Christmas and Holidays

We are coming to one of the most exciting times of year. The end of the school year is almost upon us and Christmas is only a few weeks away.

This is a great time of year for celebration, for family traditions and for holidays. This is also a time where children living with ADHD can be free from the constraints of school and enjoy much more free time. It does mean that there is often less routine and this can make this time a year a little tricky.

Some thoughts on having a great Christmas holiday season.

Try to keep as much routine as possible.
I know that it's often a time when as parents we want to relax and let routine slip, however this can be quite off putting for some children. Keeping betime and morning routines can help maintain a better equilibrium for all involved. Of course, feel free to relax the routine if possible.

Plan your daily activities well.
If your child is in Vacation Care, they will have great activities planned for your children. If your children are at home with you, enjoy your time together. This time can be enhanced by planned activities. This does not mean every moment of every day has to be planned. Children benefit from free play and expression.

It is worth thinking about what you will do each day. This will help your child know ahead of time what to expect the next day and process this for themselves. Planned activities do not need to cost the earth, and of course each family is different.

What worked well for me was to have a day at home, with painting, outside play, dvds, cooking, etc and then a day out, to the park, to the beach, to the zoo, the city, or visits to grandparents. Allow the children to choose what activities they would like to do. Work with what you have. This time of year can be expensive, but the best times do not necessarily cost money, just a little forethought.

Your local council website will probably have a list of great things to do in your area. Check it out. You may find things you never knew existed. Many of the botanical gardens have school holiday activities as do many of the local community centres, churches and community groups. Look out for special days and activities in the local newspapers, and other media.

Keep it positive.
Lets be honest. As much as we love our children, sometimes living with ADHD is hard work for everyone, especially during holidays. Keeping as much of our talk to our children (and to ourselves) as positive as we can will really make a difference.

Let your child know what you expect them to do, instead of always telling them what they can't do, or shouldn't do. This is important for all children but especially for those living with ADHD. A clear message of what you would like them to do, and lots of positive encouragement, works better than yelling all the time. Remember, children live up to what we speak over their lives.

Remember too, that you can use fun times together to teach your kids about family, life and the great life lessons you would like them to know. (Age appropriate for your child, of course). Find and use those teachable moments and opportunities to your advantage. Our children living with ADHD are capable of alot, given the right nurture, encouragement and environment. As parents, lets make it our aim to provide that environment for them these holidays.