There are many studies that show the difficulties children with ADHD - and their parents- face at bedtime. Typically, the child's ADHD medication has worn off, causing his symptoms to reappear, often with a vengeance. As he becomes more hyperactive and impulsive, his body needs just the opposite: rest!
What is a parent to do?
10 Tips for Getting Your Child to Bed
- Insist that all electronics and other stimulating toys and activities stop one hour before bedtime.
2. Have a schedule and stick to it with rare exceptions. Post the schedule (in more
than one place). For younger children, use diagrams or pictures from magazines.
Clearly state each step of the bedtime routine:
- What time the child must stop playing
- Any chores needed to be done (i.e. putting toys away)
- Snack time, if needed
- Wash up, brush teeth, shower
- Change into pajamas
- Lights out
3. Warm milk, warm bathes- they really do work.
4. Even older children love one on one time with parents, whether it's reading a book
together, or sharing the day's activities. Even many teenagers find this time together
calming and special.
5. Reward your child for every positive move in the right direction. For younger
children, keep a jar and add coins to it every time he follows the bedtime schedule.
6. Remember that children with ADHD get bored with routines quickly and though you
want to try and make them the same each night, you'll need to be creative in making
that happen. Once, I was so desperate to get my child to bed, I turned it into a
Scavenger Hunt. I wrote each bedtime step on an index card and hid them. Each
contained a clue where to find the next card, plus instructions on what needed to be
done to get ready for bed. Another parent wrote all the bedtime routines on her
child's bathroom mirror using whiteboard markers. Think of other creative, novel ways
to keep your child on track.
7. Get help! There was a time when things were so difficult in my home, that I hired a
sitter a few nights a week to help me. It truly saved my sanity. Insist that your
spouse/partner also help. Consider trading off bedtime and morning responsibilities
with your partner so neither of you becomes burned out.
