| Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | | | | type of behavior before they respond to your |
| (ADHD) are notoriously difficult to discipline. Because | | | | requests or discipline. If these actions are the only thing |
| children with ADHD have trouble focusing, it can be | | | | your child responds to your child may have learned |
| hard to get them to do what you ask or listen to the | | | | that they will not be punished until this point or that you |
| reason why they are being punished. Consequences | | | | will not follow through on threats until you get angry. |
| such as timeout can be hard to enforce with children | | | | To effectively discipline children with ADHD parents |
| who are easily distracted as well. | | | | have to be consistent with their rules and requests and |
| Although enforcing discipline with children who have | | | | always follow through on consequences or |
| ADHD can be challenging, there are effective ways to | | | | punishment. Children will respond better to calm |
| discipline a child with this disorder. There are a few | | | | requests when they know the rules will be enforced. |
| techniques you should learn as well as common | | | | It is important to determine what you want your child |
| mistakes you should avoid to ensure that your | | | | to do instead of their bad behavior or what you want |
| message gets across. | | | | them to learn from a consequence or punishment. |
| One of the biggest mistakes parents make when | | | | Discipline should be used as a teaching tool to instill |
| trying to discipline children with ADHD is not | | | | these lessons and values in your child so that they can |
| communicating what the child did wrong and what | | | | begin to make better decisions and judgments. |
| they should do instead. It is important to clearly explain | | | | Effective discipline requires good communication, |
| what a child did wrong and what they should do | | | | consistency, and clear boundaries and limitations, |
| instead. Children usually hear why they are being | | | | especially for children with ADHD. You should also |
| punished but often miss out on hearing what the | | | | remember that recognizing and rewarding good |
| appropriate behavior should be. It is important to tell | | | | behavior is just as important as disciplining a child. |
| children how they should act instead so next time they | | | | Once you learn how to send a clear message, follow |
| are in a similar situation they will have that knowledge | | | | through with consequences, and effectively |
| to draw on and make better choices. | | | | communicate with your child, discipline will become |
| If you often find yourself losing your temper, screaming, | | | | easier. |
| or yelling, your child may have come to expect this | | | | |