ADHD Parenting Tip - Make Sure You Are Setting Reasonable Goals For a Child With ADHD

Not a day goes by when I don't hear, from one my parents that I consult with, about how difficult things are with getting their children to follow through on something. The situations vary, but the underlying frustration and process is always the same. Consider these ADHD challenges for a moment:


Getting your child up in the morning
Having them complete their homework
Getting them to clean their room
Taking on greater responsibility
Not arguing with every little request

I could go on and on with this list, but you know what it's like. You are living with it every single day. I know you are frustrated, and I know that at this point, you are likely very skeptical about whether or not things can or will change. You are skeptical about whether or not your child with ADHD can actually accomplish some of these things.

I Can Tell You That Change Is Possible...

But I would rather show you it is possible, and let you experience that success and celebration for yourself. It's just not enough to hear from someone that change is possible. Not even close. You need to experience it for yourself, so that you can feel the energy and rewards from your efforts.

Here's what I am going to ask you to do.

Consider the things you expect from your child. It doesn't matter how trivial or how important a task it is to you, just get something in mind. Now, once you are clear about a certain task, we are going to figure out how to achieve the goal. Keep in mind that a child with ADHD will need different tools and supports to get the same things done.

Take the morning routine for instance. It's one of the most frequently discussed topics in my office. A lot of parents expect their children to get up, get out of bed, make their bed, pick up their room, brush their teeth, shower, get dressed for school, come downstairs, and so on...

Reasonable, right?

Well, let's adjust this expectation a little bit. While it's totally reasonable for an adult to think this way, and accomplish these tasks, this can be very overwhelming for a child with ADHD, particularly with so many demands.

What I'd like you to do instead, is focus on one or two things. That's it! Get those one or two things in focus, and then you can build in the rest.

The key to setting reasonable goals is to break them up into manageable pieces, not for you, but your child.

Brought to you by Dr. Rory Stern & ADHDFamilyOnline.com

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