Why Should Teens with ADHD Take a "Gap Year"? Wise Solutions for Life Skills Development
Written by Craig Rogers, Posted on , in Section Stress Relief
ADHD Gap Year Wisdom - A Sabbatical for Maturity
Learn from a Teen ADHD expert as he discuss the value of the "gap year" for teenagers with moderate to severe ADHD. The Podcast below is worth your time, trust me. Listen to John Wilson's podcast titled, "The Case for a Gap Year: Teens with ADHD Taking a Year Off to Gain Life Skills and Real Life Perspectives", and perhaps it can save you and your adult child years of heartache and pain.
The essential premise of a young adult with ADHD taking a “gap year” is to allow them time to grow emotionally before they take on the stressful rigors of a college experience. The gap year is a temporary break after high school, where the young man or woman takes a break from formal education. Hopefully, this break only lasts a year, but sometimes it takes two years before they are emotionally and mentally ready to succeed as young adults in a college setting - especially young people dealing with ADHD.
Searching For Direction Before Committing to 5 Years of College
Think of a gap year as a sabbatical, taking time off at the end of high school before young people commit to 5 or more years of college tribulation. College-bound high school graduates have endured stressful academic demands for the last four years and they might benefit from a year off. These students had the support of their parents. Many with ADHD are not emotionally ready to take on higher levels of stress due to complications of ADHD. The smart thing to do is take a year off and "find yourself." These kids can jump back into school later after they have learned how to deal with adult life - living on their own.
The difference between high school and college is huge. College students are typically living on their own and no longer have the daily support of their parents. No one is there for them to ensure they are on time, studying, going to class, and ALL THAT FREEDOM. If they are not emotionally mature enough to handle college life, the kid with ADHD can go off the rails - it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Not only is it a waste of money, it also can be so defeating (humiliating) that the young adult may never go back, even when they have matured and are able to meet the demands of college.
Leading experts in the world of attention deficit hyperactive disorder are helping parents of struggling young adults to make wise decision as to how to support their young adult child navigate from adolescents to adulthood. One of the traditional game plans used by ADHD experts is the gap year experience. It is often quite helpful for the young adult to gain a year or two of real-life experience in order to emotionally mature enough to handle life on their own while attending college.
Many teens with ADHD benefit from taking a year between high school and college to explore interests, learn independent living skills, and clarify their direction in life. John Willson, M.S., OTR, explains how to structure a successful gap year.
Direct download: 144-adhd-teens-gap-year-between-high-school-college.mp3
Category:ADHD Teens and College Students -- posted at: 9:00am EDT
