How to Help the Teen who Has ADD/ADHD

These tips were found at Helpful Hints for the Parents of Teens and were specific to parents of children who suffer from ADD/ADHD. I found that they were just as helpful for jr high students and those without learning disabilities but who tend to be a bit disorganized.

** Have your child tackle the most difficult homework assignment first. If left until the last to be done your child could stretch out the other work he or she has in order to prolong the assignment.

** Have your child keep a planner. This shouldn’t be too difficult as most schools now provide them. Make sure your child is keepingit up to date so they do not have to rely on their memory.

** Make sure your child has a neat and organized space in which to do their homework. Stock it with all the supplies they may need; pencils, paper and books.

** Make sure your child keep a organized backpack. Empty old homework and assignments out of their folder on a daily basis.

Helping Your Teen Cope with Depression

No teen is immune from depression. As parents we try to help kids out of a “funk” by engaging them in activities or asking questions. Sometimes though it becomes more than we can do alone. Teens have many influences, and we as parents, may not represent the most important influence in a time of crisis. That is why we should be vigilant in “knowing” our children. Your child may not tell you what is wrong, but if you remain aware of your child’s habits and routines, you can tell when you need to call in more help. This list of signs from helpfulhintsforparentsofteens.com will help you to assess whether your child is simply having a bad day or if its something more serious. Call for help if you notice any of the following:

Suicidal thoughts
Sleeping habits change
Crying often
Anger/Hostility
Agitation
No motivation
Cannot concentrate
Feeling of guilt or that they are not worth anything
Tired all the time
Sadness
Withdrawing from family and friends

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Sometimes when I think of all the things I have going on in my life it’s easy to feel down and depressed. Sometimes the work load is just too much. According to the site getrichslowly.com you can avoid being caught in the downward cycle of worry by concentrating on our “genetic happy point.” Learn more on how you can take charge of your own happiness.

About 50% of individual happiness comes from a genetic set point. That is, we’re each predisposed to a certain level of happiness. Some of us are just naturally more inclined to be cheery than others.

About 10% of our happiness is due to our circumstances. Our age, race, gender, personal history, and, yes, wealth, only make up about one-tenth of our happiness.

The remaining 40% of an individual’s happiness seems to be derived from intentional activity, from “discrete actions or practices that people can choose to do”.

Give Yourself an Instant Pick Me Up

Everyone experiences a time when depression threatens to take over. It doesn’t have to be a big life altering event that throws you into a depressed mode, it can be the concurrence of a variety of small things that build up overtime. It is important to know that we can all work beyond our hardships, though some may seem Lifehack.org has some interesting tips on how to overcome depression. I particularly like this one because it’s opposite what you might think:

1. Give Someone A Genuine, Massive Compliment
The reason this technique works is that it takes the focus off of yourself. It’s easy to become self-centered and overly focused on your own problems until you realize something very important: EVERYONE feels like this at times. EVERYONE is insecure about something.