The ADHD Climb
There are those days when you feel the world just might be on your side! You magically remembered to stay calm in the chaos, your wild child clicked along with focus and a sense of gratitude, and the climb felt manageable.
And then there are the days that start out like all the others, but end up in a heap of confusion, anger and grief.
Breakfast, vitamins, packed-lunch: check!
Bag, shoes, bus: check!
Dishes done, launch into work: check!
School calls. Clunk, clunk and double clunk. Again?!
And suddenly you find yourself sitting on the steps with tears burning your eyes. Angry at your child's behavior. Angry at the school. Angry that you weren't as consistent this week as you could have been. Angry that you look like the overprotective parent. Angry that you are once again trying to solve the unsolvable puzzle. Angry that one step forward ends in two steps backward.
Sound familiar?
Ouch. That's a pity party. "Snap out of it," I say to myself.
But you and I both know it isn't this easy. If you are like our family, you have been up and down this mountain so many times, you've just about claimed your own trail!
Unpacking the Truth
When the dust settles, you have only one thing you can do. Unpack the truth. Because invariably if you look at the full picture, the situation is not a step backward. Just a step. You haven't fallen off the mountain, you've just slipped on a rock. A rock, that if you had been looking up, you might have noticed.
Take a moment to look at the full situation. What is working? What isn't? What improvements have been made? What still needs work? Where have you been inconsistent? Where did you take your eye off the ball?
By looking at the full picture, and not getting caught up in the incident itself, you can help your child to learn to stand up, wipe off the dust and make necessary course corrections!
Planning for Success
Managing a child's ADHD can be challenging. All those pesky nuances that get in the way of progress: the flu that makes it rounds, his best friend moves, an altercation with another student, your family pet disappears, or his teacher goes on maternity leave.
For a child with sensory, behavior and anxiety, minor changes can be the rock that derails the climb.
But honestly, who has time to constantly keep a watchful eye?! It's exhausting.
Much like running a business, developing a plan is crucial to success. A plan provides a bite-sized approach to an otherwise overwhelming task, while simultaneously setting markers or milestones which can indicate progress and/or areas for improvement. The consistency of revisiting your plan every 30-90 days ensures that you don't take your eye off the ball for too long, while providing some breathing room for life's nuances and stumbles—all without falling off the mountain!
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Exploring the Effects of Video Games on ADHD Children
Choosing Action Over Anxiety During COVID-19
The ABC's of Homeschooling your Neurodiverse Child During the COVID-19 Crisis
For most of us, life is radically different than it was a week ago. Schools have closed, groceries are in short supply, and many are facing the loss of income or trying to figure out how to work from home (after suddenly becoming the sole person responsible for their child’s education). That’s a lot. So what do you do?