomethe obstacles in his path?Let me suggest four strategies:1. Forge connectionsOnce you've taken care of your child's safety and feeding, your top job as aparent is to help her feel connected. By this, I mean creating anenvironment in which she feels part of something big and warm andbenevolent.Reading to your child" is a great way to create connections.Sharing a bedtime story each evening (and doing a little cuddling in theprocess) lets you create a special, "slowed-down<http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1869.html> time together, and, ofcourse, it's a great way to build your child's vocabulary.Don't assume you have to give up this ritual once your child is reading onhis own. You can

continue it well into his teens.How else can you create connections? Consider getting a family pet. Andencourage contact between your child and his extended family. Frequentvisits or calls from relatives extend a net of warmth and caring around yourchild. One of my favorite research studies showed that the single bestpredictor of happiness in adulthood is whether a person regularly sharedfamily dinners when growing up.2. Stay positiveIt's too easy for parents to focus only on the problems associated with ADD.Yes, children with ADHD lose things. Yes, they often forget to turn in theirhomework <http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1978.html> . Yes, they areeasily frustrated. But constantly harping on your child's shortcomings onlyundermines his self-confidence and optimism.Try focusing on the positives for a change.

What is it that your son doeswell? What hidden (or not-so-hidden) strengths does your daughter have? Onemom I know used to say that her ADD daughter had trouble seeing the fish inthe aquarium at the doctor's office - because she was so fascinated by thetiny fish eggs clinging to one leaf of an aquatic plant. Well, that daughteris now hoping to use her ability to see the unusual to launch a career infashion design.3. Be a coachHelping your child grow into a happy, successful adult involves more thangiving her medication each day. It means helping her find success andconfidence in relationships and activities that she enjoys. Medication canbe instrumental in helping her apply the brakes to her racecar brain. Butmedication alone is never enough.Certain issues will persist throughout your child's school career - and, inall likelihood, her whole life. I'm talking about practical matters, likegetting

along with others, planning each day, and staying motivated in theface of setbacks. As a parent, you must be ready to help your child in theseareas. Medication is not the whole treatment for ADD. Never was, never willbe.4. Allow time for playParents sometimes fear that their child won't "keep up" or developfriendships unless he is signed up for several organized activities -sports, clubs, and so on. But kids need some time for unstructured play. Itshows them that they can learn to create joy all by themselves - a skillthat will help them preserve the positive energy of childhood into theiradult years. So pick a couple of things your child loves, then give him thegift of time.This article comes from the February/March 2006 issue of ADDitude.To read this issue of ADDitude in full, purchase the back issue<http://www.additudemag.com/store/backissues.html> and SUBSCRIBE NOW<http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/subscribe.html> to ensure you don't miss asingle issue.Jeanne Boggs POPIN Project Co-Director Family Network on Disabilities of Florida <http://sites.google.com/site/popinfl/> <http://twitter.com/POPINFL><http://www.facebook.com/pages/POPIN/82762947122?ref=ts><http://www.fndfl.org/projects/popin/index.asp><http://groups.myspace.com/POPINFL> <http://popinfl.ning.com/>

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