August 22, 2007

ISSN: 1538-3202

Issue: 401
Subscribers: 52,288

In This Issue:

Training Lions & Tigers: Discipline and Children with ADD/ADHD

Four Rules of Discipline

Developmental, Parenting & Treatment Issues

Back to School Resources

Wrightslaw WebEx Training

Contact Info

Pete and Pam Wright
Wrightslaw & The Special Ed Advocate
P. O. Box 1008
Deltaville, VA 23043

Copyright © 2007, Peter W. D. Wright and Pamela Darr Wright. All rights reserved. Please do NOT reprint or host on your website without explicit permission.

We want to take a minute to thank you for your responses to this newsletter.

In July, Tammy wrote, "I have an young son with ADHD.  I'm looking for parenting help with him.  I'm not sure how to discipline him.  I’m lost and looking for tips, or any ideas that may help."

Tip #1: Consistency and Structure

Pete's first tip in Training Lions and Tigers is the need to provide consistency and structure. You need to have clear standards about right and wrong and apply these standards consistently.

After sharing a story from an old friend, Pete says, "If we can teach elephants, lions and tigers to behave in public, we can teach our children with ADHD to behave.

Tip #3: High Expectations

Children with ADHD have to work harder. As a parent or a teacher, you have to work harder too. When parents are consistent, patient and determined to raise responsible children, their children are often more successful than children who are not blessed with this "disorder."

Keep your expectations high. You want your child to develop responsibility, a good work ethic, have empathy for others, and be able to persist. Read the rest of this article.

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Parenting is hard work. Parenting a child with ADD/ADHD is harder work.

You need to reward positive behavior and use negative consequences for negative behavior. You need to

• be consistent
• use tough love
• have high expectations

In Four Rules of Discipline, learn about the rules and discipline techniques Pete used when raising his children.

Never ask "Why?"

Learn why you need to ask, "What did you do?," not "Why did you do that?" When parents ask, "What did you do?," they help their child learn from mistakes. This leads to the next question: "What are you going to do about it?"

Many people who have changed the world for the better have early childhood histories of ADD an/or LD. Read Pete's article about how he raised his children for parenting tips that will help your child become a special person because of ADD/ADHD, not in spite of it.

He gives you a progress report about how they are doing today.

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Do you have a "difficult" child, a child with ADD/ADHD who is not like "other children?"

Yes, your child with ADD may be difficult, but she also has unique strength. Pam's article will help you learn to appreciate and enjoy your child's special charms and delights.

In ADD/ADHD: Developmental, Parenting and Treatment Issues, you'll learn about the developmental stages all children go through -- and pitfalls you need to be aware of if your child has ADD/ADHD.

Attention Deficit Disorder in Children describes ADD as a neurobehavioral disorder that may cause problems for children in several areas:

• distractibility
• hyperactivity/restlessness
• impulsivity
• difficulties with learning, peer and family relationships, self-esteem, mood, and behavior

Don't let your child’s ADD-related problems cause problems in your relationship. Read article.

Success Story: Opening my eyes, my ears, my heart for my son with ADD

"Our Special Education Journey started 10 years ago. .my son had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder at age 5."

Read this moving success story by parent advocate Becky Milton. Learn how Becky became an empowered parent and a more effective advocate for her son with ADHD and learning disabilities.

The cover story, "Success at School" in the Back to School issue of ADDitude magazine (September 2007) features the Wrightslaw.com website and Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition.

The Back to School issue provides advice about working with teachers, helping with homework, and setting up your child to achieve success at school.

Check out the Back to School Resources section.

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