This week's article comes to us courtesy of Sally Jacks:
Travelling
with a child who has ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) can be very
stressful and is unlikely to be something that you can do spontaneously.
Children with ADHD tend to be driven by routine and like to know exactly what to
expect whenever they enter any new situation. However with plenty of preparation
and planning, it is possible to have a fun vacation that the whole family can
enjoy. Here are a few top tips for travelling with a child with ADHD:
Find
Routine Where You Can
Children
with ADHD tend to be creatures of habit who are more comfortable within the
confines of a regular and familiar routine. Whilst it would be impossible to
transfer all of their home routines to their vacation destination, establishing
new routines and sticking to them during your stay will give your child some
familiar navigation points, making the adjustment to vacation time much easier.
This routine can be anything that works for you and your family, from eating the
same breakfast in the same café each morning, to reading the same bedtime story
from home each evening. If you know that your child has times of the day when
their behaviour can be particularly difficult then these are the ideal times in
which to aim to establish a new and familiar routine which may help to settle
them.
Involve
Your Child in the Vacation Planning
When
entering a new situation, such as going on vacation, most children will benefit
from knowing what is going to happen and what to expect, and this is
particularly true for children who have ADHD. Mark the date that you are going
on your vacation in your child’s calendar, and then help them count down to the
date each day: this will help them to begin mentally for preparing for the
changes that vacations bring. When sharing your daily countdown, you should also
share other vital details about your trip such as where your child will be
sleeping and what daily activities they will be participating in: the more
information you can share with your child, the easier the transition to a new
vacation routine and schedule will be for them.
Schedule
Some down Time into Your Vacation
Vacations
are both exciting and expensive: the culmination of these two factors means that
our instinct is to cram as much as we possibly can into every moment of our
vacation time. However for a child who has ADHD, this constant stream of
stimulation and excitement can simply become too overwhelming. If you’re taking
a vacation with a child who has ADHD then, it is important that you allow plenty
of time in your day for your child to relax and enjoy some down time in a safe
space away from the constant vacation stimulation. Bring along some of their
favourite downtime activities from home: they will find comfort in their
familiarity, and ensure that there is a nice comfortable space where they are
free to relax. Drawing pads, reading books, or even some quiet screen time can
all be beneficial.
A
Great Time For Etiquette Reminders
ADHD
children generally have poor social skills, and aren’t very good at picking up
on cues for how they are expected to behave. Travelling and spending time on
vacation is the perfect time to reinforce these etiquette messages and help your
child to learn how and when they should be picking up on certain social signals.
If you are visiting with friends or family, for example, then this is the ideal
situation to remind them of when they need to say hello/goodbye, please/thank
you, and the importance of having good manners and being aware of the feelings
and needs of others. There are many benefits of travel for children with ADHD,
and with the right planning and preparation, it can be a really wonderful
experience for the whole family!
Extra
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