Mindfulness for Kids with ADHD

Help your child with ADHD truly thrive!

Mindfulness for Kids with ADHD is jam packed with fast, easy mindfulness skills to help kids with ADHD successfully navigate all areas of their life including:

• making friends
• doing well in school
• organizing their stuff
• managing feelings
• developing positive self-image
• learning social skills
• following rules
• doing chores
• sleeping well
• eating a healthy diet
• exercising
• using screen time
• calming hyperactivity
• dealing with stress

The activities in this easy-to-use workbook will help elementary school aged children develop self-awareness, self-reflection and self-regulation—three skills that kids with ADHD typically need extra help with. The book also illustrates and teaches the process of setting intention and using specific mindfulness skills to identify and improve feelings, self-image, behavior, stress level, concentration, hyperactivity, and relationships.

It includes online bonus activities and 14 audio meditations kids can download and practice.

Here’s the Table of Contents:

Contents

Foreword vii
A Letter to Kids with ADHD
A Letter to Parents of Kids with ADHD
A Letter to Professionals

Section 1
Being Mindful About Your ADHD

Activity 1: What Is Mindfulness?
Activity 2: Mindfulness Vocabulary Words
Activity 3: What You Like and Don’t Like About Having ADHD
Activity 4: What Do You Need Help With?
Activity 5: What Should You Pay Attention To?

Section 2
Mindfulness at Home

Activity 6: Mindfulness of Doing Your Part in Your Family
Activity 7: Following the Rules
Activity 8: Remembering Things
Activity 9: Keeping Your Room Neat

Section 3
Mindfulness of Yourself

Activity 10: How Do You Feel Today?
Activity 11: When You Feel Worried
Activity 12: When You Feel Angry
Activity 13: When You Feel Sad
Activity 14: When You Feel Embarrassed
Activity 15: When You Feel Discouraged
Activity 16: When You Feel Stressed
Activity 17: How Does Your Body Feel?
Activity 18: Calming Your Busy Body
Activity 19: Quieting Your Inner Critic
Activity 20: What Do You Like About Yourself?

Section 4
Mindfulness of Healthy Choices

Activity 21: How Much Sleep Do You Need?
Activity 22: Getting to Bed on Time
Activity 23: Paying Attention When You Are Eating
Activity 24: Getting Enough Exercise
Activity 25: Spending Time Outdoors in Nature
Activity 26: Using Screen Time in a Healthy Way
Activity 27: Meditation Time

Section 5
Mindfulness at School

Activity 28: How Long Can You Pay Attention?
Activity 29: You Can Pay Attention Longer
Activity 30: Keeping Track of Your Schoolwork
Activity 31: Keeping Your Backpack Cleaned Out
Activity 32: Staying Calm During a Test
Activity 33: Noticing What’s Going on Around You
Activity 34: Getting Along with Others

Here’s an excerpt from the Foreword written to children by Edward Hallowell, MD author of Driven to Distraction

“This book is about mindfulness for kids who have ADHD. I know, B-O-R-I-N-G! But guess what? It’s NOT! It’s actually REALLY interesting! And really HELPFUL! I PROMISE!

In this book Debbie teaches us how to train our minds to focus more naturally, evenly, effortlessly, happily, and joyfully. She teaches us how to have fun learning instead of having to struggle. I promise!

Once she explains what mindfulness is—it’s paying attention without distraction, if you can believe that—she then teaches you how to do it, if you can believe that. She then explains how to fix ALL KINDS of problems that come up for us all the time—feeling embarrassed, feeling like you’re a loser, calming down during a test, dealing with worry, what to do when you feel really angry, and a whole bunch more—and she explains how to fix them in ways that are really simple and easy to follow. Like, she knows how to explain in ways you can follow and use and even explain to other kids, if you want to.

What I am saying is that this is an awesome book, and Debbie is an awesome teacher. She is SO GOOD. You really will like this book. But you do need to take it seriously. You have to pretty much study it to get all that you can get out of it. But what I am saying is that once you get started you will actually WANT to study it, because, unlike memorizing a bunch of stupid stuff, the stuff in this book will make your life better, happier, more successful, and easier.

So, please, give it a shot. Take your time. Do the exercises. Share them with your parents. I promise you, you will be glad you did. Soon, without knowing what happened, you will be practicing the ancient art of mindfulness. You can impress other people by telling them you are an expert in one of the most proven practices humankind has ever developed, and it is making your body, mind, and spirit better every day.

Read on, practice, prosper, and enjoy!”

Here’s what other leading experts say about this book:
“This wonderful, practical book is full of help and heart. Drawing on both sides of the brain, and integrating thinking and feeling, it has tons of specific suggestions and activities for kids and their parents. It’s fun, to the point, encouraging, and hopeful. A real gem.”
—Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Resilient
 
“Debra Burdick has crafted the perfect resource for children with ADHD. This book is filled with fantastic, age-appropriate activities that can help children maximize the power of mindfulness to control their symptoms of ADHD. Parents may find themselves using the book themselves as the exercises are useful to us all. Outstanding in every respect!”
—Ellen B. Braaten, PhD, director of the MGH Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP), codirector of the The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, associate professor at Harvard Medical School, and coauthor of Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up and Straight Talk About Psychological Testing for Kids

“I know lots of kids who moan and groan when they hear that it is time to practice mindfulness exercises. But these kids have yet to experience Debra Burdick’s book for children with ADHD. Debra has a keen awareness of what it takes to help children with ADHD, combining a unique blend of helpful therapeutic techniques and good old fun. Thoughtful and well written, this book is sure to be a hit with ADHD kids, their parents, and teachers.”
—Lawrence E. Shapiro, PhD, author of How to Raise a Child with a High EQ and The Secret Language of Children

“Debra Burdick has done it again! She has written a very informative, easy-to-digest book to help children, parents, and helping professionals use mindfulness strategies to navigate through common life issues facing children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Since children with ADHD have trouble paying attention, the focus on present-centered mindfulness skills is very intuitive and effective. Her easy-to-follow structure, using ‘For You to Know,’ a case example, and ‘For You to Do’ for each tip, makes each activity very clear and engaging. A great resource for parents and children alike!”
—Judith Belmont, MS, LPC, author of the Tips and Tools for the Therapeutic Toolbox series

“Mindfulness for Kids with ADHD goes beyond the title. In fact, the skills in this book can be used by those of any age, including young children and their parents, teachers, and helping professionals. The mindfulness activities are perfect for parents to do with their kids, and also for teachers to integrate into their classrooms. The information is easy to unpack, expand, and apply to meet the needs of different children in real-life situations. The timing of this book is perfect with all the challenges in our world today to help our kids adopt mindfulness and self-awareness as a way of life.”
—Nancy Hayes, MS, educator, special education coordinator, and elementary school principal