Parents / Guardians
Is anything more precious to you than your children?
Is it a concern that your child will grow and develop the skills and knowledge to survive without us at some point?
Is it incredibly challenging at times and overwhelming?
Is there a guidebook or do we just have to somehow get on with it often hoping for the best but feeling we’re somehow getting it wrong despite our best of intentions?
Most parents if they’re being really honest will at some point universally answer these questions similarly.
That’s because when you become a parent for the first time it’s a life changing experience.
You walk out of the hospital with your baby and the staff just let you.
I remember thinking, “can I just take this small human home now?”
But I can speak from my own experience and that of the parents I’ve worked with who are parents to children with ADHD and often have ADHD themselves that it can feel like you seem to have more challenges than you were prepared for.
It comes as no surprise that our children can be so much more physically energetic, their minds race and wander all at the same time and they sometimes really struggle to manage their emotions, school can present a whole host of different challenges too. In turn we can feel ourselves not knowing what to do for the best while heading for our our burnout.
In short, it can be really hard sometimes to enjoy parenting and feel like you’re doing the right thing by your child. This in turn can leave parents isolated and understandably worried.
It’s no wonder that our children feel often like they don’t fit in or lose their self esteem as they grow through puberty and school life.
A child with ADHD will hear on average 20,000 more negative comments during their formative years than that of their Neurotypical peers from “sit still, don’t interrupt, concentrate, why did you do that? etc….
You may find yourself struggling to advocate for your child at school if you don’t understand exactly what support they need.
I can assure you that I have been there as a teenager myself, as a parent and as a full time Head of Year for Year 9, 10 and 11 students. I have a very good insight and understanding of the challenges faced.
But these kids are the future. Sure they can be a challenge but with clarity and the skills needed to navigate the world, they are beyond capable of amazing things like any other child.
Tailored ADHD coaching can guide any confusion to clearer understanding and in turn confidence.
Coaching with me involves sessions with Teenagers separately and when needed with their parents and guardians to ensure that the whole family is on board for the best possible outcomes.
Parenting
Sensory overload – birthday party example
Sleep troubles
Tags in clothing
Picky eating
Meltdowns once at home but no behaviour issues presented at school – masking
Touching everything, spinning around
zones out – audio processing issues
Can focus for hours on end on a computer game but not for more than 2 minutes on a non preferred task
Fixations with certain hobbies or content food then dropped like it never existed the next week