ADHD and School

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I haven’t posted here in too long of a time; my life has been like a runaway train lately, with someone else at the wheel.

I thought I would take a minute tonight to post something quickly, and share some of what we talked about at my teleclass last night.

I’m just going to list some of the ideas that came up last night; some were mine, and others came from listeners. I believe that you can access the audio, but I don’t know if it will be worth it. I had trouble getting into the conference, and then once I got in, my phone was giving me troubles. Anyway, here goes:

  • Get to know how your child really thinks and experiences ADD. This is vital to understanding how to help, and something I will be addressing more often.
  • Getting past boredom: some of it is inevitable, and you just have to get through it. ADD kids need to understand that we all do things that we don’t want to do and don’t find appealing, but we do them anyway. Ways to minimize boredom include relating what is being studied to real life, giving frequent breaks (every 15-20 minutes), and finding ways to include color, pictures, and movement into what is being studied.
  • Textbooks these days often have their own websites, with additional learning resources and multi-media experiences. Be sure to check it out. The website is often listed on the cover or just inside.
  • For problems paying attention in class, have the child sit near the front. For younger children who may sit on the floor during circle time, let them sit near the teacher or near a wall.
  • “Fidgets” are a great tool for kids with hyperactive or inattentive tendencies. A fidget could be any small thing that they can manipulate or play with without being distracting to others. One mom suggested applying 2 small strips of velcro to the underside of the desk; one fuzzy and one prickly.
  • Meditation was mentioned as being successful for several parents. Kids pick up on the technique easier than you might expect. Do an online search for relaxation cds for kids; there are several available, and these were mentioned as being helpful. Sorry, I don’t have a specific one.

We covered other subjects last night, such as time management, study skills, and organization, and I will try and share more in the next week or so. I’ll also try to slow down enough to stop in once in a while.

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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