When a child is diagnosed with ADHD, Parent Coaching can make all the difference in improving the quality of your and your child’s lives.
Parents usually receive standard recommendations for raising kids with ADHD, such as accommodations and modifications for school, perhaps therapeutic interventions for the child, and sometimes medication. Many times, parents are unaware of the social and emotional impact that ADHD has on learning, motivation, behavior, and the whole family system.
That’s where Parent Coaching helps.
By relying on love, intuition, and logic, parents may unintentionally exacerbate the very challenges they are trying to remediate without the proper knowledge, tools, and insights. Parent Coaching with professionals who are specifically trained in ADHD and Executive Function can help parents see how their assumptions, expectations, and communication style may hinder rather than enhance their support for their children.
Outside therapies and interventions that are child-centered may not have a robust and consistent impact on children when parents do not have the skills and insights to adjust the family dynamics. Complicating matters, even the most loving couples don’t always see parenting through the same lens when raising kids with ADHD or any learning or behavioral challenges. The stress this often creates between parents can place a strain on their marriage and the family system, often risking detrimental lifelong consequences for all involved.
Parent Coaching, with a trained Parent Coach, can help parents explore their different concerns and perspectives. Often this collaboration reduces marital stress and, perhaps more importantly, provides the child with healthier guidance and support.
In my work, I have found that parents often benefit from having their own time and privacy to examine their interactions with their children. With my clients, I begin by helping them understand their child through the lens of how ADHD impacts every aspect of their child’s communication, action, and emotional reaction.
During Parent Coaching sessions, we explore issues such as:
- parental enabling vs. supporting
- improving communication so that children feel heard as well as understand their parent’s perspective
- establishing boundaries that are productive and not triggering
- establishing consequences that build skills rather than just be punitive
- understanding what triggers challenging behavior rather than focusing on the action itself (whining, yelling, avoiding, etc.)
When parents begin with Parent Coaching, I often encourage them to take my Calm and Connected: Parenting Children with ADHD/Executive Function Challenges© seven-session workshop series.
Session 1 can be taken alone, providing parents with a full psychoeducational understanding of ADHD and Executive Function. Neuropsychologists, Pediatricians, and Psychiatrists often recommend it to parents upon completing the child’s evaluation. By listening to other parents going through a similar journey, regardless of their child’s age, parents usually benefit from the shared experience. It’s wonderful to see the bonding and support between parents of high school children and elementary school children. I also collaborate with the children’s therapists to create a full circle of support.
ADHD is not a disorder, as I like to look at it. I see it as a difference with challenges. If you can understand your challenges and figure out the tools and strategies to deal with those challenges, you can succeed at whatever you want!
When parents can parent without shame, blame, or criticism, and instead apply tolerance, empathy, and support, they can more closely connect and guide their children towards success. Parent Coaching helps you achieve this.
You are not alone on this journey!
If you are interested in Becoming a Professional ADHD Parent Coach, Click here to learn more.
