Jun 23
Everyone suggests that my son get involved in an extracurricular activity. He has adhd, and we tend to want to put him in a sport to use some of his excess energy in a positive way. He doesn’t show much interest in any though, he is not yet 7 years old. Should we just pick one and make him try it? He has tried team sports in the past without much luck.
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June 22nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
I coached soccer for the YMCA and a lot of the kids where ADD/ADHD.
They had a hard time focusing during practice but did really great during the games.
June 22nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Karate. It helps with discipline and concentration.
Some instructors will let him try it before you commit to paying.
June 22nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
How about tennis or swimming?
Still sporty and athletic with a team aspect, but without the added pressure of (as much) of having to constantly interact with teammate peers. As unfair as it is, not all kids on teams are kind and understanding with peers who struggle with ADHD.
Tennis or swimming, however, would allow your son a physical outlet with fewer social pressures.
Best of luck,
~M~
June 22nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
If you make him go into a sport he isn’t interested in, it will only frustrate him.
Introduce him to many activities, like sports, dancing, martial arts, etc, and see if any of those interest him. He may or may not show an interest to them.
If he shows an interest, let him know the pros and cons of the activity, so he’s not taken by an unpleasant surprise if he joins. This will give him the chance to choose something else.
If he chooses nothing now, that’s okay. He may or may not choose something later. You can deal with it then if it happens.
In the meantime, make sure he has playtimes in his daily schedule, and try to keep playtime at the same time and legnth each day. Do keep him supplied with things to do outside.
I have a daughter with ADHD and I have tried for a long time to get her involved with something. She finally recently joined a karate class. Will she stick with it for a long time? i have no idea but I hope so. If not, she has plenty of activities at home to focus on.
June 22nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
First, if I were you, I would really question the diagnosis, or get a second opinion. Kids today are too quickly diagnosed with ADHD, when in fact they are most likely hyped on too much processed sugar, corn syrup, etc. (ingredients in all of the junk food they consume). That’s the first answer; examine his diet and get a second opinion.
Second, the kid needs time to run around, play, jump, swim, skip, hop, whatever. They don’t necessarily need to be in an organized sport. When I was a kid, I played outside all day. I hated school. In school, we make kids sit and be still/quiet almost all day, and wonder why they have behavior problems. We homeschool our daughters, and they love it. The point is a kid shouldn’t be in school longer than a few hours a day. Now, I’m not judging you and I don’t know your situation. So I would say you may want to re-evaluate your child’s: 1. play time 2. how much sugar/caffeine is consumed 3. How long they are forced to sit during a given day.
Also, here’s another touchy subject. Do you discipline your child? Or is he let to do whatever he wants? If you don’t discipline your child and let them know who’s boss, they will never attempt to restrain their childish impulses. Good luck.
June 22nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
dvdder is absolutely right…I couldn’t have said it better myself.
And Karate is definitely not the sport for an ADHD kid(personal experience as a Karate instructor).