Family Management and Parenting | Section 2

Nur Arina Sulong | 1213196

Article Review: Parenting Tips on a child with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) /
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)

A life with a child with ADD/ADHD can be quite frustrating and overwhelming. Being a
parent there are actually a lot you can do in controlling and reducing the symptoms. This will
actually help your child to overcome the daily challenges, channel his/her energy into
positive area, and bringing happiness to your family. The earlier and more regular you
address your childs problems, the better chance they have in finding success in their lives.

A child with ADD/ADHD has deficits in executive function; the ability to think plan a
head, organize, control impulses and complete tasks. As a parent, you need to take over as the
executive, providing extra guidance while your child gradually acquires executive skills of
his or her own,

It is important to remember that the child with ADD/ADHD who is ignoring,
annoying, or embarrassing you is not acting will fully. They want to sit quietly, but they dont
know how to make things happen. Keep in mind that having ADD/ADHD can be just as
frustrating as handling with someone who has it. It will be a lot easier to react to your child in
positive and supportive ways. You can surely manage a child with ADD/ADHD easily, if you
do it with compassion, patience and plenty of support.


ADD/ADHD and people.
Hyperactivity is not an illness. It can be a problem which where it has a major impact
on a childs life. It is important to diagnose at the early age of the child. Early identification
and treatment has a very direct impact on the future successes and the failures of these
children.

During the diagnosing phase, you will continuously asking your child to actually
dignose himself. Questions like Why cant you pay attention?, Why cant we keep your
hand to yourself and etc. The child does not know the answers, of course.

Child with ADD/ADHD exhibits a slew of behaviours. He or she often doesnt hear
the parental instructions, so he or she doesnt obey them. He or she is not organised kid and
can be easily distracted. He or she starts projects but forget to finish them. He or she might
speak without think first. It is often difficult to get him/her to sleep.

After diagnosed the child and realised the different behaviours of he or she, it is vital
for you to get him/her to see the doctor. The doctor will then refer your child to specialist
like a psychologist, psychiatric or neurologist.

The impact of having a child with ADD/ADHD on you will come in many ways. The
demand of the child can be physically exhausting; the need to monitor the childs activities
and actions can be psychologically exhausting. It is frustrating when the child is incapable to
listen your instructions. His/her behaviours can make you anxious and stressed. Other people
criticisms on your child will be a sensitive issue for you. Frustration, stresses can eventually
lead to anger and guilt about being angry to that gifted child of yours.

As a parent, taking steps of positive, encouraging can help your childs emotion and
physical health. By being positive, you have control over many factors can influence the
sympthoms of your childs disorder. Positive attitude and common senses are the best assets
in helping your child to meet the challenges of ADD/ADHD. When you are calm and
focused, you will be able to communicate and connect with your child. Keeping things in
perspective is one way of being positive. Most of the time, his/her behaviour is not
intentional. His/her behaviour is related to the disorder. So hold on to your sense of humor.
Dont get anxious over a small stuff and be willing to make some compromises.

There is no need for you to be a perfectionist even you are to the child with
ADD/ADHD. Be grateful to what he/she had done for the day. One chore left undone is not a
big deal when your child has completed another chore plus the days homework. Give
him/her the support to do things right. But do not force. If you are forcing the child, which
means you are actually create impossible expectations where you will only dissatisfied with
your child.

Keep believing in your ADD/ADHD child. You should try giving him/her some
responsibility. Think or make a list of everything that is positive, valuable and unique about
child. Put a trust in your child that he/she can learn, change, mature and succeed. Make it
your daily task.

Talk to the teachers of your child because teachers have larger group of children to be
compared to your child. This will help you when the teachers keep on diagnosing the childs
behaviours. But be aware that the teachers will need the school supports and yours in order to
provide proactive responses to your child.

Keep in your mind that your ADD/ADHD child has no learning disability. Although
ADD/ADHD might affect his/her performances in school and it creates a negative impact in
other aspects of his/her life. As parent, it is crucial for you to respond in good way when
facing the schools complaints on your child. If you never tell the teachers, this thing might
happen. So communication with the school is important. Alert them about your child
problem. And you also have to understand that a teacher might have another 20 kids to
educate and handle. Expectations on the teachers must be lowered. A teacher might not have
time to give his/her full attention to your child. It is you whos going to handle and control
your child at the end. The school and teachers are just helping hands.

There a lot of things you can do to help your child. Follow a routine. Get your child to
follow some specific routine at a very young age. Set time for him/her to wake up in the
morning, eat, play and do homework. Help him/her to understand and reach expectations
every day. You will need to answer everything he/she asks you.
Give the best answers to show that you care. Use timers and clocks. Place a clock at
every corner of your home and put a big one in his/her bedroom to make sure he/she alerts.
Use timers for playing sessions or when doing homework.

Give him/her some breaks in between to refresh themselves. Try to create a quite
place for him/her so that he/she have his/her own private time. And also try to create rewards
and consequences to help your child behave. Give them time to understand and set a clear
expectation and rules. This way will you in disciplining your ADD/ADHD child.

Since ADD/ADHD child has so much energy to spend. Try on bringing him to park or
field and let him explore and use the hyperactive part of him in good physical activities.
Eventually, physical activities improve concentration, decrease depression and anxiety,
promote brain growth and can also give him a good sleep at night. Physical activities and a
good sleep do a great job in reducing ADD/ADHD symptoms.

A healthy diet also helps in reducing ADD/ADHD symptoms. Get rid of junk food,
caffeine, sugar and fatty goods and give him vitamin and mineral supplements.




Family Management and Parenting | Section 2
Nur Arina Sulong | 1213196

Communication
There are two types of communication
1. Verbal
2. Non verbal
Communication helps in connecting people together.
Gives the sense of belonging
4 parenting styles
1. Authoritarian
2. Authoratative
3. Permissive
4. Uninvolved
Uniqueness humans personality:
10%-30% Nature
70%-90% Nurture