The Mindful ADHDer

ADHD is not a disorder of not knowing what to do, it is a disorder of not doing what one knows." - Dr. Russell Barkley.

Maggie had always known she was a bit scatter-brained. She had trouble keeping track of her keys, her wallet, her phone - everything seemed to slip out of her mind as soon as she set it down. But she had always been able to manage, relying on her own systems of lists and reminders to keep herself on track.

But when her son, AJ, was diagnosed with ADHD, everything changed. Suddenly, Maggie found herself struggling to keep up with his constant energy and impulsivity. She would forget to pick him up from school, lose track of his appointments and medications, and snap at him when he was being particularly difficult.

It was a frustrating and humbling experience for Maggie. She had always prided herself on her ability to be organized and efficient, but now she found herself constantly scrambling to keep up with her son's needs. She felt like a failure as a parent, and worried that she was doing more harm than good for her son.

But as she began to learn more about ADHD and how it affected her son's brain, Maggie began to see her own struggles in a new light. She realized that she, too, had been living with undiagnosed ADHD all her life - and that she needed to take steps to manage her own symptoms if she wanted to be the best parent she could be for AJ.

Maggie began seeing a therapist who specialized in ADHD, and started taking medication to help her manage her own symptoms. She also began implementing new strategies for managing her household, like using a color-coded calendar and setting timers for tasks.

As she became more organized and focused, Maggie found that her relationship with AJ improved as well. She was better able to anticipate his needs and plan activities that would keep him engaged and stimulated without overwhelming him. And when they did have difficult moments, she was better able to respond with patience and empathy, rather than frustration and anger.

Parenting a child with ADHD was still a challenge, but Maggie felt more equipped to handle it now that she had a better understanding of her own brain and how it worked. She knew that there would still be ups and downs, but she was ready to face them head-on, with patience, understanding, and love.

“ADHD is not a deficit of attention, but a difficulty in regulating attention.

ADHD is not a choice, but how we choose to support those with ADHD is.”