Help! I Have No Patience for my ADHD Child!
/Having a child with ADHD is challenging. A child with ADHD has…
trouble controlling their impulses and emotions
socially inappropriate behavior too often
an inability to learn from past consequences
There are more symptoms of ADHD. But those three are enough to drive anyone crazy. At least occasionally.
Let’s start with some affirmations.
I have no patience for my ADHD child.
You are not a bad parent.
I can’t handle my ADHD child.
You can. You are strong and capable and smart.
My ADHD child is out of control.
It’s not you. Most children with ADHD have times when they are out of control.
I’m overwhelmed with my ADHD child.
Having a child with ADHD simply is overwhelming at times. It just is. This is normal.
“You are not alone. Millions of parents are going through the same struggles everyday. You may not realize it, you may not see it, because ADHD is referred to as an invisible disability.”
We have a separate blog posting about what an invisible disability is.
I have no patience for my ADHD child!
Lack of self control, repeated inappropriate actions, and difficulty learning from past mistakes.
Even a saint would lose their patience!
Thanks for your sympathy. But what can I do to improve my patience levels?
I can’t handle my child with ADHD and their lack of self control. Make short lists (see video below). Have time that is unstructured. Allow space to feel and space to be wild. Ignore the looks from adults who don’t know you. Talk through the situation ahead of time to pre-run your child’s responses.
I’m overwhelmed by my child with ADHD and their inappropriate social actions. Become a broken record (“We do not look through all the drawers in the doctor’s office”). Play-act how your child should behave in different situations. Give sincere compliments for attempts at good behavior. Give space to try out weird sounds or unusual wardrobe choices. Pick your battles.
My child with ADHD is out of control and never learns from past mistakes. Be consistent (this works best if all the adults in the home encourage the same rules). Don’t compare one child to another. Try to find ways to say ‘yes’. During pleasant times, point out to your child of how nice it feels to behave well. Tell stories of when your child made good choices (“Remember that time when…”)
