The Miller Method - the House of DevelopmentPosted by Amir haimove on December 11th, 2019 Autism Developmental therapy works for children with ADHD if parents set specific rules for behavior, and fallow them consistently with both positive and negative consequences. Use these seven strategies to get started on the road to stronger self control — today! The fundamentals of behavior therapy for ADHD are easy to understand and implement, even without the help of a therapist. Have you ever given your child a time-out for talking back, for instance, or a heads-up before taking him some place that is likely to challenge his self-control? Then you already have a sense of how behavior therapy works in parenting children with ADHD. The basic idea of development therapy is to set specific rules helping your child’s behavior (nothing vague or too broad), and to fallow your rules consistently, with positive consequences for following them and negative consequences for infractions. To get started on your own, 1. Make sure your child understands the rules.Telling a child to “do this” or to “avoid doing that” is not enough. To ensure that your child knows the rules cold, create lists and post them around the house. For example, you might draw up a list detailing the specific things your child must do to get ready for school. Make sure the rules are worded clearly. Go over the rules to make sure he understands, and review them as necessary. Stick with the routines until your child has them down — and then stick with them some more; backsliding is a common phenomenon. 2. Give clear instructions .First, say your child’s name to make sure you have his attention. Then tell him exactly what you want him to do. If you’re in the checkout line at the grocery store, for instance, you might say, “Steve, stand next to me and do not touch anything.” It’s not enough to tell your child to “be good,” because he may not know what that entails. Finally, state the consequences for disobeying the command — and always follow through. 3. Don’t expect perfection.Strike a balance between praising your child and offering criticism. A good rule of thumb is to praise your child for doing something well at three to five times as often as you criticize bad behavior. You’ll only set your child up for failure if you expect immediate and perfect results. Instead, focus on rewarding small steps — and gradually work your way toward the desired outcome. If you notice that you are criticizing too much, lower your standards a bit. You’ll only drive yourself — and your child — crazy if you nitpick 4. Use “when/then” statements to encourage good behavior and reward your child.If your child asks for permission to do a desirable activity beforecompleting his chores or assignments, say, “Yes, when you finish cleaning the garage, then you can go out with friends.” With younger children, it’s important that the rewarding activity take place immediately after the chore or assignment is completed. 5. Set up a point/token system for rewards and consequences.One effective system for encouraging your child to understand your request is to involves a jar and a supply of marbles. Each time your child does what you ask, put a marble in the jar. Each time he doesn’t, don’t take from the jar but comment on how you feel that you can’t put a marble in the jar . At the end of the day, he earns a small reward based on the number of marbles that remain in the jar, and then starts over again. 6. Tweak your discipline techniques as your child gets older.Certain measures, including time-outs, may not work as well with Teens as they do with younger kids. If your high-schooler breaks a rule, you might give him a five-minute chore. With older children, it’s useful to negotiate the terms and rewards for good behavior. 7. Ask your child’s teachers to set up a similar system at school.One of the best tools for parent-teacher cooperation is the daily report . Reward him for a good day at school with time to play outside or control over the car radio. If your child is in middle school or high school. Use pages in the assignment notebook for these regular reports. Many parents incorporate these strategies into family life without professional assistance. If you are having trouble achieving the results you seek, consider signing up for a parent-training program or seeking family therapy. A typical program consists of two-hour sessions, in which a therapist works with parents — typically in a group setting — to give them the support and guidance they need to cultivate good behavior. Online parenting programs also are available to offer structured information and support. Like it? Share it! |