ADD/ADHD Parenting Tips

What are some helpful tips for raising my child with ADD/ADHD in Virginia? 

    Parenting is a tough job and often goes unappreciated.  Parenting can be especially challenging when your child has ADD or ADHD.  It may feel overwhelming at times and you may feel like you need extra help.  Here are some steps you can take to assist you in dealing with the challenges of raising a child with ADD/ADHD.  

• Focus on what your child does well to enhance his or her abilities and interests.  
• Reward positive behaviors.  Teach your child the behaviors you want them to exemplify through motivation and by repeating desired behaviors until they become a routine. 
• Speak in your normal voice as much as possible.  Yelling or threatening your child can make a frustrated child ignore a positive message.
• Know the difference between discipline and punishment.  Discipline teaches your child what to do, which helps your child develop self-control and responsibility.  Punishment is imposed on a child and is intended to stop the behavior immediately.  It does not teach the child what you expect their behavior to be. 
• Decrease television time and increase exercise time.  This will help your child get better rest at night. 
• Develop a schedule and follow it.  Consistency can help your son or daughter get stuff done and meet your expectations. 
• Pick your battles – don’t sweat the small stuff.  Be open to making compromises with your child. 
• Schedule fun time.  Enjoying time together will strengthen the family bond and consequently make your child more cooperative.  
• Build a support system.  This network may include a mental health professional, who specializes in ADD, a parent support group, or a babysitter/nanny who works with children who have special needs.

Raising a child with ADD or ADHD can pose some specific legal challenges – especially within the school environment.  If you need advice or help from a lawyer, call the attorneys at Smith Strong at (804) 325-1245 or (757) 941-4298.