The
ADHD Self Esteem Challenge
For children of every background, age,
and ability level, self esteem is extremely important.
To quote the old adage, self esteem gives children
and adults the skills to “make lemonade”
when life seems to be full of lemons. When a child
has ADHD, self esteem may be easily damaged by negative
comments from other people. Parents have a special
opportunity to boost the self esteem of ADHD children
who may not feel good about themselves.
With
a little thought and practice, parents of children
with ADHD can plan many ways to improve self esteem.
One of the best ways the ADHD self esteem can be developed
is by empowering the child. Children feel better about
themselves when they develop their own abilities and
chart their own course. Therefore, let your ADHD child
make choices, even if they are small ones. Learning
how to choose between the red socks and the blue socks
may seem insignificant to you, but to the child with
ADHD, this decision is a source of pride and self
esteem.
Another
good ADHD self esteem booster is allowing your child
to complete tasks independently. Granted, it might
be faster for you, as a parent, to make a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich. However, the ADHD child who makes
a sandwich will feel like a world-class chef when
he or she is finished.
Chores
provide yet another opportunity to improve ADHD self
esteem. This is especially true for younger children
who are typically eager to help their parents. Whether
it’s setting the dinner table or mopping a floor,
housework teaches children new skills and provides
them with a sense of accomplishment.
As
you find opportunities to let your children make decisions,
complete tasks independently, and work on chores,
your job as a parent is to offer praise and encouragement
every step of the way. Since the ADHD self esteem
may be fragile, your child will be looking to you
for reassurance and support. Find specific things
to compliment your child about every day, such as,
“I really like the shirt and pants you picked
out from your closet today; they look good together.”
Your kind words can mean the difference between your
child succeeding or struggling in life.
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