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Helping Your ADHD Child Succeed in School

Strategies for Parents of Children with ADHD

Raising a child with ADHD presents unique challenges, especially when it comes to succeeding in school. Understanding these challenges and implementing effective strategies can make a significant difference in your child’s educational experience.

Common Challenges for Children with ADHD in School

  1. Distractibility and Inattention: Children with ADHD often struggle to focus on tasks. They can be easily distracted by noises or their own thoughts. This distraction leads to missed classroom information[5].
  2. Hyperactivity and Impulsivity: The need to move and difficulty with impulse control can make it hard for children to sit still. These children often struggle to stay seated. Listening quietly is often required in a classroom setting[5].
  3. Organizational Difficulties: Many children with ADHD have trouble organizing their school materials, managing time, and breaking assignments into manageable parts[2].
  4. Social Challenges: ADHD can affect social interactions, leading to difficulties in maintaining friendships and interacting with peers and teachers[3].
  5. Emotional Regulation: Children with ADHD may struggle with managing their emotions. This can lead to frustration and stress. This is especially true when tasks seem overwhelming[4].

Strategies to Help Children with ADHD Succeed in School

  1. Create a Structured Environment: Provide a consistent routine at home and work with teachers to make sure a structured classroom environment. This helps children know what to expect and reduces anxiety[1][2].
  2. Positive Reinforcement: Use a rewards system to encourage positive behavior and academic engagement. Recognizing achievements, no matter how small, can boost confidence and motivation[4].
  3. Develop Organizational Skills: Teach your child how to organize their schoolwork and break tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Tools like planners or checklists can be helpful[2].
  4. Encourage Physical Activity: Allow for regular breaks and physical activity to help manage hyperactivity. This can include short exercises or simply allowing the child to move around during lessons[4].
  5. Collaborate with Educators: Keep open communication with your child’s teachers. Ensure they understand your child’s needs. They can then provide appropriate accommodations, such as extra time for tests or a quiet space for work[5].
  6. Focus on Social Skills: Help your child develop social skills through role-playing or social skills groups. Encourage positive interactions with peers to build friendships[3].
  7. Emotional Support: Teach your child strategies for managing emotions, such as deep breathing or positive self-talk. Building self-awareness can help them cope with stress and frustration[1].

Parents can play a crucial role in helping their children with ADHD succeed in school and beyond. This can be achieved by understanding the challenges and implementing these strategies.

Citations:
[1] https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/executive-functioning-strategies-blog/how-does-adhd-in-children-impact-academic-performance
[2] https://rvapediatrics.com/ADHD%E2%80%94Why-Is-My-Child-Having-Trouble-in-School
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/articles/school-changes-helping-children.html
[4] https://www.graduateprogram.org/2022/08/the-challenges-adhd-students-face/
[5] https://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/attention-deficit-disorder-adhd-and-school.htm
[6] https://childmind.org/article/whats-adhd-and-whats-not-in-the-classroom/
[7] https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/adhd-school.html
[8] https://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/attention-deficit-disorder-adhd-in-children.htm

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Helping Children Make Friends After Bullying

Bullying leaves deep emotional scars on children, making it difficult for them to forge new friendships. The impact of bullying can be far-reaching, affecting a child’s self-esteem and social interactions. However, with understanding, support, and proactive measures, children can regain their confidence and establish meaningful connections. In this article, we explore the story of a child who faced challenges in making friends after experiencing different types of bullying. We also delve into statistics on bullying and discuss strategies to help children overcome these obstacles.

A Personal Journey:
Meet Alex, a resilient 10-year-old who endured various forms of bullying—physical, verbal, and cyberbullying. These traumatic experiences left Alex feeling isolated, fearful, and hesitant to engage with others. Making new friends became a daunting task due to the lingering impact of bullying.

Understanding the Prevalence of Bullying:
Bullying is a widespread issue that affects countless children worldwide. According to recent statistics:

  • Approximately 1 in 3 students report being bullied at some point during their school years. (National Center for Educational Statistics)
  • Verbal bullying is the most common form, with 70% of students reporting they have witnessed verbal bullying in their schools. (StopBullying.gov)
  • Cyberbullying affects about 15% to 20% of students, with a higher prevalence among older children and teenagers. (National Bullying Prevention Center)

Types of Bullying: Bullying takes various forms, each leaving a significant impact on children’s well-being. These types include:

  1. Physical Bullying: Involves physical aggression, such as hitting, kicking, or pushing. It often leaves visible marks and can be accompanied by verbal abuse.
  2. Verbal Bullying: Involves the use of derogatory language, insults, or spreading rumors to humiliate or belittle the victim emotionally.
  3. Cyberbullying: Occurs through digital platforms, including social media, online messaging, or email. It involves sending hurtful messages, spreading rumors, or sharing embarrassing content.

Strategies to Overcome Bullying and Build New Connections:

  1. Building Self-Esteem: Encourage children like Alex to engage in activities they enjoy and excel at. Praising their unique qualities and strengths boosts self-esteem and confidence.
  2. Developing Empathy: Help children understand the importance of empathy and how it fosters meaningful connections. Discuss emotions, perspectives, and the impact of their experiences on others.
  3. Enhancing Social Skills: Engage children in group activities, clubs, or classes where they can interact with peers who share similar interests. Role-playing social scenarios can also improve communication skills.
  4. Creating a Supportive Environment: Collaboration with teachers, parents, and school staff is essential. Implement anti-bullying initiatives, promote inclusivity, and provide opportunities for positive peer interactions.
  5. Seeking Professional Help: If needed, encourage children to seek support from mental health professionals who can help them navigate emotions, develop coping strategies, and address any lingering trauma.
  6. Encouraging Small Steps: Celebrate every effort a child makes towards building new friendships, emphasizing that progress is valuable regardless of the outcome. Remind them that genuine connections take time.
  7. Promoting Resilience: Teach children the importance of resilience and perseverance in overcoming the challenges they face. Encourage them to seek support, embrace setbacks as learning experiences, and celebrate their strengths.

Bullying has a significant impact on children, making it difficult for them to establish new friendships. However, armed with statistics on bullying and equipped with strategies to overcome these challenges, children like Alex can rebuild their confidence and connect with others. By fostering self-esteem, empathy, and social skills, and by creating a supportive environment, children can rise above the scars of bullying, forge meaningful connections, and thrive socially and emotionally. With determination, understanding, and support from caring adults, every child can experience the joy of genuine friendships.

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Failing School? Sensory Issues Could be the Problem.

Parents are worried about children returning to school and failing!

Guest post by Marga Grey, OT

It’s a horrible thought…

Your little one, suffering at school. Whether they’re struggling to make sense of the lessons, or even being bullied for being “different”.

All you want to do is swoop in and protect them! I know, I’m a mom myself. And even as they get older, that protective feeling doesn’t get any less…

If I take my mom hat off for a minute, and put my Occupational Therapist one on, I can tell you a fact:

Poor Sensory Motor Skills are the culprit for most problems in the classroom.

It’s true.

Things like:

  • Concentration
  • Handwriting
  • Sitting still in their chair
  • Coordination
  • And more

Are all impacted by poor Sensory Motor Skills.

And how a child reacts to these problems is different in every case.

Some go into their shell, become anxious and have bad associations with school, even experiencing physical symptoms like stomach pain and headaches at the thought of going to school.

Others act out and are unfairly labeled “troublemaker” or “lazy” when they actually have no control over their ability to complete the allocated tasks.

One thing is consistent throughout every child I see though:

Improving their Sensory Motor Skills improves their performance in the classroom. Fact.

And as they have to be at school for 12 years (not counting further study after that) it is SO important to give them the best possible foundation for their schooling career!

Even if you feel they are doing “Okay” and there’s nothing really wrong… helping your child’s Sensory Motor Skill development will only give your child even more of an advantage.

Learn how to give your child the skill to focus and control their impulses before school starts! Click here for more info.

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School Daze (or Back to School Again)

by Ron Huxley, LMFT

Some children find school an exhilarating challenge, while others are overwhelmed. Parents of young children can help them by being more involved in school. If you have the time or a flexible work schedule, you can participate in the classroom one day a week. This affords you the opportunity to observe your child and to help the teacher, who probably has his or her hands full. You can see what problems your child has adjusting to the school routines and find ways, by modeling the teacher, to help your child. Your presence also gives the younger child a feeling of security to know mom or dad is close by. Unfortunately some parents do not have this flexibility to take off a day and participate in their child’s classroom. You can still stay involved by attending parent/teacher conferences, calling the teacher periodically to see how your child is doing, and keeping informed about overall school events as well as your child’s individual performance.

Parents can also reduce their child’s school daze by helping them learn good study skills and overcome homework malaise. Self-discipline can be a difficult trait to build, but it is crucial to academic success. While IQ is important, a child’s feeling of confidence in herself and her ability to master a subject is also critically important. Make sure your child knows how to study and finds it a positive, rewarding experience. You can do this by using the “Homework Hassles” parenting tool. In addition, you should encourage children’s natural curiosity to learn. Provide opportunities to discover new things. Get excited about your child’s projects, both at home and school. Post school work on the refrigerator door as if they are pieces of famous artwork. And talk regularly with your child about his feelings about school. Is he afraid of another student? Does he think the teacher is nice or mean? What is it like riding the bus, or eating school cafeteria food, or playing at recess? Who are his friends and why does he like them? Even busy parents can find time for these discussions.

Use communication parenting tools to validate a child’s feelings about school without getting caught up in them at the same time. Remember that empathizing with a child (hearing about feelings and acknowledging their validity) is different from sympathizing with a child (feeling what they feel, be it mad, overwhelmed, or dazed). The former allows the parent to help solve problems while the latter get parents caught up emotionally in the problem.

Posted on

School Daze

By Ron Huxley, LMFT

Some children find school an exhilarating challenge, while others are overwhelmed. Parents of young children can help them by being more involved in school. If you have the time or a flexible work schedule, you can participate in the classroom one day a week. This affords you the opportunity to observe your child and to help the teacher, who probably has his or her hands full. You can see what problems your child has adjusting to the school routines and find ways, by modeling the teacher, to help your child. Your presence also gives the younger child a feeling of security to know mom or dad is close by. Unfortunately some parents do not have this flexibility to take off a day and participate in their child’s classroom. You can still stay involved by attending parent/teacher conferences, calling the teacher periodically to see how your child is doing, and keeping informed about overall school events as well as your child’s individual performance.

Parents can also reduce their child’s school daze by helping them learn good study skills and overcome homework malaise. Self-discipline can be a difficult trait to build, but it is crucial to academic success. While IQ is important, a child’s feeling of confidence in herself and her ability to master a subject is also critically important. Make sure your child knows how to study and finds it a positive, rewarding experience. You can do this by using the “Homework Hassles” parenting tool. In addition, you should encourage children’s natural curiosity to learn. Provide opportunities to discover new things. Get excited about your child’s projects, both at home and school. Post school work on the refrigerator door as if they are pieces of famous artwork. And talk regularly with your child about his feelings about school. Is he afraid of another student? Does he think the teacher is nice or mean? What is it like riding the bus, or eating school cafeteria food, or playing at recess? Who are his friends and why does he like them? Even busy parents can find time for these discussions.

Use communication parenting tools to validate a child’s feelings about school without getting caught up in them at the same time. Remember that empathizing with a child (hearing about feelings and acknowledging their validity) is different from sympathizing with a child (feeling what they feel, be it mad, overwhelmed, or dazed). The former allows the parent to help solve problems while the latter get parents caught up emotionally in the problem.