Having a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder presents you with some challenges, but there are enough resources available — both in-person and online — that you'll have a lot of help. Children with ADHD can act in different ways at different times of the day, but one issue that you might often deal with is challenges at bedtime. Getting children to bed can be difficult in its own right, but when a child has ADHD, this series of steps can take longer and cause more conflict. Here are some strategies for successfully approaching bedtime for your child with ADHD.
Eat Dinner Promptly
Many families with young children are so busy that it's challenging to eat dinner in a timely manner. For example, if your kids have extra-curricular activities after school that require you to pick them up, it may be getting late by the time you arrive home. When possible, it's ideal if you can try to eat dinner on the earlier side. Kids often enjoy a bit of playtime after dinner, which is something that might get omitted if you eat too late. This can make your child eager to play as you try to get him or her ready for bed, which may lead to a conflict.
Make Playtime Relaxing
If you're able to have dinner with your family on the earlier side, this leaves a bit of time for playing between dinner and bed. Steer your children toward a relaxing activity rather than one that gets them worked up. For example, playing tag in the house might be fun, but it's not a good pre-bedtime activity because of how excited your children will get. A board game or building something can be gentle, quiet activities that can help your child to unwind.
Start Early
A child with ADHD might get distracted numerous times while getting ready for bed. While brushing his or her teeth, the child may stop and start doing something else, for example. Instead of trying to fight this, accept that the pre-bedtime activities can take a while. Plan to start the nightly routine early. For example, if you want your kids in bed at 8 p.m., don't start getting them ready for bed 15 minutes prior. You may need to take a significant amount of time, such as an hour. Talk to an ADHD specialist for more tips on how to make the nightly routine as easy as possible for your child and for you.
For more information, reach out to a resource that provides ADHD help.
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