SUPPORTING TRANSITIONS AND CHANGES IN ROUTINE
ADHD Parent Support Series - Part 8
Transitions happen all day long.
They include the obvious changes - leaving home, starting school, visiting somewhere new - but also the tiny switches adults can easily overlook: turning off a game, getting out of the bath, beginning homework, leaving a friend's house or discovering that the expected plan has changed.
For a child with ADHD, these moments can place several demands on the brain at once.
The child may need to disengage from something absorbing, understand what happens next, manage time, tolerate uncertainty, regulate disappointment and generate enough momentum to begin again.
This parent guide explores why transitions can become difficult and what parents can do before, during and after the change.
It includes practical ideas for meaningful warnings, visual transition support, reducing verbal overload, helping a child create closure before stopping an activity, responding to unexpected changes, preparing for new situations and working with school around difficult transitions.
There is also a practical Transition Plan that helps families identify exactly where a recurring transition is breaking down and build support around that point.
The aim is not to make a child enjoy every change. It is to help them understand what is happening, feel supported through uncertainty and gradually develop strategies for moving from one thing to another.
Space to Breathe Therapy
ADHD Parent Support Series - Part 8
