ADHD Children are often more sensitive and can show more intense mood swings. You might find this article on Banashing Bad Moods helpful. It includes some calming techniques you can teach your son when he gets worked up.

Lots of us lose momentum after lunch. He may get cranky because he is tired. A nap might help. Also, a healthy lunch will help him keep the energy up. A balanced diet may help control mood swings caused by blood sugar surges and nutritional shortfalls.

The website has a nice selection of suggestions for a balanced ADHD diet and ideas for healthy snacks that are quick and easy.

Good luck, Dena

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This has been one of the hardest battles we have fought with our almost 7 year old son. I made some great progress with a cool magnetic responsibiltiy chart made by Melissa & Doug that I bought at Toys R us. I have explained that the "getting dressed" magnet (with pictures) means getting ready for school or anything else nicely. There are a total of 7 responsibility magnent spots on the chart with smiley face magnets to put up if they have met the requirements. We make our son earn most of the smiley magnets through out the week to earn a toy of up to a $10 value. I like this chart because it is easy, visual and helps you to define the target behaviors you want to encourage. We also had more success with it once we put it in a more high visability spot. On the melting, I explain to my son that it is not a reasonable response and I give him a hug and empathize with him, but let him know that since it is not a reasonable behavior, if he doesn't choose to stop it, then he is going to choose consequenses. And I make the consequences what ever is really going to motivate him at the time. I have also purposely set him up for failure when I had the time to deal with it to help teach him that the melting was not going to get him what he wanted. (example: over the holiday break, he suddenly didn't want to leave the house if we needed to grocery shop or do something that he wan't interested in. So, he would have massive 30 minute melt downs because we needed to get groceries. So I made him go out running errands multiple times with all boring stuff and would praise and reward him if he didn't throw a fit or got it together quickly and would start taking priveleges away if he didn't.) I found it more effective to be empathetic (although I failed at times when really irritated) but firm and let him know that I would rather buy him a small treat for good choices than take away his play time, but it's his choice. These things combined with consistency have turned our mornings from running around so wildly that he was actually running into the walls and hurting himself at least once a week at the begining of the school year to getting his "getting dressed nicely for school" magnent most days. I also like the rule of opposites... a fit only gets you the opposite of what you want. I hope this helps and hang in there it will get better!

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How about the Keep It Simple Sweety approach. Snowpants and boots sound like a nightmare combo. And he has to take them off and back on at school. I'm tired thinking of it. Maybe ask youself...does he really need all this? You aren't a bad Mom if you kids pant bottom get alittle wet. Maybe just the boots would be easier. My son figured out early how to take his shoes on and off without ever untying them, but where they still stay on. Works for both of us.

Make sure that his lunch has lots of protein to hold him for the afternoon, and some carbs to help keep his energy up to go back. Maybe taking him out to lunch (something simple like grilled ham & cheese at a diner counter). If he likes it, you could use that as an incentive. "If you get ready nice today, we can go out tomorrow."

Just some ideas. Good Luck!

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