ADD Student

Posts Tagged ‘learning’

June is here, and for most kids in North America, that means the end of school. For those of you in other parts of the world who may still be in school, keep these tips in mind for when school is out in your area.

My 5 tips for a better summer:

1. Encourage reading for pleasure. Most kids, even those without ADHD, lose a good portion of their reading skills during the summer break. And believe it or not, that reduced ability come fall means teachers have to back track a little to get them up to speed. Poor reading skills can also affect other subject areas such as math or science.

2. Improve their diet by taking advantage of all the fresh fruits and vegetables summer has to offer. Rely less on packaged or processed foods, and take the words “drive through” out of your vocabulary. Concentrate on good proteins, fruits and veggies and less on grains.

3. Let them live by their own rhythm for a while. Let them stay up later and sleep in if they choose (within reason, of course). You can’t save up or bank sleep, but the extra rest and relaxation will do them good.

4. Encourage time spent outdoors. Time spent in nature seems to soothe the ADHD soul, so take advantage of the weather and go outside. Put up a basketball hoop, or a pool. Join the community pool if you have one, or start riding bikes or roller blading. Camping is an excellent idea that most kids enjoy. Plan your vacation around an outdoor setting or spend more time in the park.

5. Find activities they enjoy and use them to teach them skills they need. For instance, if focus or paying attention is a problem, look for times when they do focus well. Perhaps they love to play baseball or tennis and are good at concentrating on the game. Talk to them about that, ask questions, figure out how you can use that in other situations. And remember, the most important thing to do is to approach this in a casual, friendly let’s-get-together-and-figure-this-out way instead of a you’re-going-to-spend-all-summer-learning-to-do-better-in-school way.

Above all, spend time with all of your kids and enjoy every moment you can.

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The other day a reader asked me about summer camps for kids with ADHD. She had a specific one in mind - SOAR in North Carolina - and wondered what I knew about it.

I have heard of SOAR but have no experience with it. If anyone does, I’m sure she would appreciate you leaving your thoughts in the comments.

In general, summer camps that are designed for ADHD kids can be very beneficial for them. They get to meet lots of kids like themselves (who have ADHD) and they often find that there is an almost instant bond. When you feel out of place most of your life, meeting so many people just like you can have a very positive effect on your self esteem.

In addition, a camp that’s structured for kids with ADHD can provide them with learning experiences and tools that they can use to manage their ADHD and their lives more easily. Learning to work as a team or in a group situation is common to almost all camps, as well as learning to take care of yourself.

If you’re considering a summer camp for your ADHD child, there are a number of things you need to take into account:

Your child and his/her temperament - is your child anxious or easily upset or frightened? Do they have behavioral problems? Such children may not be ready for camp and might not be accepted. It’s not unusual for camps to pre-screen children before accepting them into their program.

What about the camp itself? What is the staff like and what sort of training do they have specific to ADHD? Do they seem friendly and open or more like drill instructors?

What is the ratio of adults to campers? A ratio of one counselor for every 10 campers is typical for regular camps, but for an ADHD specific camp, you should look for lower ratios like 2 or 3 counselors for every 7-10 campers.

Many ADHD camps offer some academic instruction over the summer in addition to camp activities. That’s something that you might want to look into when you’re considering camps.

You should also take a look at the camp’s medical staff and policies. Are you going to keep your child on ADHD medication for the summer? Does the camp require that? How will meds be given and who will do it?

Once you decide on a camp, be sure to prepare your child for it. It’s a good idea to let them help with the process of choosing a camp so that they feel a part of this and not as though they’re being sent away to get rid of them.

Be sure to let the counselors know anything special about your child when you get there - things like ways to calm them down or problems they have will be useful.

There are a lot of resources out there for summer ADHD camps. Here are a few:

ADDitude Magazine
About ADHD
My Summer Camps
Kids Camps

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My son Andy is at school right now (Indiana University), and he really seems to be enjoying it. I know that he’s putting more effort into it than he usually has and he’s been really good about doing his homework, too.

Andy is 24 and you know he has ADHD. He’s also extremely intelligent and quick witted, but he never applied himself in school, most of the time because he didn’t need to in order to get by.

Like a lot of kids with ADHD, Andy went to a community college right out of high school. He completely blew it off and failed most of his classes that first year.

ADHD kids and their parents often don’t like the idea of a community college, especially since most kids head off to a university somewhere. It somehow seems to reinforce that whole idea that the kid with ADHD isn’t so bright.

Sending an 18 year old kid with ADHD away from home and expecting him to suddenly shape up, take care of himself and remember things he never has before is often trouble waiting to happen. Remember, until they are in their mid-twenties, kids with ADHD are 3-5 years younger emotionally than their real age.

After a year pretty much failing at community college, Andy got a full time job. And then, when we moved to Indiana, he tried community college again. Once again, he failed to apply himself. And to be fair, it was a difficult time for all of us.

I see a much different person now than I did a few years ago. I think that a few years spent in the real world, working at the kind of jobs you can get when all you have is a high school education was the best education of all.

My son has matured and he knows first hand the quality of a good education. He’s determined to do well this time and I think he will succeed.

It’s hard as a parent to put off your child’s education, whether it’s done intentionally or not. But sometimes, in the end, it can be worth it.

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