Holiday Ideas for Families with ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) poses many challenges for families. If a child is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) then the parents may cope with an endless stream of missed appointments, homework that only gets done with multiple prompts, and even report cards are less than stellar. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) not only poses challenges during the school year but also during the holidays. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can make the holidays challenging; however, there are ways to survive the holidays with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can make organization difficult. People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) tend to move from task to task leaving a trail of unfinished projects behind them. For everyone, the holidays can tax a family's schedule. Each family member can have different plans that need to be included in the family schedule.

Setting priorities can help reduce the strain on the family schedule. Invitations can flow from coworkers, friends, your children(s) classmates, church, other charity groups, or even just acquaintances. Setting priorities will allow family members to say "no" without feeling guilty. Each family member can use the excuse that "I need to make sure that this fits into the my family's schedule."

Avoid mistakes from holiday's past. For years, emergency management professionals have seen the value of learning from past experience. The emergency management industry calls this an After Action Review. Dr. Quinn explained how this concept can help families with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to lessen potential problems. Dr. Quinn stated, "Before this holiday season gets into full swing, set aside a few minutes to sit down and focus on what's important to you and your family...Think about past holidays and determine what went well and what turned out to be disastrous or led to meltdowns."

Identify ways to mitigate situations that caused stress in the past. The holiday season can be rich in traditions including spending mornings with one family then driving across town (or even the country) to meet with other family members. These long trips and constant motion can add undue stress to families living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). If a tradition has caused problems in the past then give yourself permission to break with tradition.

Once you have created a plan, stick to it. Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) do better with routines. Discussing holiday plans beforehand allows the children time to adapt to the upcoming gatherings. These pre-holiday planning sessions provides children with a picture of the upcoming holidays. Knowing what to expect can ease the stress of the holidays and prevent meltdowns.

Ensure all family members get plenty of sleep. The holiday season can be very hectic. In an effort to ensure that all family obligations are met, sleep can quickly be seen as a luxury. Sleep deprivation has been linked to many physical ailments including mood swings and even weight gain. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can cause people to be prone towards irritability and even bad tempers. Sleep deprivation can increase these issues.

Holidays are hectic for many American families. Families that include family members with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can face additional challenges such as issues organizing and staying on task. Learning from past holiday successes and challenges, creating a plan, communicating the plan, sticking to the plan, and ensuring that all family members receive the proper amount of sleep can aid in creating a holiday season that is free of family uprisings.

References
Quinn, Dr. and Willingham, Laura. The Holidays and ADHD-A Survival Guide. n.d. NAPSnet.com. Retrieved on November 18, 2009 from http://www.napsnet.com/articles/62881.html