The holidays can be stressful for children with ADHD. Traveling and visiting relatives may disrupt their day-to-day routines, and all the excitement can be overwhelming. Here are some tips to help avoid holiday havoc and create good memories for your family.
1. Try to Plan Ahead: the holidays may involve a disruption in your regular schedule, long travel times, longer meal time and sleep disruption. These occurrences can be challenging for any child, not just children with ADHD. By planning ahead you can try to make a schedule that is more flexible and has built-in downtime for your child. Also looking ahead will help you target events that you know may be difficult for your child and allow you to amend the schedule or do some problem-solving in advance.
2. Change in medication: talk to you medical care provider about the possibility of extending your child’s ADHD medication with a booster dose to help reduce the difficulty of times when medication is wearing off.
3. Teach Problem Solving Skills: Talk with your child and develop a plan together for what to do if events are becoming overwhelming. Have a signal between the two of you if the child or parent notices that things are becoming stressful. Have the child plan of bring with them activities that the child finds calming.
4. Give your Child Positive Reinforcement: When going to an event that may be overwhelming let your child know that you recognize that it may be difficult for him or her and that you are there to help. It’s also important to let your child know that you and other relatives enjoy having him or her at the event but that everyone understands if the child needs a break.
5. Don’t Overschedule: Trying to squeeze in too many activities over the holiday season will only make it more likely that your child will have more difficulty enjoying them all. Saving time for what is really important will make those events all the more special and give your child the best change to have a positive holiday experience. It is okay to say “no” to an event. Friends and relatives will understand that the holidays can be busy and stressful time and families cannot fit every event in their schedule.
December 5, 2016