If you have a teen with ADHD, you have likely struggled with morning routines. Getting up in the morning can turn into frustration for both you and your teenager. There are ways to help them get up easier to have a peaceful start to the day.
3 Ways to Help Your ADHD Teen Out of Bed in the Morning & Off to School
As both a teen therapist and neurofeedback provider, I have found several helpful ways that can support parents in helping them get their ADHD teen up and out of bed in the morning. I have also benefited from some creative ideas from parents over the years and what they have done that has been helpful.
While symptoms of ADHD are similar across the board, each teen is different. What works for one may not work for another. And I have found that whatever you start, consistency is important.
1. Plan the Night Before
There are things that can be done the night before to help mornings run smoother. It helps to be sure that all their homework and things they will need for the next day are in their backpack. Placing the backpack near the door can help ensure nothings gets left behind as well.
Pick out clothes with your teen the night before and lay them out so that there are no unnecessary arguments. It can also help to discuss what your teen will eat for breakfast the night before.
Try to pick something that travels well in case you are running late. I’ve found granola bars, bagels, and breakfast shakes are quick to grab and can be taken along in the car.
Lastly, set out your teen's medicine in a place that they will see it so that it doesn’t get forgotten in the shuffle.
2. Only Allow One Request for More Time
Teenagers with ADHD struggle to get moving in the morning and often have a poor sense of passing time. Allowing your teenager to hit the snooze button or to request a few more minutes, more than once, makes it easy for them to lose awareness of time.
If they request more time, calmly remind them that they have already used their excess morning time and need to get up. It can also help to have your teen take their medicine the first time you wake them up. This way, by the second warning, it may have kicked in to help them get moving.
3. Stay Calm
Teenagers with ADHD already receive more redirections throughout their day than their peers and yelling will only shut them down. If your teen is struggling to wake up, it can help to sit on the bed and speak to them in a calm voice.
It can also help to empathize with them, saying things like:
“I wasn’t ready to get up this morning either” or
“I know it’s hard, but we really have to get moving.”
You can also remind them about things that they might be looking forward to that day in school or later that evening. Nobody responds well to yelling, threats of punishment, or harsh criticism.
Therapy & Neurofeedback Helps With Parenting a Teen With ADHD
If mornings continue to be difficult for you and your teenager, it can be helpful to seek advice from a professional. There are many ways to help your child to be successful and to create a peaceful morning routine that works for the whole family.
Teen therapy can be a helpful too, not only for your teenager, but for you as a parent as well. It can be a challenge at times to raise a teenager with ADHD. They want to do the best they can but may not have the skills to do so -- and this is frustrating for them.
As a parent, having the support of a therapist who specializes in teen therapy can help. A therapist can provide for you suggestions, ideas, and sometimes a place to vent and let steam off.
Neurofeedback has been shown to be a highly effective approach in helping teens overcome symptoms of ADHD. Neurofeedback for ADHD trains the brain at the source of where the symptoms arise from.
At Katy Teen & Family Counseling, we have found a high success rate in utilizing neurofeedback for ADHD.
Katy Teen & Family Counseling: Helping Teens & Families With ADHD Katy, TX & Houston
Having ADHD presents many challenges both for the teen and their parents. There are effective ways in helping your teen overcome the symptoms of ADHD.
Teen therapy has shown to be effective in helping teens learn the skills and tools to manage their ADHD. It's also a place where teens can learn to manage the emotion and frustration around ADHD.
Neurofeedback is a very effective approach in helping train the brain to perform without the symptoms of ADHD. One of the more common reasons people with ADHD come to the Katy, TX office of Katy Teen & Family Counseling is for neurofeedback.
If you are ready to start your journey in overcoming ADHD, all you need to do is follow these three simple steps:
Contact Katy Teen & Family Counseling
Talk with one of our caring therapists
Start your journey to overcoming ADHD today!
Other Therapy and Counseling Services Offered at Katy Teen & Family Counseling
At Katy Teen & Family Counseling, we provide a variety of therapy approaches that are supported by research and shown to be effective. Some of the teen therapy and young adult counseling we offer are:
Board Certified Neurofeedback Therapy
Peak performance (optimal academic brain performance)
Peak performance (optimal athletic brain performance)
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR Therapy)
Group Therapy for Teens
Body Image
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Couples Therapy & Marriage Counseling
Couples Therapy and Marriage Counseling can be very effective. The secret ingredients to success is each person willing to look at themselves and work to do things differently, together. When a marriage counselor or couples therapist has this to work with, the success rate can be very high.
Sometimes life will throw challenges at us that create situations that put strain on our marriage or relationship. It may be due to:
Choices and actions that have been made by one partner.
Financial downturn in the economy creating financial strain.
Feeling like you're growing apart.
Feeling like you don't have as much in common as you used to.
Whatever the reason may be, marriage counseling and couples therapy can help. Couples therapy and marriage counseling has also been found to work in less time than individual therapy.
If you've worked hard for this relationship and find that there are now barriers in the way of maintaining a healthy relationship, contact us at Katy Teen & Family Counseling.
About the Author
Amy Galpin, LPC-S is a seasoned therapist who has worked with teens and young adults since 2007. Amy has helped and continues to help those who have struggled with depression, anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, ADHD, trauma, PTSD, and other challenges.
Amy is also a neurofeedback therapist who has been providing neurofeedback since 2013. As one of the most effective approaches in treating a wide variety of emotional, behavioral, and brain related physical challenges, Amy has helped many through neurofeedback therapy.
If you are ready to start teen counseling, young adult therapy, or neurofeedback call, text, or email us today!
Phone Number: 281-519-6364
