Helping Your Kid Find Their Tribe

Helping Your Kid Find Their Tribe Last year, Huffington Post called it the catch phrase of our digital generation: Find Your Tribe. Its been used as a call for those seeking a like-minded community and its everywhere. Yoga groups. Cooking groups. Blogathons. Ultimate Frisbee clubs. You name it! But what seems like a luxury for most of us is actually a necessity for kids with ADHD: having a group of like-minded kids (and adults who support them) creates an environment that fosters learning, connection, and growth. Every parent wants their child to have friends, and its heartbreaking to see or hear of your child being excluded or left behind. But it becomes even more difficult when your child has ADHD and desperately wants to connect with others, but his or her impulsivity, distractibility, or social skills get in the way. So when you see your child struggling to connect, you want to help. But how? How can you help your child find their tribe? Lets start off by saying: your childs tribe doesnt need to be big! Researc h shows that for kids with ADHD having just one close friend can make a difference. Having quality friendships even with a small group can help build self-esteem and resiliency, and can of course reduce loneliness. Begin by getting your child involved in an activity that interests him or her. It may sound simple, a structured setting and an interesting activity will provide your child with the foundation that he or she needs to start building his or her tribe. Involve your child in choosing the activity, and make sure to put your own preferences and interests aside! If you push your child into signing up for something that he or she doesnt enjoy, you run the risk of having him or her feel alienated and different from the other kids who have enrolled because they are excited and interested. Watch and observe your child during the activity. Is he or she connecting with another child? Does it seem like both kids are having fun? If so, seek out the parent of the other child and suggest a follow-up play date. I noticed our sons really enjoyed todays planetarium workshop. My son loves space but doesnt have too many buddies who also share his interest. Would you and your son like to meet up at the museum sometime this month for a planetarium show together? The boys might enjoy connecting again over their love of space. Give your child the chance to reconnect with his or her new friend within the context of their shared interest before venturing into open-play opportunities. In addition to new activities, think about current activities that your child participates in. If your child attends a tutoring center, religious ed. class, or music lesson then he or she is meeting kids every day outside of school who have the potential to become good friends. Ask your child if theres anyone from his or her afterschool activities who he or she would like to hang out with. Help him or her come up with a plan for talking with this child about a shared interest, and then inviting them to get together outside of school preferably to do something related to something that they both enjoy. And lastly, during a get-together, provide your child with some subtle social skills coaching. Talk to him or her ahead of time about what it means to be a good host or a good guest. Remind your child to take turns, and to look out for his or her new friend to make sure they are having a good time. If your child isnt picking up on social cues, discretely pull him or her aside and give him or her some strategies to try out. If a conflict comes up, rock-paper-scissors is always a great tool to fall back on - it works just about every time! Helping your child find his or her tribe can build self-confidence and help your child feel more comfortable in his or her own skin. A little support from parents can go a long way in helping kids with ADHD make valuable connections that may just turn into the close childhood friendships that they have been missing. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.