Do this ONE activity to make this new year a NEW year for your ADHD child.
Years ago, I started creating vision boards for myself, my family, and my business. Since then, I have loved looking back at the end of the year to see what I accomplished and the journey I took getting there. I have been amazed by these three things:
- How many of the goals that I set I met and even exceeded.
- The more I visualized, the easier it was to focus on them throughout the year.
- Looking at my year in review helped me rework and set new goals for the following year.
How Can I Help My Child With ADHD?
Knowing how to set reasonable, attainable goals is an essential skill difficult for those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD symptoms like poor working memory, inattention, disorganization, and executive dysfunction often derail efforts to set goals and obtain results. That is why parents need to help their kids learn how to set goals and follow through.
Long-Term Goals for Your ADHD Child
WHEN YOU HAVE A LONG-TERM GOAL, IT KEEPS YOU GOING EVEN WHEN THERE ARE SHORT-TERM SETBACKS.
If we have learned anything from the last couple of years, we should have known that there will be setbacks. For example, when you are a parent of a neurodiverse child, you don’t need a pandemic to teach you this.
Goals Always Matter
But it is also so easy to think that goals don’t matter when your child struggles. The opposite is true. Going into a new year without a vision is like getting in the car and driving, never knowing where you are going.
Keep Your New Year’s Goals Simple
Here is the thing. Goals don’t have to be complicated. So don’t make them.
Vision Board Activity
Grap some scissors, magazines, glue, and a blank sheet of paper and follow these six steps to make it happen.
- Ask this simple question: What do you want to do by the end of the year in these areas: School, Activities, Social/emotional, Family, Travel (or add in your categories)
- Find pictures in the magazine that represent the goals. It may mean finding images representing the smaller steps leading up to the big ones.
- Be careful not to comment on their dreams; just facilitate
- Cut out all of the pictures.
- Arrange them on the paper and glue them down
- Have your child sign their name and hang the picture up somewhere that they can see every day.
Setting Family Intentions
The best part about this is it can be a beautiful way to set your family intentions for the new year and learn so much about your kids in the process. If you would like to get an example of a simple vision board like I described above, click here to download.
Treatment for ADHD in Children
Realize you need a fresh start for ADHD treatment? Through The Cognitive Emporium, I offer treatment for ADHD in children, which turns into real solutions for healing in the whole family. I understand that each day can be a challenge. We will work together to make it less so, with real, actionable insights and guidance. Reach out to learn more.