Positive Behavior, Social Skills, and Self-Esteem

Esta M. Rapoport received her doctorate in Special Education from Boston University upon writing her dissertation, which focused on homeschool parents teaching social skills to their children with ADHD. She does social skills training with children who have ADHD.

Foreword
Chun Zhang, Ph.D
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
How do I know if my Preschool Child has a Diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
What will you Learn in my Book?
Some General Tips to Start your Journey Off in a Positive Direction
A Few Suggestions for how to Read this Book
Chapter 1: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): The Definition and the Symptoms
The Definition of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
The Diagnostic Features
What are the Numbers?
How do the Symptoms of ADHD Present themselves in Preschool Children?
Be Careful not to Assume that a Specific Preschool Child has ADHD
The Treatment Guidelines
Research Supported Group Behavioral Training Programs
Chapter 2: Parents as Observers
The Detective Work
Act as an Observer
Observation 1: A Playdate
Observation 2: A Class or an Activity
Observation 3: Your House
The Behavior of a Preschool Child with ADHD as Compared to a Typical[i] Child’s Behavior
Chapter 3: Parenting a Preschool Child with ADHD: The Stress, the Anxiety and the Guilt
The Stress and the Anxiety
What Stress should I Anticipate in Trying to Manage the Behavior of my Preschool Child with ADHD?
The Guilt: Is my Child’s Inattention, Impulsivity, and Socially Inappropriate Behavior my Fault?
What should I do to Begin to Manage my Preschool Child with ADHD’s Behavior?
Morning Instructions
Bedtime Instructions
What should I Expect after I Try to Implement these Instructions?
What if I Make a Mistake?
Should I Talk to my Family and Friends about my Preschool Child’s ADHD?
If I do Discuss my Child’s ADHD Diagnosis with my Friends, will they Permit their Child to Play with Mine?
Do I Discipline my Preschool Child with ADHD when he cannot Control his own Behavior?
What do I do if my Husband and I do not Agree on how to Manage our Preschool Child with ADHD’s Behavior?
The Uncertainty of Managing your Preschool Child with ADHD’s Behavior when YOU have ADHD
Chapter 4: Social Skills
The Definition of Social Skills
The Importance of Parental Knowledge of their Preschool Child with ADHD’s Social Skills
Do Preschool Children with ADHD Learn the Same Social Skills as their Siblings?
The Answer to our Question
Is there any Good News?
Maintaining Eye Contact and Communicating with other Children through Body Language
Lists of Social Skills that Preschool Children with ADHD Need to Learn
How Preschoolers with ADHD Exhibit Social Skills: Misinterpreting Social Cues
Parents Teaching Social Skills to their Preschool Child with ADHD: I am a Parent! I am not a Teacher!
Problem-Solving Areas for Preschool Children with ADHD: Sharing, Taking Turns and Transitions
Sharing
Taking Turns
Transitions
Just a Few More Suggestions
What does your Preschool Child with ADHD’s Behavior Look Like during Play?
Chapter 5: Treatment
Controlling our own Behavior
Some Suggestions…
Important Points for Every Parent to Remember
Your Home Routine
Do I Manage All of the Socially Inappropriate Behaviors that my Child Exhibits?
How do I Begin Redesigning my Child’s Environment?
Does Stimulation Diminish Hyperactivity?
Back to Redesigning my Child’s Home Environment
What did my Dissertation Research find out about Teaching Social Skills?
What Social Skills do Preschool Children with ADHD need to Learn? What do you Need to do before you Teach Social Skills?
Social Skill 1: Teach your Preschool Child with ADHD to Maintain Eye Contact
Social Skill 2: Teaching Social Skills through Conversations with your Child
Social Skill 3: Behaving in a Polite Manner
Social Skill 4: Arguing with Disciplinary Decisions: The Negotiator
Social Skill 5: Joining Ongoing Activities and Play
Assessment of Facial Expressions
Intervention: Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Intervention: Candid Camera
Learning Facial Expressions the Old-Fashioned Way
Intervention: Some Steps for your Preschool Child with ADHD to Follow
Social Skill 6: Volunteering to Help Other Children
Social Skill 7: Inviting Others to Join Activities
Intervention: Recognizing Facial Expressions
Social Skill 8: Cooperation
So…An Additional Point!
Intervention: Designing Rules
Intervention: A Cooperative Project
Social Skill 9: Compromise
Intervention: Effecting a Compromise between Two Children (One with ADHD)
Intervention: Building Together
Social Skill 10: Asking Permission to Use Other’s Property
Intervention: A Role-Play
Social Skill 11: Sharing and Taking Turns
Intervention: Playing Together is much more Fun!
Intervention: Audible Task Cards
Intervention: Sharing a Toy with which another Child is Playing
Intervention: Sharing a Toy with which you are Playing
One Last Intervention: Waiting to Share a Toy
Social Skill 12: Incessant or Excessive Talking
Intervention: Waiting to Talk
Social Skill 13: Listening to All Instructions without Interrupting
A General Intervention: Teaching your Child not to Interrupt
A Detailed Intervention: Getting the Child to Listen to Instructions without Interrupting
Social Skill 14: Transitions
Intervention: Be Intentional
Social Skill 15: Staying in his Seat for Meals
ABC Chart
Intervention: Positive Reinforcement
Social Skill 16: Staying in One Place
Intervention: Using a Manipulative
One Caveat!
Sibling Interactions: HELP!!!
Intervention: Getting Along with Each Other
Devices and Accessories to Calm your Child Down
Alternative Types of Treatment
Chapter 6: Technology for Preschool Children with ADHD (Edited by Jake Rapoport, M.S. Education, Educational Technology Specialist)
Let us Begin with a Timely Question: Should you Permit your Preschool Child with
ADHD to Engage in Screen Time?
Guidelines
The Use of Apps to Teach Social Skills: The Verdict?
How do I Start Using Apps? What should you do First, Second and Third?
A Few More Suggestions before you Begin to Use Apps
Pre-academic Apps
Memory Match and Learn (On the Apple Platform)
Abby Monkey Basic Skills Pre-K (On the Apple and the Android Platforms)
Dino Learning Games: Dinosaurs Puzzles for Kids (On the Apple and the Android Platforms)
Preschool Math App-First Numbers and Counting Games for Toddlers and Pre-K Kids (On the Apple Platform)
Preschool Games for Kids (On the Android Platform)
Kids Preschool Learning Games (On the Android Platform)
Attention Trainer for ADHD: ADHD Pig (On the Apple and the Android Platforms)
Apps about Feelings and Social Skills
Even Monsters are Shy (On the Apple Platform)
To Satisfy my Curiosity! What will I Find at the Company Page?
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame (On the Apple and the Android Platforms)
Daniel Tiger’s Grr-ific Feelings (On the Apple and the Android Platforms)
All by Myself by Mercer Mayer (On the Apple and the Android Platforms)
Daniel Tiger’s Day and Night (On the Apple and the Android Platforms)
Manners (On the Apple and the Android Platforms)
Feelings-Emotional Growth (On the Apple Platform)
Feelings-Baby Bus (On the Apple Platform)
My Own Summation of the Use of Apps for Preschool Children with ADHD
Chapter 7: The Changes in Life that may Affect your Preschool Child with ADHD
How to Teach your Child with ADHD to Behave when you are Upset
Questions to Ask yourself to Help you to Respond to a Life Change instead of Reacting to a Life Change
Questions to Ask your Preschool Child with ADHD about the Change that has just Occurred
Some Resources that will Help you to Talk to your Preschool Child with ADHD about a Change that has Occurred
How to Manage your Preschool Child with ADHD’s Behavior when a Natural Disaster Occurs
Life Changing Events for which you cannot Plan
Chapter 8: Bullying
What does the Research Report?
If your Preschool Child with ADHD has been Bullied, what can you do to Stop him from being Bullied?
How is Bullying Described in Preschool Children with ADHD?
How do you Discover if your Preschool Child with ADHD has been Bullied?
How can you Convince your Preschool Child with ADHD to Talk about having been Bullied?
Techniques for Trying to Prevent your Preschool Child with ADHD from being Bullied?
Is your Preschool Child with ADHD a Bully?
How do you Behave toward your Preschool Child with ADHD?
Ideas and Principles that you need to Explain and Teach to your Preschool Child with ADHD if he is a Bully
Behave in a Nice and Kind Way
Design a Schedule and Set Up a Routine
Set Up a Time for Conversation
Encourage your Preschool Child with ADHD to Discuss his Feelings
Should your Preschool Child with ADHD Apologize to the Child whom he has Bullied?
Conclusion
Appendix A: Does ADHD have a History?
Appendix B: American Academy of Pediatrics: ADHD: Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents
Appendix C: ABC Chart
Bibliography and Suggested Resources
About the Author

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[i] I use the term typical children here to refer to those children who do not have a diagnosis of ADHD.