I really want to find helpful ways to manage my sons adhd. The meds make him a different person, I wonder sometimes if it’s the only option.
I wish I had the magic key here. Neuro-spicy parenting can be so challenging! Finding what works for your child’s specific needs can take a lot of trial and error.
For my adhd kiddos we work on paying attention to cause-effect. (Our brains love patterns!) I notice that when I’m hungry or overtired I can’t concentrate and I get grumpy. So next time I feel grumpy I think, have I eaten? Am I tired? Or when I’m feeling happy I try and look for factors for why I might be feeling that way. Are there things I’m doing that I can replicate in the future? Driving with my windows down and favorite music playing— maybe I can put on some music if I’m having a hard time and my brain will like that. Our emotions are always telling us something, it’s our job to figure out what that something is.
For my younger kids we made “happy lists” and if they were feeling negative feelings I’d ask if they had done the things on their list. (Usually 3-5 things they enjoy like play with toys, call a friend, be outside etc.) Now as they are older they are able to have more self-awareness and therefore be more accountable for their actions.
Not sure if that’s helpful! Wishing you luck and sending you all the love!
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