ADHD Parenting Tip - Why ADHD Can Be Such a Bad Diagnosis For a Child

This article is probably not about what you think it might be. I'm not here to suggest that ADHD is a bad diagnosis, and I am not here to talk about how it might be the wrong diagnosis. These might be valid points to consider, but I am talking about the impact an ADHD diagnosis can have on a child.

It's sometimes hard for us adults to remember a time when the world was only really about going to school, making friends, flirting, and wanting to fit in. That last one is real important. For most kids, and that includes anyone who does not have adult responsibilities yet, there is just little awareness about paying the bills and balancing all the things that we do as adults and parents.

I want to mention this because it helps frame the understanding that adults can often see and interpret the world rather quite differently than children.

When an adult is diagnosed with ADHD, it's not uncommon for them to have an "a-ha" moment. I've heard many times before that there is an experience of relief. For some adults, the ADHD diagnosis can make sense of years of struggle, frustration, and plain old character behaviors.

But when a child is diagnosed with ADHD, many of them only hear "I'm different." Some might even think:

I've been found out.
Everyone knows.
All the kids will make fun of me.

That's very different for adults.

Our children are very much influenced by the things we do and say. But they are more easily influenced by the people around them and more general societal beliefs.

Let's face it, after a while, as parents we become seen as stale, boring, and predictable. Now other parents, and our peers, are really exciting. They do things differently. We only see what we want to see, and not what goes on behind the scenes.

Think about that...

Bottom Line? A child with ADHD needs the tools, resources, supports, and understanding to be successful in school and in life. I'd like to help with that! Download your free ADHD Essentials Audio Kit today, and you'll get immediate access to information and strategies that will make a difference.