Mommmmm the morning has arrived…

Children with ADHD struggle to complete many tasks in a short amount of time.

They don’t have a sense of time… like most children…

And they certainly don’t know how to plan their time properly.

When Noam and Matan were very young, I created a visual chart for them and laminated it. With a dry-erase marker, they marked off each task they completed in the morning, and at the end, they received a reward—something sweet for the road… (to this day, they still call it that…).

Over the years, we (my husband and I…) learned how to act and guide the kids in a way that avoids morning arguments and unnecessary stress.

*Anything that can be prepared the night before… is prepared the night before.

Don’t leave it for the morning. Clothes, school supplies, letters and forms the teacher asked to be signed, a hat for gym class…

Anything possible… don’t leave tasks for the morning…!!!

*No screens in the morning.

None. No screens! No TV! No tablet! No computer and no mobile phone!

*Don’t ask the child to do more than one task at a time!

They finish one task… then move on to the next.

They are not capable (not unwilling… not lazy… just not capable!) of doing more than one task at a time.

They need to:

1. Brush their teeth.

2. Put on their shoes.

3. Eat.

4. 5. 6. Take a water bottle, lunchbox, and fruit and put them in their bag (3 things).

7. Take their pills.

8. Take their bag (yes, sometimes they forget this too).

9. Oh, and yes… something sweet for the road… (this they usually don’t forget).

At least 9 tasks in one morning. And also to get to school/kindergarten on time…

Wow, how much can you expect from a child… and one with ADHD no less…

So, one task at a time.

Don’t lose patience…

Take a deep breath…

O n e t a s k a t a t i m e…

And don’t forget to tell them how amazing they are and how proud you are of them. Because you are proud of them. And of yourselves. For taking a deep breath and managing not to lose your temper. And everyone’s morning started… c a l m l y…

Now I deserve something sweet… and coffee… don’t I?

Ilana