Springboard Clinic

Have you ever found yourself wandering along with a crowd, on your ‘vacation’ thinking: I don’t even like (insert whatever you are currently doing)?” 

Too often, we get so excited about the concept of a holiday that we just follow along with what the guide book says and don’t customize it to fit our own wants and needs, or the strengths and limitations of those traveling with us. You do the “must sees’ according to someone else, or hop on a pre-planned itinerary and skip the necessary steps to make it yours. You forget to ask yourself the meaningful questions about what you are wanting out of this time, and instead find yourself on holiday thinking “it would have been more relaxing to just stay home.”

As the holidays approach, children and parents alike are looking forward to some time off. Not only that, children with ADHD often experience challenges at school, and because of this are often told what to do, what not to do...no wonder they need a break!

Anger and emotional reactivity is often a big concern of parents with ADHD children. Emotional regulation is a skill that develops with age, but children with ADHD tend to take a little bit longer to learn these skills. As you can imagine, this can impact family life, friendships, school performance, and self-esteem.

As a parent, there are a few steps you can take to help your child manage their anger. For some ideas, take a look at this article we came across: Anger Is Important — But Only When It’s Managed.

Parenting isn't easy, and with ADHD in the picture it can be particularly challenging. For some tips on how to keep your cool at home during times of stress, check out the article Mindful Parenting: How to Respond Instead of React. In the article, the author talks about identifying our own triggers, and taking the time to allow ourselves a break to decompress. By doing this, it will be easier to listen to our child's struggles, and to model emotional regulation - an essential skill for all children to learn. This approach takes practice, but the payoff can be huge - for your child, but also for yourself and the whole family!

With an ADHD household, getting back into routines after the summer can be difficult. For some tips for introducing new routines, check out this article: Turning the Page on ADHD. In it, developmental behavioral pediatrician Dr. Mark Bertin, talks about the transition to back-to-school, and how it creates an opportune time to implement changes in routines at home.

As a bonus tip, if your child has difficulty listening to instructions (making it difficult to implement routines!), check out the app Brili. We've mentioned it before, but it's a great program developed to help make following routines more fun and interactive by turning it into a game!

If your child with ADHD has difficulty making friends, check out: 5 Ways To Help Your Kid With Special Needs Make Friends. Posted on the Huffington Post website, the article has tips for parents with children who have difficulty with things like self-regulation, impulsivity, or difficulty reading social cues. Check it out and see how you can help set your child up to make better friends this school year!