Taking a "snapshot" of your child by assessing his or her strengths and possible areas for improvement may help when it comes time to set goals.

Here are some tips to create a "snapshot" identifying your child's current talents, abilities, and interests, as well as areas for improvement.

Talk with your child about favorite subjects and activities. What makes your child enthusiastic? Happy? Concerned? Frustrated?

Review old report cards to identify subjects in which your child excels, as well as ones he or she finds more difficult. Are there consistencies? Inconsistencies? (Report cards may also provide insights into leadership qualities, social styles, and ability to get along with others.)

Ask for input from others who interact with your child on a regular basis — such as your spouse, teachers, caregivers, and coaches. (You may want to discuss your own findings and ask for their insight.)

Talk with your child's doctor and other healthcare professionals about their observations and recommendations for your child.

Your Child's Talents, Abilities, and Interests

Determine the areas in which your child has had the greatest successes. Identifying them may help him or her feel more confident about addressing areas for improvement.

Think of what your child enjoys doing and excels in. What are your child's most obvious talents and abilities — academically and socially?

Think of what gives your child the greatest sense of accomplishment. What activities does your child stick with even when frustrated?

What school subjects does your child master most easily?

In what social settings or situations is your child most comfortable?

Areas for Improvement

Many children with ADHD face challenges in areas such as controlling their behaviour, getting along with others, paying attention, and completing schoolwork. These questions may be useful for identifying areas that currently need improvement:

What activities frustrate your child or make him or her give up quickly (e.g. completing homework, paying attention in class)?

What settings or activities tend to be more difficult (e.g. the classroom, school cafeteria, family outings)?

What school subjects or extracurricular activities does your child not like?

What behaviours cause your child social problems (e.g. interrupting, not taking turns, saying hurtful things without thinking, not being able to sit still, daydreaming)? Learn more techniques to help your child improve his or her social skills.

In order to create a snapshot, use a large piece of paper and colored markers and photos from magazines or images from the computer. Write down or use pictures for all the strengths you identified. Do the same for areas in which your child needs to grow. You may even want to trace an outline of your child and write the words or create the images around the outline. You may want to repeat the process at the beginning of every school year to help you evaluate progress.