Mother Knows Best: Tips on Raising 'Out-Of-The Box' Children
Moms learn best from other moms. They learn from other moms who are walking a similar path or who have walked the path that they're on. So I bring to you, real-life tips, from real-life moms, navigating the world with neurodivergent children...all while trying to maintain their sanity! You will be able to walk away with tips, tricks, and resources for this crazy journey called parenthood.
Tune into the Podcast: Mother Knows Best: Raising an ADHD Child 101
Create an Environment for your Neurodivergent Child
Children thrive in an environment that is predictable, consistent, peaceful, and where clear boundaries, limits, and expectations are shared. This is crucial for children with ADHD, Autism, SPD, etc. Children thrive in an environment filled with love, grace, and patience. Traits, such as these, are like scaffolding and support the success of children.
Create an Environment to Nurture Traits and Skills
If you would like to support independence in your child, you need to prepare your environment for independence. For example, if you'd like to have your child get their own water, you need to support that desire and designate a space that is within reach to place their drinking cups. Simple solutions make all of the difference in the world.
Create an Environment for Rest and Security
Another area where creating a peaceful environment is helpful is in your child's sleeping space. Over-stimulation makes it challenging to settle and calm bodies until they learn how to self-regulate. Having essentials (bed, dresser, and a few snuggle buddies) along with dark shades and a sound machine can support their ability to relax in this environment. This paired with consistent bedtime keeps bedtime meltdown free.
Help Your Child Navigate Challenges
When it comes to requiring a child to navigate and focus challenges, especially when they are diagnosed with ADHD, there are tools that can support children feeling successful.
Provide a method for your child to move and fidget while focusing on the hand at task. Movement chairs and the Active Child Band are great tools to help them refocus their energy - they need to move!
You might be interested in the blog post: 5 Reasons Child Move, Squirm, & Fidget
Taking short breaks can help improve focus for children! When your child becomes tired, offer the control on how to proceed to finish the task. You can offer two different options. By allowing movement and control, you're avoiding meltdowns, helping them to manage frustration, and helping them to enjoy challenges.
Encourage Movement
Plenty of physical movement during the day is key to enjoying time together. Children are meant to move and that provides an invaluable tool that teaches socialization, problem-solving, negotiation skills. It brings a child (and even adults) joy in celebrating each and every success, no matter how seemingly small and navigating challenging moments.
Create an Organization System
Especially with older children, having an organization system and set routine can help your child navigate their day better. Create an organization system, such as color-coding, which will help your child easily identify what activity they are about to do and what they need for the said activity. This provides structure, helps to let them know what is happening next, and gives them the responsibility to get from point A to Point B.
Give Your Child Space to Process
It is so important to give your child space.. when you step back, your child can start exploring new things, it allows them to process and express their emotions, and it gives them a sense of independence. By letting them lead, they will become more comfortable doing tasks on their own.
Give Your Child Responsibility
Helping your child embrace independence and responsibility is huge! Not only does it build them up but it teaches them crucial life skills. Especially when working with a child with ADHD, start by giving them small tasks - taking out the trash, putting your shoes away, tidying their play/work area. By breaking it down, you'll find better success.
Check out this post: Cleaning Hacks for the ADHD Brain
Be Consistent
Staying consistent is hard but so is managing undesirable behavior. One major thing you can do to help you, child, is to stay consistent. It takes a lot of brainwork to make that kind of change in the way we do things. I like having a visual schedule for my kids. It lets them know what to expect throughout the day and gives us a set plan. It also helps to promote independence, since they know what is coming next and helps to create a rhythm and routine that works for your family.
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Do you struggle with undesirable behavior with your child? Are you feeling overwhelmed and even burnt out from the emotional energy you have vested into your child’s behavior? Let's connect! For more tips, tricks, and resources for parenting a neurodivergent child, join the official Parenting That Kid group Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.