Teaching Social Skills to the ADHD Child
One major problem with Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder kids is their difficulty in getting along with others - either because they are too shy or too aggressive. If your child is in this painful situation, here are a few things you can start doing in your family to help her get along better with others.1. Have a friendly home
Teach your child how to make friends by making and keeping friends yourself. Besides, the children of their parents’ friends are often natural choices for friends for children.
So have a friendly home and invite people over often. Be hospitable to other children, especially children with interests similar to your child’s - turn-taking, tracking conversations, and cooperating come more easily when children are involved in something interesting.
2. Teach small talk
Give your ADD/ADHD child specific instructions on how to make good conversation: don’t give one-word answers to questions (always answer plus something relevant), ask others about their interests, listen when they talk, if that is not possible pick up another thread from the same conversation, be positive (talk about happy things and don’t complain too much).
3. Teach grooming
One way to make a better impression on others and attract people is to look good, and a large part of looking good is grooming. Teach your ADD/ADHD child to be well-groomed always: make sure she is clean and not smelly, and her clothes are washed and pressed, though they need not be the latest fashion.
4. Teach tact and negotiation
Rather than just telling your ADD/ADHD child to be careful of the feelings of others, teach specific techniques like sandwiching negative feedback between positive sentences, and allowing others to look good by giving compliments.
An ADD/ADHD child also needs to learn about the give and take of social life. Tell her that in the long run, what we get from others is equal to what we give to them, even though in the short term things often seem unbalanced. So if she shares her toys, others will share theirs, if she waits for her turn, others will wait for theirs.
5. Teach how to read non-verbal communication
Teach your ADD/ADHD child that when she is talking with someone, if that person gives monosyllabic answers/looks at the watch or clock/does not look at her much/swings her feet or taps her fingers, it’s time to stop! There are other signs of interest, agreement, disagreement, openness, relaxation, and romance that may be very useful - she can pick them up from the websites on this subject or from books.
If you stay supportive while giving your ADD/ADHD child the space to make her mistakes and learn from them, your child will have a better chance to learn than when mom or dad are hovering around her to protect her from her own social blunders. So give your advice when others are not around, and then let her free and stay positive. Your child will feel better about herself, and learn quicker.
For more information on proven, scientific, and natural ways to succeed in spite of your ADD/ADHD without medicines visit www.3stepsadd.com/premium today. Get more information regarding ADD/ADHD.
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-ADHD Dad
Tags: ADD and ADHD, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Parenting the ADHD Child | 
ADHD Dad | July 12, 2008
