Title: It’s the Most Wonderful (and Distracting) Time of the Year!
Subject: Three tips to help your kids listen to you
Happy Holidays, {Name}!
It’s the most Wonderful (and distracting) time of the year again!
Our ADHD teens are easily distracted, even in the best of times.
As we approach the holidays, it’s even more challenging for them to stay focused.
If we’re being totally honest, it’s hard for us to stay focused at this time of the year! The days are shorter. The holidays kick in with a flurry of activities. We’re surrounded by enormous amounts of distraction. There’s an uptick in special events and end-of-the-year school projects. Everybody hits a lull in motivation. We’re worn out.
We’re ready for a break!
How do we help our teens finish the year strong, when we’d rather don our favorite cozy ugly Christmas sweater and enjoy a holiday movie marathon?
One strategy is to help our teens hear our instructions- the first time we ask.
It’s a good strategy for any time of the year. But it seems especially important during the seasons when we operate on a margin deficit. We don’t have time to repeat ourselves, and the nagging only adds to the stress levels.
In order for your teen to hear you, you need to have their focus.
First- do you have their attention?
Let them know that you’ve got something they need to hear: “I need to ask you something. Can you come to the top of the stairs?”
Second- make eye contact.
If you can’t see their eyes, they’re not engaged. They’re distracted.
This goes for us too, parents! We can’t have a conversation while we’re trying to read something off our phone. Multi-tasking is a communication killer.
Third- have them repeat what you said, back to you.
Ask them: “Do you understand? Do you have any questions?”
If YOU have any questions, I’ve got resources for any topic. Check them out!
Hang in there! We’re going to make it through the most wonderful- and distracting- time of the year!
Loving our teens together,
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Photo by Margarita Marushevska on UnsplashS