Parents of hyperactive children know the "Would you please
just settle down?!" phrase well, and likely use it on a regular basis.
There are a number of tips to help parents settle their hyperactive child down.
These quick tips and relaxation techniques take the same amount of time as
yelling and scolding but produce incredibly different results in hyperactive
children.
Quick Calming Tips:
Try quick tips to calm a hyperactive child down during temper outbursts or
unusually rowdy days. These calming tips are not novel to adults by any stretch.
How many times have you heard "Take a deep breath and count to 10" or "Calgon,
take me away." What works for big people works for little people as well._ Deep
breathing is one of the simplest ways to calm the body. Teach your children to
take deep breaths (in through the nose, out through the mouth) when they begin
to feel frustrated and out of control. Parents, you do this too!
- Draw a warm salt bath or bubble bath to wash away the hyperactive child's
stresses of the day.
- Take your hyperactive child for a walk or send them around the block on their
own if they are old enough. Not only does walking burn off excess energy, the
repetitive thump, thump, thump of feet hitting pavement brings the mind back
into focus.
- Give your hyperactive child a mini-massage. Touch is very important to
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder children. Massaging their temples,
giving a shoulder rub or lightly running your fingers through their hair can
calm children quickly.
- Put together a "Boredom Box" that provides creative outlets for your
hyperactive child. Fill this box or plastic storage bin with paint sets,
coloring books, crossword puzzles, modeling clay, jewelry making kits and other
artistic areas of interest. Hyperactive children bore easily and their fast
spinning minds need extra stimulation. In the absence of nothing better to do,
hyperactive children will lean on their own devises and you don't want them
doing that. Better that they draw than set the cat on fire...
The quick-fix calming techniques work to sooth the hyperactive child after they
already became too stressed or active. There are also techniques that parents
can teach their hyperactive children to help them get the "stuff" out before it
builds up and explodes.
Create a calming home environment:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder children have difficulty remaining calm
in a hectic environment. Clearing the clutter and taking a "less is more"
approach to decorating can reduce the sensory overload on Attention Deficit and
hyperactive children.
The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder child's bedroom especially should
be free of clutter. Use plastic bins to organize and store all those precious
little plastic treasures (that we adults commonly refer to as "junk") and small
toys. Open the curtains to provide natural lighting. Keep posters and wall
hangings to a minimum. Paint the child's bedroom in calming muted colors instead
of bright primary colors.
If you play music in the house, opt for soft "elevator music" or classical music
instead of rock. Try to avoid loud clatters and noises when your Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder child is at home.
Follow a Routine:
All children thrive in homes that provide routines, consistency and structure.
Attention Deficit and hyperactive children especially need structure and
schedules to feel secure in their surroundings. For these children, a more
"military" approach to routines works better. Waking up, eating meals, doing
homework, and bed times should all occur at about the same time every day, with
few surprises to upset the Attention Deficit or hyperactive child.
A Place to Relax:
If at all possible, find a space in the house to designate as a relaxation
space. It does not have to be a large space but it does need to be away from
high activity areas. This little corner (or even a portion of a walk-in closet)
can have a beanbag chair and a few books, coloring books or other quiet time
activities.
Encourage your child to go to this space when they become angry or out of
control, but never make this a place of punishment. This special spot in the
house is a positive place where they can go to settle down, sort things out or
just hang out when they need to be alone.
Journaling:
For the child who is old enough to write, journaling is an excellent way to
untangle frazzled minds and get things off their chest. This technique allows
hyperactive children to spill their internal stresses outside themselves and
onto paper.
Develop a daily habit of having your child write a page or two, depending on
their age, about anything that comes to mind. They can write "I hate school, the
dog just drooled, the baby's crying is driving me crazy..." - whatever comes to
mind. Eventually, they will get to the guts of what is going on inside them.
Then rumple or tear the paper up and throw it away.
These private internal thoughts are not for you or anyone else to read, ever.
Please respect their privacy and let them know they can write anything down
without fear of reprimand.
Taking a mini-vacation with Guided Imagery:
Guided imagery is a powerful relaxation tool for hyperactive children that pulls
their focus to positive thoughts, all the while encouraging creativity in your
child. You can check out books on this technique at your local library if you
want further information on the subject.
Last, but certainly not least, diet:
Some parents find that reducing or eliminating sugar from the diet goes a long
way in calming the hyperactive child. If your child is a finicky eater, you will
need to supplement the diet to make sure your Attention Deficit or hyperactive
child has the fuels needed for his body to function well.
Starting the day out with a healthy breakfast balanced with proteins, fats and
carbs is important. An egg sandwich, peanut butter toast and fresh fruit,
protein shakes and fresh fruit smoothies are great ways to start the day for
Attention Deficit and hyperactive children.
Sugar cereals are quick and convenient but should not be used as a breakfast
mainstay. Fruit juices are high in calories and sugar and not recommended for
children, especially those with Attention Deficit or hyperactivity. Instead of
juice or sodas, get in the habit of offering plain old H2O. With plenty of
bottled waters that offer fruit flavors and vitamin enhancements, getting your
children hydrated is easier now than ever before.
About The Author
Jeannine Virtue is a freelance journalist and mother of an Attention Deficit
son. Visit the Attention Deficit Disorder Help Center at
http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com for information about treating
Attention Deficit Disorder without the use of Ritalin or other ADHD medications.
jvirtue@add-adhd-help-center.com
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