“Creative independence” by nattu is licensed with CC BY 2.0.
Most adults take life skills for granted – they know what to do and how to do it; however for people with ADHD, these tasks can be significant obstacles for them. Children with ADHD tend to be much slower to develop the skills needed to organize, plan, and prioritize compared to their peers. Teenagers, on the other hand, know what they have to do, but they may genuinely have a problem with actually doing it. There is nothing wrong with that, as life skills can be acquired with practice.
Below are 7 life skills that you can teach your child that will stand them in good stead:
Independance
You may be used to doing everything for your child, but you must break this habit. Let your child do things on their own so that they learn to take responsibility and become self-reliant.
Organisation
Do not accustom your child to you tidying their room and clearing up their things for them, because they will not learn if they dont. Create a suitable system for your child, such as boxes for school supplies and others for toys, for example, and shelves for organizing books. This will also make it easier for them to find what they needs quickly.
Time management
Children with ADHD have a false sense of time as he cannot judge precisely how long each task takes. Therefore, allocate a timer for your child between the periods of his activities, and when he performs the duties or daily tasks, so that he can perform them in the required time.
Budgeting
Put together a budget based on how much your son needs to buy clothes, food resources and other necessities so that he has a conversation with you about the purchases. Through it you can see exactly what your child spends.
Social skills
Encourage your teen to make friends with people with similar values and interests, and a good way to do this is through sports clubs and local groups.
Medication management
If your child is taking medicines, make him have a habit of reminding him of the medicine daily by setting a mobile alarm, for example, he will get used to it on his own responsibility.
Making wise decisions
One of the traits associated with ADHD is impulsivity, which makes teens more vulnerable to trouble, including legal problems such as reckless driving, or other behavioral problems. To help curb impulsiveness and focus on the consequences, he sets out penalties such as any speeding violation that he pays for himself.
