WatchMinder

Additude magazine's "Ask The Organizer " feature was particularly on point this week.  The question:

Q: "We have trouble getting my eight-year-old daughter to move fast enough to get to school on time or to make other appointments. Any suggestions?"

We get this question all the time...  It seems that keeping track of time is always at the center of conflict between ADHD children and their parents. The organizer, Sandy Maynard , offers the following useful tips:

• Let her pick out a fun watch. Encourage her to check it often by asking her what time it is.  (Sandy, I think this is a particularly good idea!)

• Place clocks in locations where she tends to lose track of time, such as the bathroom or opposite the breakfast table in the kitchen.

• Announce how long you'll do an activity: "We'll play cards for 20 minutes." Then, call attention to how much time has passed and how much is left. "We've been playing for 15 minutes. That means we have five more minutes to play."

• In the car, ask her how long she thinks it will take to get to your destination. Have her time the trip so that she can see how close she comes in estimating it.

• Be sure you're leaving enough time—she may just need an extra 10 minutes to get ready.

Please email us your time management tips and secrets and we will share them with the WatchMinder community.