Summer Activities and Camps for Kids with ADHD

6 Must-Haves for Your Next Family Road Trip

Carly Broadway — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 09:01:56 +0000

Vacation packing lists are boring, but awfully helpful for keeping ADHD families outfitted with all the fidgets, snacks, meds, and entertainment needed to keep the peace on any trip.

8 Summer Hot Spots for ADHD Families, According to Parents

Carly Broadway — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 09:23:45 +0000

Keeping kids with ADHD happy and engaged while school is out is a full time job. Read on for relatable parenting frustrations and helpful tips to quell boredom, sibling squabbles, and more.

Solve My Problem: It’s Summer And My Kids Are Bored Stiff!

Nicole Kear — Fri, 12 May 2023 09:35:10 +0000

It’s a tale as old as time: School is finally over for the year and your child is ecstatic! But the very next day, you hear the dreaded whine: “I’m bored.” This refrain tends to recur with frustrating frequency until, at long last, you slip your child’s backpack onto their shoulders again.

Kids with ADHD often rail against structure but benefit enormously from it, and the freewheeling days of summer can prove hard for them to navigate. So, we asked ADDitude readers to share some of the ways they respond when their kids complain of boredom. As always, they had plenty of creative solutions to offer:

“I created a chart that has different activities grouped into five types of play—physical, electronic, imaginative, friend, and brainiac—to help them mix it up. If they do something electronic (often a first choice), they should do something physical or with a friend next.”

“Humans need to be bored. Constant entertainment makes us less creative, while boredom sparks flexibility and problem-solving. So I say, let them be bored! I tell my kids: I’m not a cruise director and it’s not my job to come up with something for them to do.”

“I agree boredom is good, but boredom is a massive anger trigger for my son, so I find ways to set him up for success with systems, routine, timers, supporting interests, encouragement, and a whole lot of patience.”

[Read: Boredom x ADHD = Feeling Depressed]

“When my child says, “I’m bored,” she needs my assistance to understand what she wants to experience. I ask a series of questions. First: Would you like to do something alone or with someone? If they want company I ask: Are you wanting to do something with me or with a friend? Then: Do you want to be inside or outside? I continue asking questions until she figures out something she is interested in doing.”

“We let our son build, tear down, and pretty much “destroy” our yard. I had to close my eyes at all the debris but he and his friends had fun.”

“Provide them with access to materials like craft supplies, LEGOs, shovels, and other tools for digging outside.”

[Read: The Parents’ Guide to Art Therapy Techniques & Projects]

“Baking is incredible because it checks many boxes, including teaching them a valuable skill, feeding themselves, even navigating the Internet.”

“Pause before jumping in to rescue them from their boredom. Boredom is not a bad thing. In fact, it can be quite a gift! It can be a catalyst for creativity, learning to come up with their own ideas, learning about the things that they like (or don’t like), and them learning to self-soothe, self-regulate and solve their own problems. I’m a total ideas person…. but I give them at least 30 minutes to try and figure something out on their own first. The last thing I want is for my son to grow up be the kind of man who can’t generate his own ideas.”

“If I’ve learned one thing about my ADHD, it’s that dopamine is what it’s all about. Depending on their age, give them chores or “activities” to do, with a reward at the end. Whatever reward is meaningful … a quarter, a piece of candy, screen time, etc.”

“Assign chores! They will never dare to be bored again.”

Boredom Busters for Kids with ADHD: Next Steps

Read: “When the Lazy Days of Summer Are Too Lazy”
Watch: “A Summer Schedule for Kids with ADHD — How to Balance Fun, Independence & Structure“
Read: Boredom and the ADHD Brain

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Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

How to Prepare for Summer Camp: A Checklist for Kids

Nathaly Pesantez — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 09:57:00 +0000

You’ve registered your child for camp this summer. Awesome. Now what?

Whether your child is attending a specialty, day, or overnight camp, the path to success begins well before they step foot on camp grounds. Beyond packing the essentials, you can do a lot to mentally and emotionally prepare your camper for the experience ahead, especially if your child is nervous and/or going to an overnight camp for the first time.

But your child isn’t the only one who needs to prepare. You do, too. Setting up your kid for a summer of growth means taking a step back to let them experience camp as fully and as independently as possible.

Follow these steps to get your child ready for an unforgettable summer camp experience.

1. Tour the Camp and Meet the Staff

Most day and overnight camps offer open houses. If you or your child didn’t get a feel for the camp’s physical space before signing up for camp, try to squeeze this in before camp starts, especially if your child is feeling anxious. Your child can also meet staff members along the way — another plus. Most camps publish photos of the layout and of staff on their websites or social channels, so be sure to check those out, too.

An open house my offer your child a chance to meet a helpful point person, like a guidance counselor or a unit leader, to whom they can speak if they need help during their time at camp.

[Haven’t Signed Up for Camp Yet? Ask These 6 Questions to a Prospective Camp]

2. Review Camp Chores and Duties

Be sure to inquire about the camp’s expectations for chores and/or cleanup, especially if your child is staying at an overnight camp. Ask, “What happens during bunk cleanup, and what skills my child work on before they head to camp so they can participate in cleanup time?”

Even if your child does work on these skills in advance, please know that camps understand and expect that many campers will need help performing chores and cleanup activities.

3. Understand How the Camp Manages Medication

Tell the camp about your child’s medication needs and ask how they’ll ensure a steady and reliable medication schedule. Many overnight camps have campers’ medications pre-packaged and sent directly to camp to easily dispense and manage by the time camp starts.

If you’re thinking of an ADHD medication vacation for your child during camp, think again. Like school, camp makes many demands that require your child’s full attention and symptom control. As a camp director, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen kids’ camp experiences not go as planned because their parents decided to give them a medication break. Avoid making medication adjustments right before camp starts or during camp, too. Bottom line: Camp is not the time for a medication vacation.

[Read: Skill-Building Ideas from ADHD Camps]

4. Respect the Camp-to-Home Communication Policy

If your child is attending a day camp, be sure to only contact the camp when absolutely necessary. Avoid helicopter parenting. Camps can tell — and do not appreciate it — when parents try to micromanage their child’s camp experience. (Read more about this in section seven below.) If you do need get in touch with a day camp, expect to speak to a member of the camp’s administrative staff, not to the camp’s counselors (who may be high school or college-age teens or young adults).

Many overnight camps allow campers to phone home only after their first week, when campers have adjusted to the new experience and overcome homesickness. Review this policy with your child and set ground rules (if they aren’t laid out in camp policies) about how often you’ll keep in touch. On your end, respect the camp’s communication policies, too. Do not call the camp demanding to speak with your child.

Many overnight camps also require campers to write home. Do not be alarmed if your child complains of their camp experience in their letters, especially if they weren’t thrilled about attending camp. As a child, even I used to write negative letters home at the beginning of overnight camp. Why? Because I was uncomfortable and I wanted my parents to worry about me. (My parents never responded to these negative letters.) But I always got through it — and your child will, too.

5. Remind Your Child to Drink Water

If your child takes stimulant medication, remember that dehydration is a common side effect, which can be of particular concern during summer camp. Let the camp know of this so they can help your child stay hydrated. It’s also good to check in with your child before they leave for camp; remind them that headaches, crankiness, and/or tiredness could all be signs that they need to drink more water. Insulated water bottles that keep water cold for hours are particularly useful at camp. (Just don’t buy an expensive one in case your child loses it.)

6. Set Clear Expectations

The camp experience is, at least in part, about learning how to be part of a group. That said, your child should arrive at camp with the following expectations:

They will take part in activities and interact with other kids. Encourage your child to join activities they find fun and interesting, and let the camp know ahead of time if your child needs a bit of nudging to participate. (The camp shouldn’t force your child to join everything, but it’s also not a good idea for your child to be allowed to sit out of all events.)
They will not be on their device during the camp day. Be sure to talk to your child ahead of time about the camp’s electronics policy, especially if unplugging from devices is already a battle.
Camp is a learning experience… and not all learning experiences are comfortable. Camps strive to create a positive experience for all, but problems and conflict may still arise. Some campers may not get along, or there might be misunderstandings. Rather than tell your child that camp is utopia, keep it realistic by saying that things may come up and, if they do, there’s always someone at camp they can go to if they need help.

7. Reassure Your Child — and Yourself — That They’ll Do Well at Camp

In my time as a camp director, I’ve seen firsthand how some parents — unable to allow their child to have an independent experience at camp — end up sabotaging their child’s camp experience altogether.

If you want your child to do well in camp, convey your confidence in their ability to succeed in a new environment, even if they don’t feel confident about going to camp, and especially if you are anxious or worried for them.

Avoid saying things like, “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to stay.” Rescuing your child from the temporary discomfort of a new experience robs them of the opportunity to grow and learn about their abilities. Your child is resilient; lean into this truth to set them up for success.
Don’t make your child feel guilty for going to camp. Repeatedly saying things like “I can’t wait until you’re home” could make your child feel guilty for having an independent experience. At all costs, do not make your child feel responsible for any difficult feelings you may be having about their camp experience.
Focus on the positive. Ask, “What was fun at camp today?” or “What activities did you do?” instead of fishing for the negatives with questions like, “Was anybody mean to you today?” or “What bad things did you not like doing at camp?” Focusing on the negative will only teach your child to do the same.
What if things don’t work out? Have a backup plan for the summer if you have concerns about your child’s camp experience. Should your initial plans fall apart, explain to your child that not every camp will be a perfect fit, and that there’s always next summer to try again.

Summer Camp Tips: Next Steps

Free Download: A Sample Letter to Introduce Your Child to Camp Counselors
Read: The Complete ADHD Camp Guide
Read: How to Help Your Child Make Friends & Fully Participate in Summer Camp

The content for this article was derived, in part, from the ADDitude ADHD Experts webinar titled, “Choosing the Best Summer Camps for Your ADHD Child: A Guide for Parents [Video Replay & Podcast #442] with Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW, which was broadcast on February 16, 2023.

6 Essential Summer Camp Criteria for Kids with ADHD

Melanie Wachsman — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 10:10:38 +0000

The right summer camp experience pushes kids in all the right directions — toward new friendships, new challenges, and new perspectives. In my experience, camp can be a tremendous confidence builder for kids with ADHD, who may otherwise automatically say “no” to anything unfamiliar. Campers are often more receptive to stepping outside of their comfort zones when they’re doing so among a supportive peer group of kids with whom they have no social history. The value of this “social reset,” when it goes well, can’t be overstated.

Of course, we can’t assume things will go well.

Sadly, every year I hear from parents of children with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD who were asked to leave camp. In most cases, the overnight camp was not equipped to support the child — and the parents didn’t realize this until it was too late.

Even campers with inattentive ADHD face unfortunate consequences when a camp doesn’t understand ADHD. Often, these kids are not required to participate in activities and, since they rarely cause problems, they end up wandering around or sitting off to the side alone. That is not the point of camp.

When parents ask me how to evaluate whether a summer camp will serve their kids’ needs and interests, I encourage them to favor programs that involve physical activity, which benefits the body and mind. While some kids with ADHD prefer to sit in front of a screen all day, I do not recommend camps that revolve around screen-based activities.

6 Questions to Ask a Prospective Camp

1. How structured is the camp schedule for my child’s age group?

How much time do campers get to engage in free play or choice activities? Some kids with impulse-control issues do not do well in unstructured camps; “free time” is when they struggle the most.

[Free Guide to Choosing the Perfect Camp for Your Child]

2. Are campers required to participate in activities or can they choose to sit out?

The ideal answer would be that they are strongly encouraged and supported to participate in all activities but are not forced. Additionally, parents should be notified if their child is sitting out of activities.

3. If my child needs some time to “decompress,” where would he do that?

How would you make sure that he returns to the activity? Children with ADHD benefit when they develop self-soothing and calming strategies, which prove invaluable in moments of emotional dysregulation at school and at home. A camp should encourage its participants to develop these regulatory skills while ensuring they aren’t left out or forgotten.

4. Which types of ADHD profiles have you found to be successful, and not successful, at camp?

If the camp doesn’t know what you mean by “ADHD profile,” that is a red flag.

5. How much time is spent on screen-based activities?

If your child likes excessive screen time, less is better here.

6. What can I do proactively to set up my child for success at camp?

I recommend providing information to the camp staff weeks in advance about your child’s strengths and how to support her when she’s struggling. Any good camp administrative staff will appreciate parental transparency, proactive strategy ideas, and the opportunity for a collaborative relationship. What is not helpful: withholding your child’s ADHD diagnosis or timing a “medication vacation” to overlap with camp. Summer camps demand a great deal of a child’s attention, emotional regulation, and impulse control — perhaps even more than schools do. If your child takes ADHD medication during the school day, he should continue his regimen at camp. Discuss this with your prescribing physician.

[Free Template: Introduce Your Child to Camp Counselors]

Summer Camp Communication: Sample Letter

Hi (Camp Name) Staff,

We are excited that our child, (child’s name), will be joining you this summer. We are writing to provide you with some helpful information and to offer our assistance in answering any questions you may have.

(Child’s name) has an (impulsive or inattentive) profile of ADHD, which may present in the following ways at camp:

(Below, provide a list of behaviors or challenges your child has experienced at previous overnight camps or in semi-structured activities like sports teams or Scouts, e.g.,

He may sit off to the side unless encouraged to participate.

He may avoid other campers and gravitate toward adults because that interaction is easier for him

He may respond impulsively in competitive environments and lash out during intense athletic games.)

Here are some strategies you can use to help (child’s name) if you observe any of these things:

Ask him to return to the game and remind him that his team needs him.

Offer him purposeful praise and recognition.

If you see him becoming irritable, he may need some water and time to sit in the shade or a quiet area for 5 to 10 minutes.

If he seems to prefer talking to the counselors instead of the kids, please suggest topics of conversation he can try with other campers. It is often easier for him to talk to younger kids or adults because he does not always remember to show interest in his same-age peers.

If you find he is having one-sided conversations and talking at the other kids, please feel free to pull him aside and remind him that it helps us make friends when we listen more than we talk (which is something he knows but forgets).

To help him avoid losing things, please ask him questions using visual language. For example, if he forgets his towel for swim, you can ask him, “Do you look like you’re ready for swim?” If he leaves his water bottle on the table at dismissal, you can say, “Please check your backpack and make sure you have all the things you brought to camp today.”

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We are grateful that (child’s name) can attend (camp name) this summer and appreciate you taking the time to read this.

With gratitude,

(Your Signature)

Overnight Camp for ADHD Kids: Next Steps

Download: 20 Secrets to a Smarter Summer

Learn: How Summer Camps Benefit Children with ADHD

Read: Summer Camp Checklist for Kids with ADHD

Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW, is the director of ADHD Dude & Trip Camp, based in Margate, New Jersey, and Tucson, Arizona. He creates videos for parents and kids on the ADHD Dude YouTube channel.

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Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

“Choosing the Best Summer Camps for Your ADHD Child: A Guide for Parents” [Video Replay & Podcast #442]

Carly Broadway — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 14:46:17 +0000

Episode Description

Summer camp can be a rewarding and confidence-building experience for kids with ADHD. But when day or sleep-away camps aren’t prepared to adequately support children and teens with ADHD, problems arise. Kids with ADHD struggle, and in some cases, they are asked to leave the program.

To avoid these and other problems, it’s important that families know how to find the best camps for their child with ADHD, including which questions to ask, and how to support the camp staff in setting up their children for success.

In this webinar, Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW, founder and director of ADHD Dude & Trip Camp, will provide caregivers with practical approaches that will help them make an educated decision about the best summer camp for their child, and strategies that will help set their camper up for success.

In this webinar, you will learn:

What to consider when selecting a camp

What questions to ask camp administrators to determine whether the camp can support your child

How much information to share about your child with the camp staff, and how to support the camp staff

Why overnight camp can be great for kids with ADHD, and why starting at a younger age can help ensure success at overnight camp

About the common problems that occur at camp for kids with ADHD, and strategies to be proactive in addressing them

Why having 1:1 support at camp is not helpful

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Stitcher; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on Summer Camps for Children with ADHD

Download: 20 Secrets to a Smarter Summer

Read: Fun! Friends! Learning?!

Read: Your Summer Camp Checklist

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on February 16, 2023, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW, is the founder and director of ADHD Dude and Trip Camp. A licensed clinical social worker, camp owner/director, father to a son with ADHD and lifelong camper, Ryan creates content for parents and kids at the ADHD Dude YouTube channel. Ryan is the co-host of the Parenting ADHD podcast. ADHD Dude provides virtual parent training, as well as in-person social learning programs for boys with ADHD. Ryan and his son live in Tucson, Arizona. Trip Camp is located in Margate, New Jersey, and in Tucson, Arizona.

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is…

Play Attention: Improve executive function & self-regulation. For over 25 years PLAY ATTENTION has been helping children and adults thrive and succeed. Tufts University School of Medicine found Play Attention significantly improved attention, executive function, academic performance and behavioral control of ADHD students. Your program will include a Lifetime Membership and a Personal Executive Function Coach to customize your plan along the way. Home and professional programs available. Call 828-676-2240 or click here to schedule your free 1:1 consultation! | www.playattention.com

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

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Q: “I Need a Summer Plan That Maps Out Back-to-School Steps”

Melanie Wachsman — Tue, 31 May 2022 13:25:27 +0000

Q: “I’m so tired once school lets out that everything my kids bring home sits until August. Then I’m scrambling to unpack all the supplies, papers, folders, etc., right before school begins to prepare us for the new year. I want to get myself set up right so we can clean up from the school year, get ourselves ready for the summer, and be prepared for back-to-school season. I don’t know what to do first or even what to do. Can you help me get organized?” — WheretoBeginMom

Hi WheretoBeginMom:

After a busy school year of juggling kids’ activities, homework, and school obligations, as well as family and work responsibilities, it’s no wonder we all feel exhausted after the final school day. Many of us struggle to muster the motivation to plan for summer, let alone, get ready for a new school year.

Here are some go-to tips that helped me when my children were younger. Use them as a roadmap to get organized and set up for a successful summer.

Summer Plan: Getting Ready for School

Week One: As soon as school wraps for the summer, begin the school organizing/clean-out process by decluttering binders, folders, and notebooks. Don’t save every old homework or handout, but do keep study outlines and guides, quizzes and exams, and final drafts of papers and projects. You never know when they may come in handy for a future class or younger sibling.

Week Two: Do your children have summer assignments or assigned reading? Have your kids write their assignments in their new planners and on a family calendar for all to see. This ensures there is no week-before-school panic that books weren’t read or the report hasn’t been written. It is also always a good idea to schedule summer activities around their summer (back-to-school) homework. Pick up any books your children may need early in the summer so they have ample time to get a head start.

[Free Resource: 20 Secrets to a Smarter Summer]

Bonus tip: Leave books near a comfy chair or in the beach/pool bag for easy and convenient reading.

Week Three: Empty out leftover school supplies from backpacks and desk drawers. Take inventory, test out ink pens, and store all reusable supplies in plastic bins that are clearly labeled. Make a list of what you have and what you need, then take advantage of end-of-the-school-year sales.

Week Four: Organize your home’s designated homework spot. Dust off the desk, clear out the trash, change the lightbulb in the desk lamp, sharpen pencils, print out upcoming sports or theater schedules, and hang new calendars on bulletin boards. Revamping this space for the new school year may get your student excited to use the area when the time comes.

Week Eight-ish: After the relaxing and rejuvenating ease of summer, jumping into “back-to-school mode” can be tough. To make that transition easier, restart routines around two weeks before the first day of school. That includes pushing up bedtime, setting back-to-school screen schedules, and practicing getting up and out the door on time in the morning.

[eBook: Declutter Your Life (and Home! and Office!)]

Summer Plan: Organizing Tips

Right Now: Summer tends to hit us hard and fast once the kids are out of school. Take time now to create your summer calendar to feel more prepared. Add vacations, kids’ sports activities or summer camps, family reunions or parties, and any events you’re committed to attending. Make sure to use this time to schedule the unscheduled! Leave space in your calendar for relaxing summer days and spontaneous fun. Place the calendar where your whole family can easily access it (the kitchen is a great spot). This way, everyone in your home knows what’s happening over the summer.

Don’t let a last-minute request for a park trip or a pool date with friends catch you off guard! Keep a tote bag in your car stocked with sunscreen, bug spray, extra clothes and swimsuits, towels, and snacks. This way, you’ll be ready for any impromptu adventures.

Are you taking any road trips this summer? Keep boredom at bay by making individual travel binders. Place markers and pens into a soft case that clips into the binder. Print out coloring pages, tic-tac-toe cards, and other games your children can play in the car or plane. I also used to fill inexpensive shower caddies from the Dollar Store with snacks for my kids. This idea was seriously genius!

Kids usually have extra time on their hands over the summer, so it’s the perfect opportunity to enlist their help around the house. Whether you work on creating a job chart together or make one for them, it’s a great opportunity to teach responsibility and accountability. Include all household responsibilities that need to get done on a weekly basis and any big projects (garage clean-out, anyone?) that you may have been saving for the warm summer months.

Bonus tip: Involve your children in your activities and summer plans. When my son was younger and needed entertaining, I involved him in the tasks that I was doing. This included time in the kitchen, outside gardening, and yes, even laundry. All these activities are more fun to do when a partner joins you. And your children will be building life-long skills along the way.

Keep summer snacking easy — and healthy—by setting up snack stations in the refrigerator and pantry. When my children were younger, I set up designated “grab-and-go” stations filled with pre-portioned healthy snacks and drinks on Sunday nights. This was my saving grace since I wasn’t in the kitchen prepping snacks all day, and they were able to flex that independence muscle when it came to feeding themselves. A win-win for everyone.

Ideas for pantry items could include trail mix, whole-grain crackers, all-fruit bars, nuts, popcorn, applesauce, and nut butter pouches. Stock your refrigerator with string cheese, apple slices, Greek yogurt, sliced veggies, single-serve hummus cups, and even pre-made sandwiches.

If you want more ideas for end-of-school and summer organizing tips. please visit our website at orderoochaos.com.

Enjoy the summer!

Back to School Summer Plan: Next Steps

Free Download: Success at School for Your ADHD Child

Read: Parents, You Have Summer School Assignments

Learn: Summer School: How Parents Can Prepare for a Better School Year

ADHD Family Coach Leslie Josel, of Order Out of Chaos, will answer questions from ADDitude readers about everything from paper clutter to disaster-zone bedrooms and from mastering to-do lists to arriving on time every time.

Submit your questions to the ADHD Family Coach here!

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Call It the ‘Summer Swell:’ 4 Clever Ways to Reverse Learning Loss

Carly Broadway — Fri, 13 May 2022 13:22:21 +0000

Let’s talk about that dreaded summer slide.

It’s real — and it’s hard on neurodivergent kids, especially those who have ADHD. Without the structure of school, they tend to drift. Learning often screeches to a halt as the siren song of screens lures them to Mario Kart and Minecraft, TV and TikTok.

Two months later, they have forgotten the academic material they worked so hard to master all year. Parents are stuck re-teaching. Kids are stuck re-learning. It’s a blow to their self-esteem. And, as we know, our kids need all the school encouragement and motivation they can get.

Some parents try to stave off the summer slide with worksheets and brain-building books. But imitating school invites ugly battles. Our kids might loathe traditional lessons, but deep down, they’re learners. They’re doers and movers. Most of all, they’re curious. My three boys, all with varying degrees of ADHD, would willingly waste all summer on screen time. But I manage to keep them reading, writing, and learning by playing to their strengths. Here’s how.

How to Beat the Summer Slide

1. Make Screens Work for You

We live in a golden age of game-based learning, with programs that reward kids for accomplishing academic tasks. Learners are incentivized to work on math problems, read history texts, study science experiments, and more. Many of these programs include a social component — kids can make friends while adhering to parental controls — and a reward structure that unlocks in-game fun with every completed academic task. My 10-year-old learned to type last summer because he wanted avatar swag.

Growing gamers may also enjoy online coding classes. Most start from the basics and work up to more complicated computer languages. My 12-year-old quickly caught the gist of Roblox coding. Now, rather than play games, he and his bestie work collaboratively to develop them.

[Download: Free Guide to Brain-Boosting Video Games]

2. Get Outside

We know children with ADHD require outdoor time. But banishing them to the backyard quickly becomes a big yawn. Instead, we scour our area for parks, nature preserves, and kid-friendly hikes. Since sedate woodland walks quickly morph into forced marches, we tote supplies — lots of them. If there’s water, we plan for wading. If there are low-branched trees, we plan for climbing. If there are berries, we plan for picking.

We almost always bring nets. The kids scoop up everything from mayflies to minnows and, with our packed field guides, we do our best to identify the organisms, or at least narrow them down by kingdom, phylum, class… you get the idea. Those field guides also help us decode animal prints, pin down tree species, and name a minimum of 20 birds per hike.

3. Don’t Police Their Book Choices

Maybe your child hates reading. But maybe your child, like many kids with ADHD, actually hates reading what they’re told to read. Ask my 10-year-old to plow through My Brother Sam Is Dead (#CommissionsEarned) and he’ll throw an epic tantrum. Hand him a college text on evolution and he tumbles into hyperfocus. If your children pick their own books, you may be shocked by their sudden motivation and reading-level advances.

Many reluctant readers are tempted by graphic novels — and before you scoff, graphic novels today aren’t the comic books of yore. Every kid in my house, including my 8-year-old, has devoured The Olympians (#CommissionsEarned), a series of accurate myths of Greek gods and goddesses. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales (#CommissionsEarned)are torn and tattered (my kids rolled their eyes when I mentioned the Korean War because, duh, there’s a Nathan Hale book about it). Your local librarian would be delighted to point your kids toward books that play to their interests.

[Read: ADHD Summer Reading Guide]

4. Make a (Beach) Bucket List

Have you ever taught your child the basics of good photography, then turned him loose? We tried this in our downtown area, and now my oldest is a budding Ansel Adams. If your kid adores the family dog, enroll them both in an obedience class and put her in charge of puppy practice. Try planting an edible garden. Learn to tie-dye. Bake cakes. If you pick something you’ve never done, you can share some valuable bonding time with your kiddo.

Take some risks! Many areas have indoor climbing gyms and introductory classes. Tempt your child with a skateboard. Do martial arts. Check your area for fencing clubs. Try out diving. My kids love to kayak and canoe; fishing is another favorite. Maybe these new activities will keep your kid interested, learning, and stimulated. Give it a shot. But don’t be discouraged if they try a new skill, then bow out. Sometimes, it’s worth pushing through. If my kids want to stop because a challenge annoys them, we keep going. But if they genuinely dislike something, I let them quit.

Preventing a summer slide is about more than memorizing math facts. Play to their strengths. Let them move. Allow them to pick their own path. Kids who have ADHD may struggle in the classroom, so don’t replicate it at home. Instead of handing them worksheets, give them a chance to love learning. Your kid’s curiosity and creativity might just surprise you.

Avoid the Summer Slide with ADHD: Next Steps

Download: Your Free Guide to a Smarter Summer

Read: My Son Can’t Stop Talking to Me… About Cats

Read: How to Hone Executive Functions This Summer

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Your ADHD Guide to Summer Home Organization

Nathaly Pesantez — Thu, 12 May 2022 09:45:10 +0000

At the dawn of summer, necessary and helpful tasks may be obvious (measuring kids for swimsuits and flip flops, stocking up on sunscreen, securing health forms for camps, etc.) but these steps may be difficult for ADHD brains to initiate.

My advice to avoid overwhelm and ensure a smooth transition as you organize your home for the summer is this:

Break up each of the following seasonal to-do items into smaller steps.

Block out calendar time. Set up each of the following steps as recurring appointments, making the seasonal transition process easier to remember and accomplish. This reinforces task clarity and deadlines, which are essential when you have ADHD. (Don’t forget to schedule pre-season events, like deadlines for camp applications and vacation rentals.)

Organize with two tenets in mind: Group like with like and everything needs a home.

Home Organizing Ideas: 6 Steps to Prep Your ADHD Household for Summer

1. Label and store it

Remove winter wear from prime real estate (convenient closets and storage space).

Store winter scarves, hats, and gloves in their own labeled container. Coats may be stored or hung out of the way. Before storing, check to see if items need cleaning or repair, are outgrown, or have lost their appeal.

Avoid organization overwhelm by working on one room or area at a time. Set a timer. Play music or talk to a friend while you work.

[Get This Free Download: 73 ADHD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life Now]

2. Update summer necessities

Sunscreen and bug sprays have expiration dates. Some have been recalled. Take inventory and order what you need.

Try on swimsuits and summer clothing to make sure they still fit. Set a specific time to do this.

3. Create space for summer basics

Consider using hanging closet organizers or tote baskets to store sunscreen, bug repellent, water bottles, sunglasses, healthy sealed snacks, bandages, masks, and hand sanitizer for each family member. Add age-appropriate activity items, a phone charger and portable powerpack, sunhat, towels, and laminated IDs or pool/beach passes.

Leave a duffel in the car with common necessities for a family outing.

4. Tie up boots, shoes, and sandals

Pack up winter footwear in containers or heavy storage totes (protect from squashing or scratches from heels or buckles) and store them out of the way. Use these containers to swap footwear twice a year.

Before storing, wipe down shoes or boots and check for damage, comfort, and appeal. Did you wear them? If not, lose them.

[Read: Don’t Organize It, Purge It — 10 Things to Throw Out Now]

5. Rotate clothing

Gather anything that won’t be worn for several months. Store it in the damp-proof containers that held the warm-weather clothing you are now unpacking.

Clean and repair items that need it. Eliminate anything that doesn’t fit or wasn’t worn.

6. Label containers

Clear containers are best, and these should be labeled to avoid wasted time and energy in six months.

Keep a list of where everything is stored as backup.

Home Organization Ideas for Summer: Next Steps

Free Download: Clean Up and Get Organized in One Weekend

Read: Summer Road Trip Hacks for (and from) ADHD Families

Read: Home Neat Home — an ADHD Organization Plan

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ADHD Medication Vacation Pros and Cons, According to ADDitude Readers

Nathaly Pesantez — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 16:32:36 +0000

April 29, 2022

Medication vacations are a taboo topic. They are also extremely common. More than three-quarters of children who take medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) have paused their prescription for at least one week — and most for much longer, according to an ADDitude survey of 1,252 caregivers.

Nearly 86% of caregivers have considered giving their child a medication vacation, otherwise known as a temporary “drug holiday,” and only 35% have ruled out a medication vacation this summer.

“We’ve come to realize that the medication not only helps our son stay focused when doing a task, but it also helps with our quality of life as a family,” wrote the mother of a 10-year-old boy with ADHD who experiences appetite suppression.

Factors Driving ADHD Medication Vacations

The most common reasons cited for taking a medication vacation were:

55%: Appetite suppression (I was hoping my child would catch up in growth)

54%: School-only (I only give my child medication on school days)

42%: Discomfort with meds (My child doesn’t like the way the medication makes them feel)

42%: Other side effects (I wanted to troubleshoot side effects other than appetite suppression)

42%: Annual break (I always take my child off medication in summer)

38%: Assessment (I wanted to see if there had been any improvement in ADHD symptoms)

My child says he can’t be himself when he is on medication,” said the mother of a 14-year-old boy with ADHD. “He is at an important time in his life, figuring out who he is as a person, how to be respectful and responsible, and he wants to learn these things without the medication.”

[Get This Free Download: The Ultimate Guide to ADHD Medication]

ADHD Medication Vacation Timing

Of the caregivers who have given their children a medication vacation:

42% did so in summer

31% did so in winter

58% consulted with the prescribing physicians first

“Because it was summer, we had more flexibility in our schedule so we could live with more chaos,” said the mother of a 15-year-old girl with ADHD. “She didn’t have expectations put on her that would require a higher level of attention.”

ADHD Medication Vacation Ratings

On average, caregivers rated the medication vacation as somewhat successful, and it varied with the child’s age. Here’s the breakdown for caregivers who said a medication vacation was somewhat to extremely successful:

Elementary school: 47%

Middle school: 49%

High school: 61%

College and beyond: 44%

“We attempted a medication vacation but two days without my son’s medication prompted us to resume,” wrote one caregiver. “It was in the best interests of our family for him to continue with his daily routine and medications.”

[Read: Are Drug Holidays Safe? Your ADHD Medication Vacation Questions — Answered]

Of those who took a summer break from medication, 53% called it a success. That number rose slightly to 56% among families who took medication vacations during the academic year. Of those who took a medication vacation in the fall, 16% said it had a positive effect on school performance; 12% said it had a negative impact.

“We took my son off medication for two months at the beginning of his junior year, at the request of his doctor,” wrote the caregiver of a 17-year-old boy with ADHD and ODD who took a medication vacation to address side effects. “My son was more spontaneous. He displayed fewer motor tics. He was more verbally expressive, more sociable, and more concerned about hygiene issues. However, he went back on his medications because he was unable to concentrate and complete tasks, and his grades suffered. He also displayed a lot more hyperactivity.”

“We did a drug holiday during winter break,” wrote one parent of a 9-year-old boy with ADHD. “Behavior issues were anticipated and manageable at home.”

“It was successful for our purposes, which were to increase his appetite and to help him realize that he needed the medication,” wrote the mother of an 8-year-old boy with ADHD.

One parent said she felt she could no longer “force” her 16-year-old student to take his ADHD medication. “Ultimately, it is my child who makes the decision about whether and when he will take the medication, and what other treatment avenues he will pursue. This is a shift that happened when he reached high school, and began asserting more independence, as he should. He needs to understand that he is in control of his own body and treatment, and deal with the consequences of his decisions.”

“On the second day of a medication vacation, my child wanted her medication back,” wrote another parent. “She was tired of all the emotions, the thoughts running through her head, the mood swings, the lack of focus and concentration. She felt that she could never finish anything.”

The Role of Comorbid Conditions in Medication Vacations

Comorbidity factored into the decision for many families as well. Among survey respondents, the following co-occurring diagnoses were cited most often:

Anxiety: 37%

Autism: 12%

Dyslexia: 10%

Mood disorder: 8%

“My son quit taking his medication because he said it caused his anxiety to worsen,” wrote one Pennsylvania mother. “He has continued to do poorly in school since quitting, but at age 14, children are allowed to make their own mental health decisions.”

“Our medication holiday, in consultation with our child’s pediatrician, was a break from one of the stimulant medications she takes in order to determine suspected side effects,” wrote the mother of an 8-year-old girl with ADHD and anxiety. “It helped us pinpoint and determine that some behaviors occur more often when she takes that medication, and that has helped us understand how the stimulant works so we can make more informed choices about when she takes it. It helped us figure out some strategies to burn off some of that restless energy successfully and it’s given us a greater understanding on this journey.”

ADHD Medication Vacations for Children: Next Steps

Free Download: How Do We Know the Medication Is Working?

Read: Can Your Child Safely Take a Break from ADHD Meds?

Read: How Can I Get My Kid to Take Their ADHD Medication?

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Are Drug Holidays Safe? Your Questions About ADHD Medication Vacations — Answered

Nathaly Pesantez — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 22:18:06 +0000

A drug holiday is a “medication vacation” during which a patient deliberately and temporarily stops taking a prescription. It is also a controversial topic with strong opinions on both sides.

In my practice, I field many questions from parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) about drug holidays, especially over the summer. They often ask: Without homework or a school schedule, does my child need to continue to take their ADHD medication?

My answer is almost always the same: It depends.

Below are detailed answers to common questions regarding ADHD drug holidays to help you make an informed decision about your child or teen.

[People Also Ask: Is ADHD Medication Right for My Child?]

Drug Holidays: Questions About ADHD Medication Vacations

1. Are there cumulative effects of taking ADHD stimulants?

Methylphenidate and amphetamine are the most commonly prescribed stimulants for children with ADHD. They do not have cumulative effects over time. If your child takes one on a Monday, it works on Monday only. There’s not enough left in the blood to work on Tuesday.

[Get This Free Download: ADHD Medications Comparison Chart]

2. If my child only needs ADHD medication for school, why shouldn’t we take a drug holiday?

ADHD, by definition, doesn’t affect people in just one situation, like school or work. Disorganization, impulsive behavior, forgetfulness, difficulty paying attention, etc., also happen in many other circumstances. Some parents may decide they can manage their child’s behavior during a medication vacation while others may not. Some parents may feel the negative impact of ADHD symptoms outweighs any potential benefits of a drug holiday.

3. Will taking a drug holiday help us to figure out whether my child still needs ADHD medication?

If your summer vacation is spent lounging on the beach and playing video games, that scenario would not help you determine whether your children still need medication to thrive at school. You will only be able to answer that question if your children stop the medication while in school.

4. When my children re-start their medication, will they experience side effects?

Most people don’t, but some do. Usually, any side effects improve over time. Caregivers might want to discuss with their pediatrician how to help their children adjust to taking medication after a lapse.

5. Are there medical reasons to support taking a drug holiday?

For most people, no. ADHD medications are generally very safe. However, for children who have lost weight due to the side effect of appetite suppression, it may make sense to take a break from medication to regain weight.

[Read: The 5 Most Common ADHD Medication Side Effects — and Their Fixes]

Parents are often concerned that medication use may affect height. Studies are not conclusive on that, including whether brief times off the medication will mitigate any negative effects on height, or to what extent.¹ Many doctors feel that, if weight gain is appropriate, height will not be affected.

If you are considering a drug holiday because your child is experiencing side effects, such as a loss of appetite or headaches, or if you’re avoiding giving your child ADHD medication because of potential side effects, be sure to let your doctor know. Many new and different stimulants are on the market now; you and your child’s doctor can work together to find one that is effective with minimal side effects.

6. Are there risks to taking a drug holiday?

Yes, especially for teens with ADHD. If your teen is too impulsive, hyperactive, or distractible behind the wheel of a car, for example, then a drug holiday can be dangerous. A driver who has severe ADHD, and who is not taking medication to manage those symptoms, can be a danger to himself and to others.

For some teens with severe ADHD, going without medication may mean engaging in or returning to other behaviors that are risky, including substance use or unprotected sex. For younger children with ADHD, the risks of ceasing medication may include behavior infractions and social challenges at summer camp, for example.

Drug Holiday: The Bottom Line on ADHD Medication Vacations

As a medical doctor, I can tell you that the decision to give your child a drug holiday is largely not a medical decision. It is a family decision. It’s important to talk with your child’s doctor before making a drug holiday decision, whatever the circumstances. Ultimately, you will want to think about the benefits your child experiences while taking medications, and whether they outweigh any side effects.

Drug Holidays for ADHD Medications: Next Steps

Free Download: How Do We Know the Medication Is Working?

Read: Can Your Child Safely Take a Break from ADHD Meds?

Read: Managing Your Child’s ADHD Over the Summer

How to Treat ADHD in Children: Next Questions

What ADHD medications are used to treat children?

Is ADHD medication right for my child?

What are common side effects associated with ADHD medication?

How can I address appetite suppression caused by ADHD medication use?

How can I solve sleep problems associated with ADHD medication use?

What can I do if ADHD medication use causes tics?

How can I prevent the afternoon ‘medication crash?’

What if my child becomes a ‘zombie’ while taking meds?

Should my child take an ADHD medication vacation?

What natural treatments help kids with ADHD?

What if the medication stops working?

How can I find an ADHD specialist near me?

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Sources

¹ Ibrahim, K., & Donyai, P. (2015). Drug Holidays From ADHD Medication: International Experience Over the Past Four Decades. Journal of Attention Disorders, 19(7), 551–568. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054714548035

Shortcuts to a Summer of Growth: Skill-Building Ideas from ADHD Camps

Lilly Constance — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 10:57:51 +0000

Some families look to summer camps — whether specialized ADHD programs, local day camps, or sleepaway adventures — to provide social, behavioral, and academic stimulation. But camps are not affordable or accessible to all families, and the need for skill building is perhaps greater now than ever before.

So we asked the directors of leading summer programs to explain the strategies they use to hone kids’ social, behavioral, and academic skills. Here are their tactics for you to try at home.

How to Build Social Skills

1. Host a game or project hour.
“Invite over a very small group — one or two friends — rather than a large group that’s going to overwhelm. Add structure to the activities. Play games or build something with LEGOs, for example. And keep it short so they can stay engaged and not get bored and become less sociable.”
— Linda Tatsapaugh, Co-Owner, Operations Director, Talisman Summer Camps, North Carolina

2. Role-play kindness.
“We do a lot of role-playing around being kind and giving each other grace. I pick a scenario that resonates with kids — like suppose the Internet goes down at my house and I can’t play video games. Does it do me any good to scream at customer service? They didn’t cut the wire. What can we do instead? Role-playing can increase frustration tolerance and help kids become more resilient when life doesn’t come to them perfectly scripted.”
— Brian Lux, Director, Camp Sequoia, Pennsylvania

3. Schedule opportunities for success.
“We’re trying to draw out, through our experiences at camp, what each child naturally does well. What are their gifts and strengths? How can we create opportunities to showcase and celebrate their talents? Because when we feel competent and good about ourselves, our social skills grow exponentially.”
— Rob Himburg, Director of Children’s Program, Hallowell Summer Camp, Michigan

[Free Template: Introduce Your Child to Camp Counselors]

4. Expand that comfort zone — with friends’ help.
Last year was Gabe Hund’s first time at Camp Nuhop, a special needs summer camp in Ohio. His mother, Keila, hoped the experience would help him make new friends and learn how to be part of a community.

“Being part of a group and seeing the other kids doing activities encouraged Gabe to try new things that he initially felt anxious about, whether it was hiking, trying the big swing, or doing the zip line. Eventually, he was able to take a risk and get out of his comfort zone. Once he tried these things, his counselors helped him process them by talking about how the activity went, how he felt about it, and whether he would do it again.”
— Keila Hund, Parent

How to Encourage a Growth Mindset

1. Make kids responsible for problem-solving.
“Kids need to take responsibility for themselves, but we don’t want them to be too hard on themselves. When there is a problem at camp, we sit down together with eight kids and three staff members. First, we name the problem: ‘I have an issue with Jack and Susan raising their voices.’ Jack’s next move is to take responsibility for yelling. ‘Next time, I will ask in a calm voice or walk away.’ If there is a logical consequence, such as apologizing, that happens. Then the issue is closed, and we don’t talk about it again.”
— Linda Tatsapaugh

2. Establish a daily routine.
“With fully unscheduled free time, kids tend to revert to less-desirable behaviors because it’s hard for them to regulate without some guidance. The summer structure can be relatively loose, but it should be there. At camp, the kids are active all day, with engaging activities like tree climbing or river paddling. That structure and focus help them practice how to stay attentive and complete a goal.”
— Linda Tatsapaugh

[Read This Next: Why Summer Camps Work For Children with ADHD]

3. Provide the tools needed to meet expectations
“Our staff at Camp Kodiak use the acronym HALT to determine why a camper may be misbehaving. Is she Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? If the answer is ‘yes’ to any of these questions, we know that this is impeding her ability to behave. No one is at her best if she needs a snack or if she is feeling hurt or excluded. It is essential to address the emotional or physiological concern before trying to address the behavior.”
— Ilana Stoch, Director, Camp Kodiak, Ontario, Canada

4. Enforce natural consequences.
“When necessary, we use consequences that are reasonable, relevant, and immediate. If possible, these consequences should also be restorative to the group if a disruption was made. For example, if a child gets upset during arts and crafts and dumps out a bucket of markers, he would need to clean up the space and apologize to peers.”
— Becca Mitchner, Co-Director, Summer & Respite Programs, Camp Nuhop, Ohio

5. Reflect on successes and challenges.
“Our counselors are trained to find and create teachable moments related to social skills. Learning, practicing, and refining these skills in context makes it easier for kids to understand how and when to apply them independently.”
— Ilana Stoch

How to Promote Academic Accomplishment

1. Piggyback on their passions.
“I advise parents to find activities that are of high interest and also tap into academic goals. If your child is interested in World War II, give her things to read about the war or build a model plane together. Camp Sequoia offers interest-based programming, from 3-D printing to Dungeons and Dragons, so kids can find a high-interest activity and friends to join them in an inquiry-based experience that skilled staff can scaffold to reinforce core academic concepts, particularly in the STEM fields.”
— Brian Lux

2. Remember: self-advocacy is an academic skill.
“One of the most important academic skills is the ability to speak up for yourself in a respectful and responsible way. That might involve clearing up with a teacher what’s expected in a certain class or asking for accommodations. We practice those skills through role-playing.”
— Rob Himburg

3. Lean on puzzles, riddles, and escape rooms.
“Summit has a program called TOMS, aka ‘theory of mind,’ that focuses on activities such as solving riddles. We introduce critical reasoning skills, explain how they can help in everyday life, and practice them by using activities that require campers to think outside the box or solve a mystery using clues. Once the child understands that thinking is a process that he or she has an ability to control, it is a major ‘aha!’ moment.”
— Leah Love, M.S., Assistant Director, Summit Camp, Pennsylvania

4. Empower your child to use her voice.
“Because camp is a safe place, I think it made Olivia more confident about raising her hand and giving her opinion in school. She also gained the self-esteem to understand that if someone has an opinion that’s different from hers, it is their opinion.”
— Emily Calamita, Parent

What Makes a Summer Successful?

ADDitude readers answer, “What is the measure of a successful summer for your child?”

“A worthy pursuit, whether a paid job or taking classes in an interest, and getting outside often. Sitting around and playing video games is the worst option for both of my girls.”

“Successful playdates and family days out. Also, activities that are marked mostly by fun, play, and friendliness rather than sibling rivalry and general moodiness.”

“If my child keeps busy developing talents, socializing, and learning with a minimum of electronics, his summer has been successful. This includes playing outdoors, learning an instrument, and creating with LEGOs.”

“A routine that gives her purpose.”

Summer Camp Skill Building: Next Steps

Overview: The Complete ADHD Camp Guide

Read: Your Summer Camp Checklist

Read: Choose a Summer Program for Your Happy Camper

Stephanie Watson is a freelance writer/editor based in Rhode Island. She has been covering consumer health for more than two decades, writing for publications such as WebMD Magazine, Healthline, Arthritis Today, and Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

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“The Joy of Summer Fun, Year-Round: Lessons from Lockdown with 6 ADHD Kids.”

Nathaly Pesantez — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 09:26:44 +0000

We piled into the car at dawn. All six of my kids — the same ones who usually can’t get up in the morning, and who can never find their shoes as the school bus is pulling up — were uncharacteristically ready to go.

What caused this miracle? One word: motivation. We were headed on an excursion to the Dead Sea, a remarkable wonder of nature where one can easily float in a huge, salty body of water. My kids, eager to experience it, got up early, helped load the car, packed the picnic, and promised not to fight in the car. Motivation will do that to kids.

We hiked and explored the next day. It was steaming hot, and it was hard to convince everyone to leave the air-conditioned house and switch off their screens. But when we entered the embrace of Mother Nature, it was magical! My kids were touching everything, climbing over most things, finding (and jabbing each other with) porcupine needles, and researching which plants and trees were edible and which were deadly.

After the hike, we took a guided tour of a local Druze community. I smiled as, once again, my kids touched everything, asked all the questions, walked in lock step with the fascinating tour guide, and learned more about history and culture in one afternoon than they normally would in a full school year.

In the days that followed, tension formed in the pit of my stomach. Summer will soon be over, I realized, and with it the joy my kids experience for two solid months every year.

Perhaps I should call my brood “summer children,” as they come alive in this time.

[Get This Free Download: 20 Secrets to a Smarter Summer]

The Promise of Summer

Summer kids love to learn. They love to experience with all of their senses. Summer children are creative, smart, strategic, energetic and incredibly happy when given the space to shine. When motivation is high, they will get up early and go to bed late so that they can develop their unique skills.

Then the school year begins, and all the magic fades.

Summer kids learn through experience, informal settings, movement, and expanse — elements often missing in traditional classrooms. The kid who bounced out of bed to hike during vacation can’t be dragged out of bed when his alarm clock rings for school. Why face another day where all his weaknesses are emphasized, and all his strengths ignored?

This is when life goes south for parents. We spend the school year pushing our kids with ADHD up proverbial mountains, coaching, begging, scolding and punishing them along the way.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

[Read: Vacations Are Supposed to Be Fun, Right?!?]

Life on Lockdown

Like most families, we never looked forward to the end of summer, knowing what it means for our children.

But I learned something at the outset of the pandemic that we’ll apply to the upcoming school year and beyond for our “summer children.”

As schools were figuring out “distance learning” (a euphemism for the gaping divide where no learning happens) at the beginning of lockdown, my husband and I allowed our children to get creative. We expected some traditional daily learning, like math and reading. Other than that, our kids got to choose what they wanted to learn.

Without realizing it, we had brought our typical structure of summer fun to the middle of the school year.

One of our kids did loads of science experiments and read every book in the house. Another built a car with his friends out of metal structures and scraps. Another turned the house into a gym and got really “buff,” while another became an online yoga instructor. One learned to edit videos (a project that involved the whole family as we filmed adorable shorts for her to edit). My littlest one became a pro slime maker.

We all did Cross Fit together every day, with me as the trainer. Besides learning how to get along (which was a project in itself), we also all developed new skills and built confidence in our particular specialty. There were a few blips along the way (mostly me on the verge of losing my sanity from the sheer amount of cooking and cleaning this “program” required), but perfect is never our goal.

Lessons from Lockdown

While we must not forget about the kids who seriously struggled during the pandemic (and are continuing to), I believe there is much to be learned from those who thrived in this strange time.

We discovered under lockdown that motivation and structure are essential for success. They are the keys that help strike the balance that our summer children need to thrive year-round so that their amazing traits and skills emerge.

Along with motivation and structure, the right environment for summer children must include these components:

External structure: Vital for our kids with ADHD because they have not yet developed the mechanism to create it themselves. We all got up at the same time daily and followed a morning routine that included chores.

Limited screen time: Our kids are drawn to these devices, so we must set clear boundaries so they don’t suck up the whole day. During lockdown, screen time was limited to a family movie in the evening only.

Movement: Our kids desperately need to get green time and lots of vitamin D.We got outside every day, even just to jog within a 500 meter-radius from our home – the extent that our government permitted at one time.

Motivating Summer Children Year-Round

As a new school year approaches, use this model to inspire your child and get them in the right state of mind for learning.

What does your child love to do? Do they build things? Paint? Play sports? Dance? Whatever the activity, make it a permanent part of their life throughout the school year – not just over summer break.

Get your child’s morning structured with external motivation. Set up a routine that clearly states expectations (like brushing teeth, dressing, eating breakfast, etc.), and allot points for every item completed. Discuss possible prizes for points and be consistent about paying out the prizes.

Use the weekends to get out in nature or engage in experiential activities. No malls or stuffy indoor activities please! Summer kids need nature to thrive!

Get screens in check. Too much screen time can make for agitated, fussy kids. Reducing screen time will be a labor-intensive project for a couple of weeks, but your kids will soon catch on and find other activities. (It can be very helpful to write a list of social, creative, and active options with your child before setting new screen reduction rules.)

Here’s wishing all parents and their remarkable summer children a productive and enjoyable school year!

Summer Fun: Next Steps

Free Download: Great Sports & Activities for Kids with ADHD

Read: A Summer Well Spent: How to Orchestrate Fun & Learning

Read: “What Will a Return to In-Person Learning Mean for My Child with ADHD?”

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
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“The Treasure Hunts That Captivated My Energetic Kid.”

Nathaly Pesantez — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 09:40:23 +0000

As a young child, Gregory was always happy and full of joy and energy. He showed great delight in having conversations with just about anyone, and he always spoke in a loud voice full of excitement.

As his mom, I was not bothered by his chattiness and energy, but it sure annoyed others, especially his teachers. He could not sit still in school and constantly talked in class. He couldn’t focus as long as the other kids could, and he always want to move on to the next thing before it was time.

Greg could run for hours on end without tiring. He jumped from one activity to the other so quickly that other children found him exhausting. They’d go off to find playmates who weren’t quite as frantic.

I didn’t want to tame my son’s eager spirit, but I knew that he needed to release his energy in a more constructive way.

You can imagine what I faced over the summer break, when school was out of session. Gregory would be crawling out of his skin during these long breaks. His two sisters didn’t always share his intensity and need to stay busy. But he loved to be outside, and would dig holes just to see what was under all that dirt. No matter the weather conditions, Greg could find something to explore.

[Get This Download: A Routine That Works for Kids with ADHD]

An Outlet for ADHD Energy

His love of exploring afforded perfect teaching moments, as well as opportunities for him to channel his energy productively. I decided we would have “trip days” twice a week over the summer break. I marked them on the calendar, and told him we would visit special places where he could do some hunting. Together with his sisters, we would stop at the library and take out children’s books related to the day’s excursions. Our destinations were usually the beach or county metro parks.

On our way there, I would ask the kids to try to match what they saw in their environment with the pictures in their books. We would also bring with us play buckets and shovels, a cooler, and a first aid kit, of course.

Once we got to the site, I would let the kids loose. Greg would dig and rake and turn over rocks and leaves. I let him lead. We would come across trees, flowers, and weeds — and I’d identify each one and have the kids repeat after me. I’d read the description from the book I had on hand about the native flora and fauna . Even if it seemed like they weren’t listening, I thought that maybe they would retain some of the information.

Greg would find a frog or a worm and then we would pull out the book and read about it. It would be tallied as a successful find of the day. We would spend at least a couple of hours hunting and sometimes take our finds home with us to show dad.

[Read: Green Time: A Natural Remedy for ADHD Symptoms]

The best part of these outdoor trips was that Greg was never expected to focus on any one thing for a long time. I let him tell me when he was ready to move to the next topic. Sometimes it would be a few seconds. But other times he would watch a turtle for 5 minutes at a time, waiting for it to move.

On the way back home, we would stop again at the library and return the books. He was in charge of that also. I made him a part of each process of the adventure.

His friends joined him in some of these adventures, which gave him a chance to play teacher. He was so proud of himself when he could give his buddy interesting information on whatever it was they were observing. Needless to say, my kids loved experiencing these adventures with others. I loved seeing Greg form strong relationships with the friends who came along. Other moms heard about our “hunts,” and these events soon became popular in our circle.

Greg fervently looked forward to trip days, constantly checking on our calendar in anticipation of the next event. Not all of the trips were set in beaches or parks. Some of the hunts were held in our yard and within the neighborhood. Those evenings, we’d spend some time watching short documentaries on what we discovered during the day, although this didn’t interest Greg as much as the hands-on experience.

The trip days and adventures eventually came to an end as Greg grew older and got into sports, which took up lots of his time and energy. Greg is now a young adult who has found a job he loves in maintenance and construction. He definitely will never have an office job, and that’s OK. It’s nice to have a job you do well and love going to every day. His spare time is spent outdoors camping and fishing.

I’d like to think that I helped hone his abilities, but it was Greg who showed me what it was he was good at all along.

Energetic Kid: Next Steps

Self-Test: Symptoms of Hyperactive Impulsive ADHD in Children

Free Download: Great Sports & Activities for Kids with ADHD

Read: Hyperactivity Help for Indoor-Weather Days

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How to Hone Executive Functioning Skills This Summer: 4 Fun, Easy Ideas

Nathaly Pesantez — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 09:32:07 +0000

As parents of children with ADHD, you’re always looking for ways to strengthen their executive functioning skills – the mental abilities that allow us to plan, organize, remember, and self-regulate.

School is one sure setting where these skills come into play, but it’s not the only place to practice and hone them. Everyday life — even during summer vacation — offers some of the best opportunities to practice planning, organization, and inhibition skills.

Summer Activities to Build Executive Functioning Skills

1. Organize a Sports Tournament

Summer presents ample beautiful weather for basketball, tennis, soccer, and basketball tournaments. Organizing a friendly sports competition is a great way to practice all of the components of executive functioning skills.

To successfully pull off the tournament, your child will need to set aside time each day to work on this task (and will need to practice inhibiting, or choosing not to participate, in other desired activities like watching TV or scrolling on their phone).

Working memory comes into play when setting up the different teams/races and bringing together tournament logistics (where the tournament will take place, how players will get invited, what awards the winners will receive). And when unexpected changes pop up (e.g. one player can’t attend, so who can step in?), that is a great opportunity for practicing cognitive flexibility and shifting.

[Get This Download: 20 Secrets to a Smarter Summer]

As an added bonus, sports and physical activity have been linked to enhanced executive functioning skills!

2. Plan Field Trip Fridays

Summer presents many opportunities for local trips to pools, nature preserves, museums, amusement parks, and more.

Instead of doing the planning yourself, why not deputize your child to take over planning a field trip? Invite your kids to develop a “proposal” for desired trips that includes justification for the excursion, distance to the location, a transportation plan, and costs and supplies needed for the day.

They will use inhibition, planning, organizing, and prioritizing as they practice narrowing down the options to propose one field trip.

[Read: A Summer Well Spent: How to Orchestrate Fun & Learning]

They will also strengthen working memory and cognitive flexibility as they’re looking at transportation options and ticket pricing (maybe entrance was more expensive than expected). As an added bonus, they’ll get some real world math practice adding up trip expenses.

3. Plant a Garden

Find inspiration for your at-home garden by taking regular summer evening walks.

Work together with your child to determine garden goals (a good practice in working memory). Will you cook with the herbs from your garden? Do you want to create the most beautiful flower garden?

Consider your available space. Will your garden be indoors? Do you have a spot on the balcony for potted plants? Or a plot of grass outdoors? Cognitive flexibility and shifting skills may be needed if your space (and sunlight exposure) don’t fit your original gardening goals.

Together you can research plants that will thrive in the climate and sunlight your have available. Regular watering and care will help the garden grow and thrive — good motivation to practice the related skills of inhibition and working memory.

Search for gardening communities on social media to find opportunities for meeting and socializing with neighbors who share a common passion.

4. Do One Thing at a Time

During the busy school year, life can feel like a constant rush. The summer is a great time for your child to slow down, unplug, and practice focusing on one thing at a time.

Especially during online learning, your child may be tempted to have multiple devices open at the same time and to constantly check their phone. This summer, build inhibition skills by practicing tuning out whatever else is going on and focusing on one thing at a time.

Help your child brainstorm a long-term project for the summer. When they’re working on the project, they can practice staying away from their phone, the computer, and other distractions. Remember to start small with focus goals, and build from there!

Executive Functioning Skills Activities: Next Steps

Test: Could Your Child Have an Executive Function Deficit?

Read: 15 Summer Activities That Build Stronger Self-Esteem, Independence & Academics

Read: What Parents Misunderstand About Executive Function

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Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.