Communication Exercise for Parent & Child with ADHD
For anyone with a child with ADHD, you know communicating with your child can be challenging at times (and that’s an understatement). It’s not just frustrating for the parent. It’s also incredibly difficult for the child as well; feeling as if nobody can understand them can significantly impact their self-esteem over time.
Here are a few simple and fun games to work on improving communication. Remember to have fun and don’t take it too seriously. If anyone is getting too frustrated stop and take a break and return to it later with it a little more simple the next time.
Lego Blind Challenge:
Create two identical piles of legos (start small and simple to begin).
Sit back to back.
Choose one person to go first. This person will create a design with their legos and describe it as they build, step by step. The other partner will try to build along and follow their instructions.
If the person following the directions does not understand - ask clarifying questions. Both people use exact, specific details the other person will understand. It’s about communicating in a way the other will understand and learning to listen in a way to understand what the other is saying.
Remain calm. If it’s not working start again with fewer and simpler pieces.
Switch roles and do it again.
Drawing Game:
Both people sit down back to back with a piece of paper and pencil each.
One person creates a simple drawing.
The person who chose to draw a picture describes it in detailed, specific, chronological order so the other person can follow the instructions to try and copy the image as best they can.
If the person following the directions does not understand, ask clarifying questions. Again, this is about communicating in a way the other will understand and learning to listen in a way to understand what the other is saying.
Remain calm. If it’s not working try again with a simpler picture (maybe even just basic shapes) For example: “Draw a square. Now to the left two inches and up one inch draw a circle. Inside the circle draw a star.” Etc.
Switch roles and do it again.
