ADHD Playground Behavior
Q:
"When my 8-year-old ADHD son gets angry with classmates in an unstructured environment (like a playground), he will immediately push someone. I have offered just walking away or putting his hands in his pockets and taking a deep breath. What other steps can I suggest as an alternative?" 
A:
Unstructured situations can be a challenge for ADHD children. Your suggestions for alternative behaviors sound excellent. In addition, you may want to help him learn to internalize better control and be better able to go on "automatic pilot" when a difficult situation pops up in such an unstructured setting. It may be helpful to write down what it is that he gets angry about each time on a chart to see if you can restructure or resolve any of the issues. You may also want to practice in advance through role-play or visualization so that appropriate responses can become more automatic. When you do something repeatedly in practice, it is more likely to occur when the situation pops up. Perhaps you could also use cue cards with him before playing to serve as a prompt to help him remember to control his anger. He may also find an appropriate anger venting strategy helpful when he comes home such as hitting tennis balls or punching a punching bag or pillow. Another strategy would be to help structure those unstructured situations as much as possible or at least minimize the amount of time he spends in those situations for now.
Dr. Michele Novotni is an internationally recognized expert in the field of ADHD. She is the former president and CEO of the national Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA), an inspiring speaker, best selling author, psychologist, coach and parent of a young adult with AD/HD. She is author of Adult AD/HD and What Does Everybody Else Know That I Don't?.
Michele was the lead facilitator and lobbyist in the creation of national ADD Awareness Day (the third Wednesday in September). She was awarded the national "Make a Difference Award" by the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) in 2005 and ADDA originated The Novotni Scholarship Fund to assist college students with AD/HD in her honor.
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