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Attention deficit disorder is both a gift and a challenge. Your child
probably exhibits many of the positive traits of AD/HD, such as
creativity, intuitiveness, high intelligence, boundless energy, a good
sense of humor, and spontaneity. And he or she no doubt experiences
the challenges as well. It can be difficult to understand what’s going
on when bright, even intellectually gifted students are on the edge of
failing their classes. And it gets even more confusing when they can
focus for hours on the things that interest them – like computer games
or talking on the phone – but struggle to concentrate for 20 minutes
at a time on a homework assignment. There is a neurochemical reason
for this discrepancy that has nothing to do with your child’s efforts
or intent. AD/HD is a syndrome caused by an imbalance in
neurotransmitter activity affecting the prefrontal cortex of |
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the brain. That’s a mouthful, but the end result is that your child’s
ADD causes a deficit in his/her executive functioning. This deficit
can cause profound problems in school performance, impacting a
student’s ability to start and finish work, remember homework,
memorize facts and figures, organize and write essays and reports,
figure out math problems, plan for the future, sense time accurately,
control emotions and behavior, and complete long term assignments.
And if your child is in college, these deficits can affect independent
living skills. When you’re not around to help with reminders and
structure, it’s completely up to your child to get enough sleep, wake
up on time, do laundry (and remember to take it out of the dryer), eat
nutritious foods, study, and show up for their classes and work on
time. In addition, they need to keep up with higher demands
academically, without much support from their professors.
For many teens and college students, those challenges make life
overwhelming. But don’t despair! Coaching can help. It provides
structure, support, and encouragement to help students manage their
symptoms and experience more success in school and in life. |
- Understand ADD and how it impacts them
- Let go of self-blame
- Plan and set daily, weekly, and longer term goals
- Be accountable by consistently during the week about what they
did, what they didn’t, and what got in the way.
- Learn to advocate for themselves
- Develop time management skills
- Become better organized
- Prioritize, begin, and complete assignments
- Understand and lessen procrastination
- Reach for excellence – not perfection
- Develop strategies to maintain attention/focus
- Create the best study environment
- Track medications
- Become aware of self-defeating behaviors
- Recognize challenges and build on strengths
- Acknowledge their successes
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- Offering emotional support and understanding. I’ve been through
the ringer with my own children and know the frustration, pain,
fear, and guilt we feel when our kids are struggling socially or
academically.
- Sharing ideas, information, and resources to help with ADHD, LD,
and co-existing conditions.
- Advocating for your child in high school. By the time children
reach high school, many parents are exhausted and burned out. I’ll
support you by emailing teachers, calling counselors, and being your
collaborator. You don’t have to do this alone!
- Working as a team, if desired. You, your child and I can come up
with a plan or a contract together.
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If you’re interested in exploring monthly ADD coaching for your high
school or college child, please email me on the
consultation page. I look forward
to talking with you. And if you’d like something just for you,
download the following audio talk:
Some Time for Myself: Comfort and
Support for Parents of Kids with ADD
Here are some of the best books for
teens and college students with ADHD and their parents. |
