With an increasing number of our youths suffering ADHD, stress syndromes, unemployment, depression, drug use, crime and higher rates of youth suicide than ever before, today’s parents and teachers are finding their roles more and more difficult.

According to renowned family relationships specialist, Marguerite Clancy, there are no overnight solutions for issues such as ADHD, but there are a few quick things struggling parents can do now to start dealing with it:

1) Get into a routine and stick to it (try to include fun times and laughter)

2) Set up a punching bag or get your child playing a sport

3) Be consistent with discipline and offer rewards where appropriate

4) Use positive language, keep directions short, maintain calm

5) Agree on consequences for behaviour together

“There are many options available to parents and carers. It is important to show love and respect, and to lead by example”, says Marguerite. “There are also many forms of therapy available to help that don’t rely on medication.” For example, she recommends Sandplay Therapy, which is a well established technique for enhancing emotional growth through play. She suggests parents encourage their child to use toys to represent things that are bothering them. Dolls, action figurines, cars, balls, and even blocks can all be used to represent people, objects, and everyday situations that may be very hard for the child to put into words. “You’d be surprised what problems your child is experiencing – many of them would be things you’d never have even dreamt of”, says Marguerite. “By recognising the significance of imaginary play, you give your child a way to express themselves using a language they’re fluent in.”

According to Marguerite, parents can then talk about these problems with their child. Then if they’re still experiencing problems, they may want to try a punching bag or a sport. “With an easier way to communicate and an outlet for your child’s frustrations, you should find it far easier to figure out how to improve your situation.”

Glenn Murray heads advertising copywriting studio Divine Write. He can be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at glenn@divinewrite.com. Visit http://www.divinewrite.com for further details or more FREE articles.

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to ADHD... A natural remedy for ADHD is omega 3 or is it Copyright 2005 David McEvoy Is Omega 3 a natural remedy for ADHD? The simple answer is no. Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid that is absolutely vital for adults, hence the word ‘essential’ - for children of birth age until age two, it is even more important that they receive enough of the Omega 3 fatty acid DHA for the healthy construction of the brain. Beyond two years, they need EPA for the healthy function of the brain. So why is it not a remedy? It is not a remedy for the simple reason that it should already be included in the diet, and not simply as an afterthought to add it to the diet because the child or adult has ADHD. Does this mean that if you give a person with ADHD high-strength pharmaceutical grade fish oil in addition to a poor diet, they will not feel any effects? The answer has to be yes, of course they will feel the effects. If you starve anyone for long enough of vital nutrients then the body will react in certain ways – if you then replace those nutrients,...

ADHD, Attention Deficit Disorder News