Help Your ADHD Child Build Positive Habits in the New Year
Can you believe it’s almost 2023? Here’s the good news: helping your ADHD child build positive routines and habits just got easier. There is no better time to have a hard reset than at the beginning of a new year.
For parents of children with ADHD, the New Year is a great time to set goals to help your child be their best self. This blog will share helpful tips to help your ADHD child define goals and establish positive habits to take into the new year.
7 Tips to Help Your ADHD Child Set New Year’s Goals
Here are some suggestions for parents to help inspire a child with ADHD to get in the habit of setting goals. Follow these tips to help guide your child to master their plans for the new year:
- Be a role model. You can’t ask your child to set goals if you don’t. Making resolutions with your children can be an opportunity for family bonding.
- Be a win-win. You can start by sharing your top goal for the new year and ask for accountability. Kids love to help and will see the inconsistency. Make sure you choose the plan you want accountability on.
- Communicate the “why” behind the resolution. Explain to your child why you chose to work on this goal. For example, reasons might include improving health, wanting to learn a new skill, improving in a critical area, etc.
- Have a positive mindset on resolutions. If you think new year’s resolutions are dumb, your child will too. If you know that setting goals are essential in mastering new skills, your child will watch you do it. Remember that lessons are caught more than they are taught.
- Make suggestions, not demands. The best resolutions are the ones you will keep and are essential to you. Refrain from telling your child what goals to set and instead help guide them by offering categories to choose from—for example, school, sports, and health.
- Keep the goals simple (1-3). If you choose too many goals, a child gets lost and overwhelmed. Select the top three and focus on one at a time. When you master the first, you can start the process with two and three.
- Choose a trigger word. This is a word that helps train your mind to remember the goal and keep a positive mindset. A trigger word is a word that helps train your mind to recognize the goal and maintain a positive attitude. For example, if a child chooses a sports goal, it may be tied to making the team or champion. Have them write the word on sticky notes and post them where they can see them daily.
The Power of Setting New Year’s Resolutions
Setting New Year’s resolutions is a great way to empower your child and teach them the value of growth and change. Bonus? You can join in on the fun as a parent!
Managing a child with ADHD can be extremely challenging at times. With over 30 years of experience serving families with children of special needs, Kyra is here to help you be the best parent you can be. Kyra coaches both parents and struggling teens to help them manage school and life. To kick off your new year right, schedule a 10-minute complimentary phone consultation with Kyra by clicking here.
