Special Education ends the coverage of the topic “Encouraging Responsibility in Children with ADHD” with 10 tips to promote positive communication with your child with ADHD. We understand that some of the tips might be easier said than done. Nobody said the road to success will be smooth and easy.

We can even say that it is very difficult for parents to be firm when their kids are having a harder time than the other kids. But taking it easy on them especially in teaching discipline and responsibility do not help our kids in the long run.

The tips listed here applies to anyone. Yet it is the simple ones that we miss because we think we know them already. Refresh your memory and maybe one or two of these tips can tell you what you can improve the next time you communicate with your child with ADHD.

1. Face your child and maintain eye contact.

2. Always allow your child to finish talking and complete his statements.

3. Labeling is disabling. Label the behavior instead of the child. For example, instead of saying “Kate you are a bad girl”, say “Kate, it is irresponsible to leave your toys on the stairs”.

4. Help your child to learn to talk positively.

5. Try to start your statements with a reinforcer.

6. Instead of raising your voice to get a point across, purposely lower your voice when talking to a child about a negative behavior. The child will be calmed, and will pay more attention to a calm, quiet voice than a loud one.

7. Get down on a child’s eye level when you are speaking to him/her.

8. When you need to speak to a child about a behavior issue, take the child outside of the room to speak to him/her. Don’t embarrass the child in any way. The child will be more like to hear what you are saying if you are one on one.

9. Young adolescents don’t like to be told what to do. They do like to be given an opportunity to show how “grown up” they area. For example, you want to remind him about his science project. You can say, “Your big science project is due next week. What is your plan to get everything organized and completed in time?”

10. Resist telling children what they are doing wrong, and focus instead on what you want them to do. Instead of “Why are you so irresponsible?” try saying, “I don’t like to see soda bottles all over your room. Please take them downstairs to the recycle bin now.”

Remember, giving your child consequences for their actions is not a punishment for their misbehavior. Consequences are the results of their choices. The consequence can either be positive or negative. While they are young, make them learn that they always have a choice of what happens in their life despite their ADHD.

What can you say about your communication with your child? We would love to hear it so please share it with us in the comments section below.

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