Parenting Hacks To Keep You Sane

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Come join me May 1st through the sixth so that you can rest rediscover your strengths, reconnect with yourself and those physicians like you who are ready to leave work at work. And re-energize. This is the invitation for you to make 2023 your year. Join me in Costa Rica in this really amazing, non-judgmental, intimate decision community.

I am gonna show you how to rest and how to recharge. Let's transform your brain. So that you can start to dream the life that you always wanted this year in 2023. I can't wait to learn all about what kind of year you're gonna have after this conference. Take care. Hello. Welcome to Beyond ADHD, a Physician's Perspective.

I am Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh. I'm a family medicine physician practicing in rural Texas. I used to be hindered by my adhd, but I now. See it as a gift that helps me show up as a person. I was always meant to be both in my work and in my personal life. In the past two years, I've come to realize that unlearning some of my beliefs and some of my habits were just as important as learning the new set of.

Okay, so today's theme is one that I've been coaching a lot of my clients on, which are. What are the parenting hacks that could keep us sane? So A D H D, and how to chill or how to keep us sane. And so I'm so excited to talk to you guys about this. It's a discussion that is real. So here's some strategies that might be helpful and please feel free to send me a text or an email.

Leave a comment in the podcast letting me know if these are some of the hacks that you yourself are using or you want to use. If you tried them, did they work out or not? I can't wait to share the story. So first of all, , you need to establish a routine. Children with A D H D tend to thrive on routines and structure.

How we do this, it doesn't have to be necessarily step by step, but the more that you have a daily routine regarding meals or homework or playtime and bedtime, the more likely you can provide stability and predictability for your child. Number two, use some visual aids. These could be anything like calendars or chore charts to-do lists.

They can be very helpful, not just for the children, but also for you so you know what's coming up. And I have found some of these really nice big. Chore charts or to-do lists like at the Dollar Store or the Dollar Tree, and they can help your child stay organized and stay focused on the task. And it could be very rewarding to just check it off, know what is expected next.

Number three, provide positive reinforcement. This is a very powerful tool that can. Help your child realize that they have gifts and they have strengths. And no matter how small a task is that they completed, it can help to boost their self-esteem and to encourage good behavior. So if you notice that they picked up their laundry and they actually went.

Put it where it needs to be done, thank them for that. Or if they, if you notice that they took off their shoes and they left them in the same place where you had already had a discussion that they should be at, so that you know where to find them, like positive reinforcement can really make a difference.

Or saying, Hey, I really like how you handle that, or, I really liked what you did with that interaction, can make a big difference. Number four. Is mindfulness. It's a technique that can help you manage stress and stay calm in the face of a challenging situation. When we as parents are practicing mindfulness, it can be a way to role model for your kid that they.

Can to stay present in the moment and practice. Mindfulness can be done in different ways. It might be that you stepped out into nature and took a walk for a few minutes. It might be that you did a three minute Headspace meditation or that you did a three minute tapping solution meditation, or it could be you chose to slow down long enough to see what was going around you and being more present.

Another hack number five is to really prioritize physical activity. Regular physical activity can improve focus and attention for children, and of course with poor parents as well. And I say a hack could be that as soon as the kids get get home from school, take them to the playground take 'em just to do a walk around the house in the neighborhood if possible.

Or make sure that they are involved in sports, dance or any other active hobbies because when you're doing this, what you're ha what is happening is you're increasing the dopamine that they have, which then helps them to have enough. Energy to be able to do the homework or the task. Most of us want to go directly to the homework and then to the food or to different things, but when you are able to first prioritize physical activity, you have a way of it actually increasing the dopamine, which will increase your reserve.

Number six, limit distractions. I know it seems like almost common sense, but if you're able to minimize the distraction in your child's environment, such as turning off the TV or putting away electronic devices during homework or during Lunchtime or during dinnertime or during bedtime, like all that is going to cost them to be having attention that is dispersed throughout.

So this can help your child focus better and complete tasks way more efficiently. Number seven, encourage healthy sleep habits. Getting enough sleep is crucial for children with a D H D. So it can really help them refuel their energy and sometimes we might have to set alarms to remind us that it's time to go to sleep.

So these are just some of the few strategies that can help parent. Kids with a D H D, and of course you have to remember that each child is unique and that it's a D H. D is like a spectrum. And what might work with one of your kids might not necessarily work with the other. Be curious, stay curious, stay in awareness.

Realize what might be going well, and really take note like what worked well, what didn't be patient. Find the right strategies for your child, and with the support and resources you can help your child succeed. Thank you for spending your time with me. I really believe that time is your most valuable.

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