ADHD 101 - Week 2

Tips for Home

Welcome back! I'm excited you've decided to join me for week 2 of the blog series, ADHD 101. This week I am going to focus on tips for the home.

As I said last week, caring for children with ADHD may be very challenging. It is critical that parents remember that some of their child's disruptive behavior is a manifestation of the disability and the challenge is finding ways to help them change their inappropriate behavior.  

Key: The key to this is remembering to focus on the need for structure and routine for your child's daily schedule and thereby reinforcing the importance of learning self-control and self-regulation.

The following are suggestions for parents:

• Focus on discrete rewards and consequences for appropriate and inappropriate behavior such as:
• Tangible rewards and treats;
• Movie night for a good week at school;
• Removal of privileges; and
• Time-out from reinforcing activities: the child is essentially removed from situations that foster inappropriate behavior.
• Set a daily routine and stick to it. Bedtime and preparation for school are much easier if there is a structure already in place.
• Have tangible reminders:
• A big clock in the bedroom; 
• Chart for chores;
• Assignment pad to record homework and a specific folder to put work in upon completion; and
• Gain the child's attention before speaking to him or her. Have the child repeat back directions for things that are really important.
• Avoid the following:
• Repeating patterns on inappropriate behavior followed by ineffective punishment;
• Administering consequences without prior warning or without the child understanding why he or she is receiving them; and
• Responding inconsistently to appropriate behaviors

I know that's quite a bit of information and implementing all of these changes at once would be very overwhelming. I challenge you to implement 1-2 new tips a week and stick with them.

Be sure to ask any questions or leave any comments below. Have a great week!

All the best,

Renee

P.S. Next weeks topic: Tips for School

Fill Up on Happiness

                                      

I'm always searching for articles and inspiration to share with my clients and now with you, my followers! During a recent search, I stumbled upon a website called beliefnet.com. It's an online resource for spirituality and inspiration. It features pages on Health, Wellness, Entertainment, Love & Family. The site truly has something for everyone!

I saw so many things I wanted to share that it was hard to narrow it down to just one for this post. It's definitely a website I'll be visiting frequently.

I found a really neat slideshow called "10 Ways to Fill Up on Happiness." In a world with so much sadness and hurt, I thought we could all fill up on happiness this holiday season. Here's the list:

1) Take Action, Take Heart - "Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold, the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul." - Democritus

2) Find Something to Celebrate Every Day - "There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle." - Albert Einstein

3) Open Your Heart and Forgive - "Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting." - William Arthur Ward

4) Give Yourself Credit - "The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind." - Ella Wheeler Wilcox

5) Color Yourself Happy - "Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson 

6) Shake Your Booty - "Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states." - Carol Welch

7) Clear Space for Happiness - "Many men go fishing of all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." - Henry David Thoreau

8) Release Physical Tension - "We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at lease once. And we should call every truth false, which was not accompanied by at least one laugh." - Friedrich Nietzsche

9) Creative Acts of Kindness - "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try and cheer somebody else up." - Mark Twain

10) Strengthen Your Gratitude Muscle - "Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving." - Kahlil Gibran

I strongly encourage you to check out the full article, which features even more great information and some awesome pictures too.

Have a wonderful holiday and fill up on as much happiness as you possibly can!

All the best,

Renee

Welcome to Piecing It All Together by Mosaic Unlimited, Inc.!

My name is Renee Keller and Mosaic Unlimited, Inc. is my new private practice counseling and psychotherapy office. I received my Masters of Social Work from the University of New York at Buffalo and I have been practicing for three years. I am passionate about helping people get through the challenges of life and I love what I do. 

Along with being a therapist, I am a wife and mother of two. When I decided to embark on the journey of opening my own private practice, I could not have done it without the support of my family and close friends. Thank you, guys!

I decided to start blogging to provide a resource for people dealing with this crazy thing called life. Life is full of ups, downs and wild twists and turns. I want to provide a place for you to come when you're having a bad day or you need some tips to cope with a tough time. My blog will feature ways to deal with the stressful situations, relationship advice, motivational pieces and a little humor here and there.

I would love feedback on the blog. Good and bad, I want to hear it! I'm open to all suggestions and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

I look forward to piecing the beautiful journey of life together with you!

All the best,

Renee