Bobby sat at his desk, which once again was located in the back of the classroom. He glanced outside and watched the children play, oblivious to the teacher’s instructions on the first day of school. Susie and Katy sat next to Bobby. They whispered in each other’s ear and giggled. Bobby knew what they were saying.
All Bobby could think about was the day he spent with his father back in early April. It was opening day of the baseball season, and Bobby’s father pulled him from school for a day of father and son bonding. Missing a full day of school was wonderful, Bobby thought at the time. However, he also remembered a few things his father said about the beginning of a new baseball season.
“Son, the great thing about opening day is people forget about what happened last year. If they do remember, they know the slate is wiped clean. You see number 44. He was terrible last year. He struck out over 200 times and had his worst season in professional baseball. That does not matter now, because he has a fresh start on a new season. Last year does not matter.”
Number 44 lumbers up to the plate on opening day. No matter how awful he was the previous year, he begins the new season with a reset statistical line. The 200 strikeouts mean absolutely nothing now. Moreover, number 44 received intensive coaching in the off-season from a number of baseball specialists. The specialists spent time with him to improve his hitting technique, and not once was the past dragged out in order to embarrass him.
On the first pitch thrown to him on opening day, number 44 hit a line drive that one hopped the right center field wall for a ground rule double. The slate was wiped clean, as Number 44 stood beaming on second base.
The teacher immediately cuts Bobby’s daydream short.
“Bobby! Are you going to pay attention this year, or are you going to spend another year daydreaming your way through class?”
Susie and Katie turn around and begin to giggle.
ADHD children do not have the luxury of opening day. Their past school performance is constantly reinforced by parents, teachers, and peers. The coaching provided for professional baseball players is not available to a vast number of children who silently suffer with acute distraction, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. Constructive mentoring and coaching alleviates many of the issues that an ADHD child experiences.
Parents of ADHD children and teachers who instruct them are often overwhelmed by a sense of futility, that nothing they attempt to accomplish works with an ADHD child. The frustration spills over into emotional rebukes and incessant negative reinforcement. An ADHD child requires direction and positive reinforcement, which is the primary role of an ADHD coach.
ADHD coaching goes beyond traditional instructional models. A personal coach provides the structure, support, and feedback that inspire a child with ADHD to realize their potential. The primary purpose of ADHD parent coaching is to help a child develop the structures necessary to function effectively, to teach practical approaches to the challenges of daily life, and to nurture and increase his/her self-esteem and self-worth.
Many parents are unaware of ADHD coaching or how coaching benefits their ADHD child. ADHD coaching is a powerful tool that may work by itself or in conjunction with other symptom management techniques such as medication and therapy. Children are not the only beneficiaries of ADHD coaching, as adults increasingly turn to coaching for support and structure in their lives.
A relatively new coaching approach involves the parents of ADHD children. Let us take a closer look at the Nurtured Heart Approach.
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Mark Norris My name is Mark Norris, your ADHD parent coach. My academic background includes training in ADHD coaching along with a Master`s degree in Adult Education. I am also a certified Nurtured Heart Approach practitioner. Full Profile & Contact Information...
