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How to Raise Your Child’s Social IQ

Posted by Brock
friends and adhd

While your child's social skills might not be assessed on her latest report card or addressed in his most recent IEP, social intelligence matters. Some children are naturally chatty and comfortable conversing with adults or their peers while others painfully struggle thinking of anything natural to say. Think Charlie Brown and that cute little red-headed girl. Think back to the socially awkward peers of your own class. Or maybe you were one of the ones who felt awkward - like I was. While most of us outgrow feeling clumsy, initiating certain activities with your child can ease them into … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ADHD in Real Life, Succeeding Tagged With:

Help Your Child Make Friends

Posted by Kayla
making friends and social skills

When we think about ADHD, we often focus (no pun intended - promise) on the attention issue. But I've often addressed the fact that attention is just the first of the challenges our kids face. Often their struggles include social issues. They may be too shy,too forward, too quirky, too active, too - whatever. But the fact remains that they end up on the sidelines, the last chosen for a sport, the uninvited guest to the party. It's so hard somtimes for our kids to make friends. Many of us have been in their shoes. You yourself may know what it’s like to be a painfully shy child or teen. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ADHD in Real Life Tagged With: ,

Teaching a Child to Ask for Forgiveness

Posted by Kayla
asking for forgiveness

One of the hardest things for any of us to do is to say, "I'm sorry." It is interesting to me that dogs can convey remorse without words, but humans often can't find the words to smooth over a problem that they created. Kids have a terrible time admitting they did wrong; for most adults, it's even harder. One skill that we need to teach our children is how to ask for forgiveness. Here's my formula: Admit wrongdoing. Don't make a child say "I'm sorry." If she's not sorry, you're compounding her transgression by making her lie. An insincere, 'Sorry', doesn't make anyone feel better, … [Read more...]

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What I Got For Christmas. : )

Posted by Kayla
christmas gift from adhd child

We've reached the point in our lives where our kids finally truly enjoy giving as well as receiving gifts. This year, we were relieved that this even applied to our son Joe. His ship had been on a training mission, and we weren't sure when he would come home for Christmas. But one night, just as we sat down to eat stuffed grape leaves, Joe walked in the door. "I would have been here earlier, but I had to go Christmas shopping." He was beside himself with excitement. He had bought for everyone - including my parents. He took Ron aside and told him what he got his dad and me. Then he and Ash … [Read more...]

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Making Friends – The OTHER Social Studies

Posted by Kayla

Some children are born social butterflies. They attract friends, know what to say in any situation, have an uncanny sense of style, and always land on their feet. Then there are my kids - and maybe yours. Here are some tips on helping your child succeed in the study of all things social. Help your child learn to make friends. Although we feel that friendships should happen naturally, finding friends is a skill that can be taught. There is a wealth of information available on this subject. A great source is the online ADDitude Magazine, which has a whole section on Friendships and Social … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Focusing Tagged With: ,