Symptoms related to ADHD can manifest differently from child to child. Redirecting hyperactive, impulsive, and/or inattentive behaviors can be achieved through following these strategies:
Engagement In Whole Body Listening
Educate your child that listening does not just include opening your ears to the sound of words, but that it in fact means that the entire body is calm, engaged, and focused. The child’s body should be directed toward the speaker or the task at hand, with feet still on the floor, hands still in their lap or on the desk, eyes looking at the task or person speaking, ears listening to the spoken content, and with their brain focused on the current material.
If your child is too hyperactive and is having trouble regaining whole body listening, encourage them to engage in muscle relaxation activities such as squeezing hands/fists/body into a ball tightly for 10 seconds and then releasing. They can do these reps about 5 times or until they are able to extinguish the extra energy causing them to become hyperactive.
On-topic vs. Off-topic Thinking
Help your child gain awareness about what their brain is processing. Chances are, if your child is thinking about Minecraft, a fun science experiment that he did in school, or what he will have for dinner that night, he is NOT listening to what you are saying. If your child appears inattentive, ask them what they are thinking about. If they reply in alignment with the message you have presented, they are using “on-topic” thinking which fosters enhanced focus/attention. If they reply that they were thinking about unrelated material, educate them that this is “off-topic” and they can shelve this idea until after their work is over or after the directive is completed.
Stop-Sign Technique
Help your child reverse their acting and thinking processes. Impulsivity occurs at times when we are absently thinking and as a result, behave quickly. When we react before we think, we do not think about the potential ramifications of our actions and therefore can make poor choices. If you notice your child acting quickly and in the process of engaging in a non-preferred or unexpected behavior, shout out “stop” and/or hold your hand out to signal stop. Have your child cease whatever they were engaging in and have them evaluate the potential consequences if they continue doing what they are doing. Having the child assess the outcome of their action will help them reconfigure more compliant behaviors. You can help your child problem-solve in this process and model for them the appropriate steps for formulating the best choices through thinking before acting.
These strategies can be interactive and process-oriented between child and parent in the hope that the child can then internalize these strategies and autonomously utilize them. Don’t be afraid to help redirect your child, but also encourage them to utilize these skills independently.
