tantrums

Adhd Parenting: When Do Kids Learn to Tie Their Shoes?

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 A reader asks: We’re having a terrible time teaching my daughter how to tie her shoes. She is six and has ADHD.Respect Effect Mom answers:Most kids will want to know how to do it by age 5. Children that show no interest in learning or have a lot of trouble learning it often have dyslexia or ADHD or both. (Children with ADHD are more likely to have dyslexia.)My son has ADHD and I thought he would never learn. Finally I wrote a little song that went with the actions and we practiced together, me on my shoe and he on his, step by step.As he got each step right, I gave him a few cashews as reward. After about three...

Children Stealing and Lying: How to Stop Child Lying and Stealing

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 Stealing is a common misbehavior of children with ADHD.  One of the characteristics of ADHD is impulsiveness—acting without thinking.  When a child with ADHD sees something he likes, he often pockets it, puts it in his mouth, or walks away with it. Later, when he has a quiet moment, he will take it out for a good look at what he got.  If it is not as interesting as he thought, he might just discard it.When a child is caught stealing, he lies impulsively to avoid losing his stolen loot and avoid discipline. (That’s why stealing and lying usually go hand in hand.)The secret is to see the behavior clearly and stay calm.  Address the elements rationally and you can...

Runaways: If Your Child Runs Away From Home, Here’s What To Do

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 If your child runs away from home, you must call the police for assistance.  When it gets to this point, things can get out of control fast.  If he runs away from home, first determine whether he is running away from or running to something, someone, or somewhere.  Know where your children are at all times. A child abducted by a stranger has a three-hour life expectancy.  Most child abductions by strangers are sexually motivated.  These predators often use the child as pornographic material and kill him or her immediately to hush and hide the evidence.  Explain this hard cold fact to your child.  Tell him, “If it ever gets bad enough that you think it’s better to run away than suffer at...

Child Stealing: If Your Child Steals From You

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 Children steal for many reasons, especially children with ADHD. If you suspect that your child is stealing from you, you need to take urgent and immediate action before he develops a stealing habit.Prevention is the key here. Have a talk with your child and explain that you want to teach him the important skills of honesty. Explain that you want him to take and hold only items that are his. And that you are starting a new rule that if anyone steals anything from a family member, they must not only return it, but also repay 3 times the original value of the item. Illustrate this concept in several ways so you are certain that you child understands this...

ADHD in Children - How to Get Your Child to Listen to You (Part 2)

Monday, July 6th, 2009  Stage 2: No Way No HowHere's what it feels like: At the moderate stage, most parents are getting discouraged. This usually happens around age 6, but it may be sooner depending on the child's hyperactivity and the parents insistence. It also depends on how oppositional the child may be. (My son was at the moderate stage when he was about 5.) Here's what your child does: He is in charge. You are being held hostage by his angry temper tantrums that last until you give in. He'll have a tantrum every time he doesn't get his way. And he can get quite skilled at them. If this is happening to you, you're both stuck. Your child can't stop it until you...

Holiday Shopping: Temper Tantrums - How Can We Help?

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 Sometimes we ASK for help and advice, but we reject it if it's not what we want to hear. If we don't already trust and respect the person, we're more likely to disagree, no matter WHAT they suggest, right? So even if someone asks for help, it may be wise to enter in very reluctantly and with very few words. So if a mom asks me, "How do I get my child to stop hitting me?" I may be more inclined to say, "Wow, that's probably getting old. Tell me more." Why? Because she may just be testing to see if I rush in. I did that enthusiastically in the past more times than I care to admit. However, I...