Raising a teen can be quite the roller coaster ride. You’ll experience your own personal growth as you watch them transition from childhood to adolescence.
There will be periods of pure joy and entertainment, often counterbalanced with plenty of challenging ones.
When your teen has ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), it can add an extra layer of complexity to your journey. There will be emotional ups and downs to navigate. You’ll have added academic hurdles and social dynamics to parent through. It can feel overwhelming.
The good news is that ADHD is quite manageable with the right tools. Here we’ll explore practical parenting strategies you can use to help your teen succeed.
Understand the Depth of ADHD
Many people have ideas and assumptions about what ADHD is. More often than not, it’s a very surface-level understanding. To best help your teen, it’s important to learn as much as you can about ADHD and the intricacies involved.
ADHD is more than just attention issues. It also affects emotional regulation and executive functioning. They may experience organizational challenges, impulsive behaviors, restlessness, and hyperactivity.
It’s also worth noting that boys tend to experience symptoms differently from girls. Girls are more likely to mask their symptoms, making them even harder to recognize.
Create Structure
Routines and consistency are extremely helpful when living with ADHD. The brain already has a hard time attending to tasks and keeping focus. Knowing what to expect can help reduce burnout and feelings of being overwhelmed.
Create routines for the mornings, after school, and bedtime. They don’t need to be anything too rigid, but rather more of a guideline to follow. Make it easy enough to be consistent with it throughout the week. You can also add elements of fun to drive motivation further.
Communicate Clearly
Teen brains are still in a crucial phase of development. They’re learning how to process emotions and build an identity. With all of that taking place, too much information at any given point can send them into an overload state.
When talking with your teen about something important, keep communication short and to the point. If you’re making plans, reminding them about an appointment, or assigning work, give the information one step at a time.
They will inevitably require a reminder or repetition of certain information. When these situations arise, do your best to remain calm. Being heated or overly critical will not lead to productive outcomes.
Teach Them Helpful Executive Functioning Skills
Executive functions can be significantly impacted by ADHD. You can help your teen by teaching executive functioning skills with modifications that best meet their needs based on present symptoms.
Are long to-do lists challenging? Help them break tasks down into smaller, more achievable ones.
Is time management a problem? Help them incorporate planners, checklists, visual reminders, or timers into their routine.
Do they struggle with organization? Offer them tips for organizing both their physical environment and their time schedule.
Encourage Physical Activity
Physical activity has healing benefits for a wide range of medical and mental health conditions. ADHD is no exception. Getting routine exercise can help improve mood, focus, and sleep quality.
Allow them the opportunity to pick something that interests them and find ways to encourage it. Incorporate it into the routine. Join them in their chosen activity. Explore a group workout class together, for example.
Explore Therapy
Parenting a teen with ADHD isn’t always an easy feat, but you don’t have to go through this journey alone. Parenting therapy offers a safe space to further explore possible strategies, strengthen your communication skills, and learn how to navigate challenges with confidence. Counseling for teens is another option that can support your teen if they’re having a difficult time managing symptoms.
Having the right type of support in your corner can make all the difference. We’re here to help make your journey a successful one. Contact us today to learn more.