'My instinct, borne from a childhood spent sweeping my own mental health under the rug, was to pretend that my son was healthy and thriving and successful in all aspects of his life. Reaching out for help, I believed, would make me a failure.'
I was raised by “tiger parents” who believed that a child honors her elders by staying quiet, obeying, working hard, and accomplishing great things in life. Acceptable accomplishments included the following: amassing money, owning a large house, and lavishing relatives with expensive gifts.
So I kept moving forward with my head down, ignoring my feelings, and staying determined to repay my parents’ sacrifices.In high school, I began feeling persistent tightness in my chest and frequently experienced shallow breathing. My mile-long list of fears and worries never left my mind. I was deathly afraid of driving — absolutely convinced I would get into a horrible car accident.
For too long, my anxiety kept me trapped in an impermeable web of worry about how ADHD would doom my son to failure. I tortured myself with self-blame:Was there something wrong with me? Did he inherit his neurological challenges from me?Get This Free Download: Your 13-Step Guide to Raising a Child with ADHDAs I tried navigating through the confusion and my escalating anxiety, my son slipped farther away.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
ADHD in Kids: What I Wish the World KnewADHD in kids is tough to manage and even tougher to explain. Here, parents share the facts they wish neurotypical people understood about their child's ADD as well as damaging misconceptions about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Read more »
Is Your Morning Routine Killing Your ADHD Child’s Creativity?'In his bedroom, I find him still in his underwear, stretched out on a wet towel doing something that resembles a newly-invented yoga pose. Trying to ignore the sound of my rapidly beating heart in my ears, I say as calm as possible, 'Please get dressed!''
Read more »
ADHD and Setting SMART Goals | ADDitude - Attention Deficit Disorder BlogsThis goal-setting strategy can help ADHD adults stay motivated — and have fun — while working to reach their target.
Read more »
Parents of ADHD: Coping with a Daunting ADD Diagnosis'You can love your kid to the moon & back & still look at them & think, you are hard. You need to realize that — hold it in your hands for a while, learn its truth — that loving & knowing something is difficult are not mutually exclusive.' manicpixiemama
Read more »
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy to Discipline Defiant Kids w/ ADHDMany families battling defiant behavior turn to parent-management training, which teaches parents to change their reactions to a child’s behavior — good and bad.
Read more »
A Child's Perspective of ADHD: Video Poem of Symptoms & EmotionIn this illuminating video, 7-year-old Anna Chesterman-Smith invites you to take her hand and walk through a day of ADHD challenges at home, on the playground, and in the classroom.
Read more »