Parenting ADHD Children Slideshows
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2016 ADDitude Gift Guide for Kids
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Holidays & Travel
21 slides
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Your child deserves gifts as unique as she is. These presents — like a board game that teaches self-control, a comforting weighted stuffed animal, or a light-up visual timer — are specially designed to help kids with ADHD, autism, or other special needs build on their strengths (and have fun doing it!)
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Answers to the Discipline Questions You Were Too Exhausted to Ask
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Behavior & Discipline
8 slides
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Enforce consequences immediately. Never waver from the rules. Recognize the good moments. And more ADHD discipline help from parenting guru Peter Jaska, Ph.D.
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10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Child
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Parenting Skills
13 slides
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Parents aren't perfect, and we all wish we could take back some things we've said to our kids in the heat of the moment. But there are some things you should absolutely NOT say to a child with ADHD — no matter how angry you get.
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What NOT to Say to the Parent of an ADHD Child
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Talking About ADD & LD
12 slides
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Despite iron-clad medical evidence to the contrary, ADHD is still considered by many to be nothing more than poor parenting, too much screen time, or a parental excuse for lack of discipline. Not so. If you know someone who is parenting a child with ADHD, here are 10 untruths and misperceptions you just shouldn't repeat.
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Karate or Kickball? Fencing or Football? The Best Sports for Kids with ADHD
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Sports & Hobbies
13 slides
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Active kids are healthy kids, but not all sports play well with ADHD traits. Learn why parents and experts recommend martial arts, swimming, tennis, and 7 other sports to promote health, self-esteem, and teamwork.
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More Than Just Naughty: Dealing with Oppositional Defiant Disorder
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Behavior & Discipline
13 slides
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40% of children with ADHD also develop oppositional defiant disorder. These kids demonstrate consistently angry, violent, and disruptive behaviors toward authority figures. How to regain control as a parent.
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The 8 Best Songs for Growing ADHD Brains
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Healthy Minds & Bodies
10 slides
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These classic tunes are like music therapy for children with ADHD scientifically proven to help boost brainpower, language skills and even sleep.
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End the 'I Can't Sleep' Cycle of Exhaustion
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Healthy Minds & Bodies
14 slides
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Kids with ADHD are four times less likely to fall asleep quickly and stay in bed all night. Why? Many of the same regions of the brain regulate both attention and sleep. You can't change your child's ADHD — but you can help her sleep better by following this routine.
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If You Shout, You'll Never Be Heard
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Behavior & Discipline
13 slides
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Your child is melting down in a defiant blaze of anger. Yelling and scolding will only escalate the situation. So try following this no-shout discipline strategy designed specifically for kids with ADHD.
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Better Than a Squirt Gun or Baby Doll
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Holidays & Travel
17 slides
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A fidget that doubles as a ruler. A safe crash pad for wrestling, jumping, and crashing. A hammock cocoon. And more ADHD-tested gift ideas for creative, spirited, sometimes forgetful and disorganized kids.
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Iced Marbles, Dog Kisses, and Other Creative Ways to Get Your Kid Out of Bed
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Parenting Skills
14 slides
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When alarm clocks don't cut it, our readers use tickle monsters, late fees, and these other unusually effective strategies to light a fire under kids who can't wake up in the morning.
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How to Survive the After-School Witching Hour
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Behavior & Discipline
9 slides
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He's tired, grouchy, and hungry. His meds are wearing off and school just ended, so he's headed your way! Quick, here's how to stop your child's meltdowns before they begin.
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The Sad Truth About Tantrum Triggers
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Healthy Minds & Bodies
11 slides
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Your child's outbursts are not random. Her tantrums often follow on the heels of a mistake that triggers feelings of failure or frustration. These emotional-control strategies can help.
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21 Ignorant Comments About ADHD (and the Facts to Refute Them)
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Life Stories
23 slides
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ADHD is not willful disobedience. It is not caused by too much sugar or too much Minecraft. And spanking is not a cure. Here, our readers share the 21 most ignorant comments about ADHD, and the facts they use to refute them.
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When She's Too Angry to Speak
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Behavior & Discipline
11 slides
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When anger floods in, it drowns out reason. Your child can't articulate his feelings, and so he yells or slams. Reacting in kind never works; reflective listening does. Here's how to use it.
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Educational Toys That Build ADHD Brains
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Holidays & Travel
20 slides
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Check out these clever gift ideas designed to help kids improve their memory, follow linear thinking, and build social skills — oh yeah, and also smile.
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Behold the Magic of a Consistent Routine
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Schedules & Organizing
12 slides
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Reliable daily schedules provide the external organization that a child with ADHD needs to focus, manage their time, and wind down from stressful days. 11 tips for cementing your family's routine.
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"Because I Said So!" (Is That Really the Best You Can Do?)
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Behavior & Discipline
10 slides
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There are good ways to discipline a child with ADHD. Nagging, yelling, and punishing are not among them. Learn how to break the ignore-nag-punish-yell cycle here.
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Never Good Enough: The Emotional Toll of Motherhood
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Parenting Skills
15 slides
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You love your kids. But you hate motherhood, and all of the unspoken expectations, feelings of inadequacy, and daily stresses of the job. Here’s why mothers with ADHD struggle more than their counterparts, and how you can begin to live life on your terms.
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The Messy Bedroom (and Backpack and Locker) Cure for Kids with ADHD
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Schedules & Organizing
12 slides
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Weak executive functions make it hard for children with ADHD to clean up—and their distracted brains don't care anyway! Use these practical organization tips to fix that and to clear the clutter for good.
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"Mom, I Made a New Friend!"
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Friendships & Social Life
17 slides
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Making eye contact. Not interrupting. Taking turns. Social skills do not come naturally to all kids with ADHD. Teach your child how to make friends by following these 16 expert strategies.
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If Your Mornings Are Hell, Read This
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Schedules & Organizing
9 slides
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Kids with ADHD often lack the executive function skills needed to wake up, get dressed, brush teeth, and get to school on time without serious parental oversight. If that means nagging, yelling, and fighting in your household, try using this morning routine instead.
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The Truth About Your Child's Lies
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Behavior & Discipline
9 slides
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A lie is a lie is a lie, right? Maybe not, if your child has ADHD. Often, those lies are used to avoid getting blamed, to hide their own insecurities, or simply to get some attention. Learn why promoting honesty — without punishing every lie — is the best way to react when your child tells you the teacher didn't assign any homework (for the fifth day in a row!)
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"One More Block!" Managing Your Child's Minecraft Obsession
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Healthy Minds & Bodies
12 slides
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Minecraft is addictive. That’s a fact. And kids with ADHD seem to hyperfocus particularly hard on building the game's creative, pixelated worlds. Which is all fine and good, until it’s time to stop — and the tantrums and defiance begin. Here's your survival guide, parents.
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Stop Fidgeting?!? Um, Bad Idea
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Behavior & Discipline
11 slides
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Kids with ADHD actually concentrate, focus, and stay on task better with a little foot-tapping, gum-chewing, movement. Learn what intentional fidget toys and tools help the most.
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Fast, Healthy Recipes That Everyone Loves
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Healthy Minds & Bodies
12 slides
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Between soccer practice and long commutes, it seems we're always rushing to get food on the table before starving kids melt down. Here are fast, healthy meal ideas for busy families with picky eaters
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Raising a Child Who Wants to Behave
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Parenting Skills
15 slides
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"I've yelled, lectured, threatened, given time-outs, and even spanked—and nothing works!" So, what next? Try catering to your child's specific needs with these positive parenting strategies for kids with ADHD.
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Tired, Mommy? 10 Ways to Avoid Parenting Burnout
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Parenting Skills
12 slides
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Parenting a child with ADHD is one of the hardest jobs around. Burnout is very real—and common among even great parents! If it ever starts to feel like too much, follow these steps to feel supported, understood and way less stressed.
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When His Anger Overpowers Logic — and Love
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Behavior & Discipline
12 slides
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Your child needs to express his anger. It is healthy and cathartic. "But the emotion should be like a sneeze: It clears the passageways and is over," says Dr. Ned Hallowell. Here are his anger-management strategies for kids who feel intensely and sometimes spiral out of control.
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Stay Calm and Mom (or Dad) On
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Parenting Skills
10 slides
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When that tantrum in the grocery store nearly snaps your last straw, breathe in, breathe out. Then, remember these mindful parenting techniques to return from the brink of your own meltdown.
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"Just Keep Swimming. Just Keep Swimming."
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Talking About ADD & LD
10 slides
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From Dory to Percy and beyond, meet our 10 favorite film characters — the ones who taught us something important about living, loving and following your passion. For your next movie night.
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10 Rewards to Inspire Your Child's Best Behavior
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Parenting Skills
12 slides
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There is no magic in parenting. No one gleaming reward will convince your child that chores are fun. But the right incentive can save you from a lot of nagging, reminding, and bribing. Try these 10 parent- and expert-approved prizes that work.
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10 Book Characters Who Make Us Smile
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Talking About ADD & LD
12 slides
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"Who knows, he may grow up to be President someday...unless they hang him first!" From Tom Sawyer to Willy Wonka, these classic and contemporary fictional characters will help kids and parents alike celebrate their own ADHD-fueled creativity, intelligence, and spunk. The literary world would certainly be boring without them.
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Positive Charge: How to Reinforce Good Behavior
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Parenting Skills
8 slides
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Nagging doesn't work. Neither does yelling or spanking. You know why? Punishments tear down children, whereas positive parenting builds up their self-esteem and behavior.
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9 Mom-Approved Apps That Kids Love
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Holidays & Travel
11 slides
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We get the mindless appeal of Flappy Bird, but your child will love these brain-healthy apps just as much — and improve her ADHD symptoms, plus social and organizational skills, while playing.
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Downloads That Build Social Skills
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Friendships & Social Life
10 slides
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Put your child's digital obsession to good use by downloading these 8 educational apps designed to build solid social skills.
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9 Nutrition Tricks for Picky Eaters
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Healthy Minds & Bodies
11 slides
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Children with ADHD or sensory issues often turn up their noses at new, healthy foods. Learn how to get your chicken-nuggets-or-nothing picky eater the nutrition she needs.
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16 YoutTube Videos That Teach Social Skills
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Friendships & Social Life
12 slides
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We love cat videos and carpool karaoke just as much as the next guy. But the power of YouTube goes much, much deeper. Here, learn how videos can help kids with ADHD learn to decode non-verbal information and grasp the feelings underlying social relationships.
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How to Focus After 4: Defying Homework Distractions
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Schedules & Organizing
12 slides
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What do essential oils, a quick run in the woods, and staples in the wall all have in common? They're all tried-and-true focus strategies recommended by ADDitude readers with children who are easily distracted from their homework.
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Your Summer Camp Checklist
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Summer Camps & Activities
11 slides
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9 things every parent should know before choosing a summer camp for their child with ADHD — from how to choose a program that will highlight strengths to how to ensure consistent treatment and discipline all year round.
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You Know Your Kid Has ADHD When...
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Life Stories
17 slides
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"...You send her upstairs to get dressed, and 20 minutes later, she's sitting in her pajamas on the floor, examining her socks." Read more of our readers' funniest "kid ADHDisms," highlighting the lighter side of living with ADHD in your life.
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8 Books That Every Parent Should Read
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Parenting Skills
10 slides
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Parenting a child with ADHD or LD is overwhelming and lonely. Consult these books to remind yourself that other parents have navigated these waters, and have incredible support, insight, and tips to share.
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Your Child's 7 Executive Functions — and How to Boost Them
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Schedules & Organizing
12 slides
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One hallmark of ADHD is executive function trouble — problems planning, organizing, or self-regulating. And that can get very frustrating very quickly. Parents, follow these 10 tips to boost all 7 executive functions — and help your child gain more independence.
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Summer Schedule Gone Haywire: ADHD on Vacation
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Holidays & Travel
8 slides
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Children with ADHD thrive with reliable daily routines — even during summer holidays. The best vacations balance new adventures with predictable schedules. Here's how to strike that balance.
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No More Bullying! Strategies for ADHD Kids
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Friendships & Social Life
16 slides
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Bullies prey on kids who stand out or who struggle with social skills. Too many of our ADHD kids fall victim — and some are even guilty of bullying themselves. Learn how to help your child stop the cycle of bullying with this advice.
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Debunking ADHD Doubters
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Talking About ADD & LD
14 slides
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When perfect strangers make ignorant comments about ADHD, it can make your blood boil. But what do you do when the people making the comments are friends and family? Read on to find out.
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Beyond Minecraft: How to Get Your Child to Log Off
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Sports & Hobbies
13 slides
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Minecraft is addictive, entertaining, and gratifying for many good reasons. It offers kids with ADHD an opportunity to explore without rules or boundaries. It doesn't punish experimentation. And it rewards creativity. These are all good things — and attributes we can exploit to get our kids outside and exploring the real world more often. Here's how.
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"My Child Has ADHD and Here's What We've Learned"
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Life Stories
13 slides
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If you could travel back in time to the day your child received her ADHD diagnosis, what advice would you give yourself? Here, readers of ADDitude share their most lasting and important take-aways from raising a child with ADHD or learning differences.
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How to Steer Your Teen Without Hovering or Nagging
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Teens and Young Adults
12 slides
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Teens and tweens with executive function deficits need an extra nudge to get going. Here are 8 ways to help them get (and stay!) on the right track without being a helicopter parent.
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Put Down That Device!
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Teens and Young Adults
11 slides
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Do you argue daily about time wasted on Snapchat? Or the Xbox? Or YouTube? Technology is inescapable, we know, but without limits our teens’ academics and relationships suffer. Use these 9 tactics to limit screen use and encourage healthier interests.
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How to Motivate a Teenager with ADHD
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Teens and Young Adults
10 slides
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Any parent will tell you: No teenager succeeds at something without really wanting it. And conjuring that motivation is half the battle. Help your teen tap into her innate (but often buried) motivation by understanding what she really wants (besides video games and clothes), and using those desires to help her set goals.
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