Gospel Prism

Ed Welch has a very insightful article on ADD.  Welch writes:

Those who struggle with ADD are often discouraged and hopeless. But isn’t it true that God doesn’t view any of us as a hopeless case? No matter what our physical or spiritual struggles are, God’s work is to make us more like Jesus, and nothing, other than our own stubborn hearts, can keep us from becoming what God has called us to be. So, the second way you can encourage someone with ADD is to share God’s perspective on his or her particular struggles. The basic idea is this: all of us have some limitations, but, by God’s grace, we are all able to grow in wisdom and in becoming more like Jesus.

And here are some practical steps that he notes:

• Begin by focusing on what he or she does best. Be their biggest cheerleader!
• Offer instruction in a way that is concrete. Make it vivid, visual, and memorable. For example, instead of “stop being so distracted,” you could say “do four math problems.”
• Provide structure. Structure refers to boundaries, guidelines, reminders, and limits. It is a fence that contains and directs. Some children with ADD have a style of thinking that is chaotic and disorganized. Structure helps them by imposing external controls.
• Have clear, simple, predictable, and written household rules.
• Anticipate and work to head off problems instead of always reacting to them. If a difficult situation cannot be avoided, prepare the child to face it with prayer and practice. After the difficult time is over (homework, chores), give your child feedback so he can see his progress.
• Use “to do” lists and establish reasonable deadlines.
• Have your child do the hard task before the easy one.
• Make exercise a priority.
• Speak the truth in love to your child. Share with him when he is monopolizing a conversation; help him prioritize his day; and give him feedback on his creative ideas.