When you have your little bundle of joy, you have a look at that little face with so much love and adoration. It only takes a few weeks to realize your little bundle is full of energy, but you chalk it up to all children are different. As the years go on, your child with ADHD will start to show signs and symptoms of this troubling disorder. From the lack of attention to impulsivity, there will be days you just don’t know what to do! As a parent of a child with ADHD, I can fully understand the frustration, but I have discovered 6 ways to help your child with ADHD to make your life easier.

• Follow a Schedule: For a child with ADHD, their mind can wander in a million different directions at one time. It is hard for them to keep focused when nothing is set in stone. Create a schedule and stick to it. Make sure to establish a meal routine, HW routine, and bedtime routine. The more routine a child with ADHD has, the easier it is for you and your child.
• Use Visuals: Visuals are great tools for keeping a schedule. Most children with ADHD struggle to focus on what you are saying for longer than a few seconds. Because of this, they may hear you say it’s time for the meal routine, but not comprehend it. If you can make visuals for your routines and simply point to the routine or task, your child will be able to focus easier on what you want him or her to do. We, also, had a behavior chart with visual rewards that worked really well at helping impulsive behaviors.
• Use a Visual Timer: A child with ADHD may start a task that you ask, but easily get distracted by other people, the TV, video games, or even a messy house. The best way to get a child with ADHD to accomplish a task is to use a visual timer. I like the bigger timers with a red time indicator, so when all the red is gone, time is up like this.
• Get Down at Eye Level: A child with ADHD is only halfway listening because as his ears hear you mumbling, his eyes are focused on something else. If you really want what you are saying to stick, you need to get down to eye level with your child and make sure his eyes are looking at you. I say, “Focus, look at my eyes, and listen.”
• Stay Organized: It may be hard to keep organized with a bunch of kids running around, trust me I understand, but it is important for your ADHD child. When there is chaos in the house and things are out of place, it is that much easier for your child to get distracted. Lead by example and help your child understand everything has a place. This will, also, help your child as he gets into school.
• Keep Your Child Busy: Children with ADHD have a hard time stopping, controlling their impulses, and put their energy into positive tasks. Keep your child busy with simple things like dump the bathroom trash, clean up 5 toys, or get the laundry out of the dryer. The more positive things to occupy their time, the less impulsive negatives you will encounter.

Having a child with ADHD or any disability for that matter is tough, but if you can master the art of organization and visuals, your child will be off to a great start. What other ADHD tips do you have? I would love to hear them in the comments.