Advice on dealing with an 8yr old with possible ADHD Please?

[LoveMyGirls]

I'm about to care for a child with possible ADHD. I'm worried about how I will deal with his behaviour, worried that the techniques i normally use won't work so i'm just wondering how those of you with children or those who care for children with behavioural issues deal with situations best iyswim.

I also have 3 under 2yrs so need to consider their needs too.

I'm looking for as much advice and information as I can get, i'm hoping some of you will be able to help.

I'm feeling very nervous as I really want to do my best for all these children but I have never dealt with this type of thing before and am starting to feel a bit out of depth.

I have met this child briefly where he climbed on top of the play house and hit my eldest dd with a golf club so hard she still has a bruise almost 2 weeks later this was when i was interviewing his mum and my dp was watching the older ones in the garden while we talked, i didn't know about the golf club thing until a few days later when dd showed me. I have spoken to his mum who just said be very firm on him to start with.

Any tips would be appreciated, anything I can do to keep him busy, distract him from misbehaving?

TIA

Agree with the mother, establish firm ground rules from day 1. Avoid having too many rules... but make it clear that certain behaviour is unacceptable.

Talk with his parents regarding discipline methods - for example, do they do anything in particular to help him regain control, such as making him sit on a chair, bottom step of stairs, that sort of thing? Do they use a timer, or just wait until he regains control of himself?

Be as consistent as possible. No means no.
As a childminder I expect you already do this.

Given his age, are you mostly having him after school? If so, try to enable him to release energy as much as possible - playing in the garden, park etc.

As you have younger ones, once he has accepted your rules then give him some responsibility - helping one of the younger children for example. Ask him to help with getting tea ready. Try to treat him as any other 8 year old.

Thanks so much Nick, I'll occasionally have him after school, but today i'll be having him for 5 hours as it's holiday's, worried about him getting bored as we can't go out at least for the first 3 hours he is here, i'm hoping it will stay dry this afternoon so we can go out for a bit.

I'm worried about him waking the younger ones up when they are napping or if he hurts them like he hurt dd1 though i have removed golf clubs/ bats for now.

Have you survived the morning? With luck it wasn't as bad as you thought it may be.

So far so good!!

My DS was at his very worst at 8 years old. Glad to hear it's going OK ATM. Something to bear in mind is that kids with ADHD thrive on strict routine, and not to give too many instructions at once ie while you might say to an NT 8 yo "go upstairs and get your coat and shoes, and could you take this up with you", a child with ADHD can't take that in. "get your coat from upstairs" might be the best they could manage. Not a very good example but hope you can see what I mean.