Elsie's blog

Motivating Your ADHD Child to Control Himself

As we’ve discussed before on this site, the purpose of teaching discipline is so that your child will eventually learn how to govern his own actions. For the ADHD child and his parents, this can be a daunting task. It takes persistence and consistency. You have to be committed to your child and the methods you choose, but it can be done, and it can be done without medication. There are a few things that you must understand before you get started.

Teachers are given specific guidelines to follow with ADD/ADHD learners. If you have a child with the disorder, you should make yourself aware of the techniques that the teacher in your child’s room is using to educate your child. This will help you work with the teacher, and you may have better suggestions for her to follow, since no one child is the same and you know your child better than anyone. Every parent should partner with his child’s teacher in order to provide his child with the best education possible.

A recent news story shows how far judges have come in believing that they have the right to dictate family decisions. In Minnesota, when 13 year-old Daniel Hauser’s parents decided to pull him out of conventional treatment for his leukemia in favor of an alternative form of treatment the parents were taken to court. The courts ruled that it was “in the best interest” of Daniel to continue the treatment. This past Monday Daniel and his mother disappeared. Custody of Daniel has been given to the courts and a search is on for the boy and his mother.

Those who feel that holistic medicine practices are more successful than typical Western medicine practices now have new scientific research to back their claims. A recent study shows that there may be a direct link between spinal health and the function of the brain. ADHD, which causes an inability to focus, stay organized, and causes excess hyperactivity in those who have the disorder, is one of the most common neurological conditions in the U.S.

The occurrence of ADHD in children and adolescents has grown exponentially during recent years. The use of medication to treat ADHD has more than tripled, leading to an estimated 1 in 25 children and teens in the U.S who are medicated. The three main symptoms of the disorder are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Because these symptoms can impact school, socialization skills, and organization, parents often choose to medicate their children without exploring other options, such as new disciplinary techniques, first.

For our final article regarding the UNCRC, we’ll be taking a look at how the CRC provides for free government services to assist parents as they raise their children. I know free government services are enticing when economic times are tough, but nothing is ever free—and governmental services that supplement the care of your children are no exception to the rule. Article 18 Section 3 states:

Until this generation, it has been understood that parents are the ultimate authority within the family. Unless there is evidence of physical abuse or gross neglect, the parents are free to decide what values their family will embrace. Under the UNCRC, all of that will change. Today we will look at the second section of article 18:

The shootings at Columbine high school shocked our nation. No one understood how two teenage boys could have plotted such a horrific scheme without any of the adults in their lives knowing what they were planning. In the future, it may not be so far fetched to think that a parent would have no clue about whether or not his child is involved in nefarious activities. Article 16 of the UNCRC treaty provides a child with the right to privacy, stating that:

When the founding fathers set up our government, they said that our government’s success depended on a moral people, and that if morality left our society, democracy would fail. In his Farewell Address, George Washington said:

If I left things up to my three year-old, he would have no immunizations, eat Sweet Tarts all day, and never go to bed. Obviously a child cannot be trusted to make his own decisions. This is why children are born to adults who can care for them and teach them that what feels good isn’t always the best choice. Parents make decisions for their children and slowly let them have more freedom as the child demonstrates the ability to make wise decisions.