Boost Your Child’s Success: Executive Functioning Tools for ADHD Parenting
Visualization, drawing, movement, and mindfulness share a powerful commonality: they can all serve as effective tools for combating forgetfulness. These strategies go beyond traditional methods, offering dynamic ways to help children with ADHD improve their memory and executive functioning skills.
Why Lists Don’t Always Work
While making a list or checklist is a well-known strategy for remembering tasks, these approaches often fall short when ADHD is involved. Each brain processes information uniquely, and what works for one person may not work for another. For children with ADHD, even a visual list may not be enough to help them retain information in the short term. Factors such as remembering to check the list and recalling its contents after walking away can be significant hurdles.
Lists also fail to address a deeper challenge: they don’t always provide a clear understanding of the beginning, middle, and end of a task or routine. Your child may struggle to visualize what success looks like, feels like, or sounds like. For example, a child who frequently forgets their homework folder at school may not yet understand the necessary steps to remember it consistently. Without a clear mental picture of success, frustration can take over.
Engaging the Senses
This is where sensory-based strategies can make a big difference! Start by identifying your child’s preferred learning modality—do they learn best through hearing, seeing, doing, or a combination of these? Understanding this will guide you in choosing tools that align with their strengths.
Tools for Remembering
Use the chart below to explore new approaches for helping your child remember more and forget less:
Strategy | Example |
---|---|
Visualization | Create a mental image of completing a task, such as packing their backpack. |
Drawing | Encourage your child to draw a step-by-step plan or routine. |
Movement | Use physical actions, like miming the task or practicing routines. |
Mindfulness | Teach grounding techniques to help them focus on the present moment. |
Share Your Success Stories
We’d love to hear how these strategies work for you and your child! Share your experiences in the comments—your insights may inspire and help others.
For more tips and guidance on fostering strong executive functioning skills, check out our Essential Executive Functioning Guide for Parents. Together, we can empower your child to build lasting skills for success.
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