Getting out the door can be especially challenging for
people with executive function (EF) challenges. There are, however, some steps
that can be taken to establish routines that make this easier.
Getting out the door on time starts the night before with a
couple activities:
·
Put the backpack and everything needed for the
next day together and by the door ready to go. If a lunch needs to be made,
make it the night ahead of time and leave it in the fridge. Put a sticky note
on the door or backpack to remind someone it is ready to go.
·
Plan what will be worn the next day. There
should be no searching for anything, no wavering on which outfit, no finding
out that the special x needs to washed in the morning. Check the weather and
pick the clothes out.
·
Turn off devices. Phones should be kept out of
bedrooms. Parental controls can keep notifications and interactions from being
a problem. (If you need help to do this just google the particular device and parental
controls.) Use an alarm clock rather than a phone. Cheap alarms (less than $15)
are available at Amazon.
·
Set a bedtime and stick to it. Yes, teenagers
often have difficulty getting to bed early, but with consistent routines it can
work. Preschoolers need 10-13 hours and teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep per
night. If children do not get enough sleep, they will struggle with waking up,
maintaining control of their attention and behavior, maintaining a healthy
weight and performing well in school.
In the morning
·
Leave off the TV, computer and phone. These
distractions are time suckers. They grab attention and then either things don’t
get done or time escapes you and you leave late.
·
Identify the tasks that need to be done (ex.
feed the dog or wake another sibling). Make sure there is enough time in the
routine to those tasks. You can dry run your routine on a weekend to see how
long it really takes to complete all the activities. People with EF challenges
are often terribly bad at judging how long it takes to do things. Make a
schedule- pictures for young kids, bulleted list for older ones. It can be
laminated or copied and things can be checked off every day for those with
really impulsive and distracted natures.
·
Provide protein rich breakfasts. Proteins
metabolize more slowly that carbs so energy is maintained throughout the
morning. Also proteins in the morning help your brain create melatonin at night
to assist with sleeping.
·
Provide rewards for making it work. A week of
out the door on time with no yelling from a parent might mean extra screen
time, selecting a favorite dinner/breakfast cereal, or a trip to the dollar
store.
This does require that parents lead the way and if your EF
skills are not excellent it can be a challenge for parents too, but these
strategies work for everyone. Routines can make the morning easier for
everyone.
Susan Brown, MSE
ptasusanb@gmail.com
Resources
ADDitude, Use
This Sample Schedule With Kids with ADHD / ADD (additudemag.com)
ADDitude, Morning
Routines for ADHD Families: Schedules to Wake Up and Go (additudemag.com)
Caring for kids, https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/pregnancy-and-babies/healthy_sleep_for_your_baby_and_child
Time Timer, https://www.timetimer.com/blogs/news/4-tips-for-getting-out-the-door-on-time
