What could possibly be good about ADHD/ADD? Google “ADHD” and you’ll get 62 million hits of symptoms, medications, and side effects. You’ll find a long list of everything that’s wrong—all the ways ADHD/ADD children are deficient, how they fail to, how they are less than, and what they can’t do—and very few sites or experts who say anything positive. But there is one.
Today’s guest, Laurie Dupar, is that exception, a trained mental health nurse-practitioner, best-selling author, and ADHD/ADD family coach who successfully raised two children with ADHD. “I had to find some way to reframe the problem, or it would have killed me,” Laurie says. She urges parents to understand the challenges, yes, but also to see the whole child—his or her gifts, strengths, and competencies. “I’ve never met an adult or child with ADHD who hasn’t had amazing qualities,” says Laurie. “But we tend to focus on what’s wrong and what’s not working—to the detriment of seeing the bigger picture and seeing it accurately.”
On this show, Laurie will give you—through real-life stories from her own life and the lives of her clients—a new way of thinking about what ADHD is. “When you understand what ADHD is and isn’t,” she explains” “you handle challenges better, you get less upset and uptight, and your household is more peaceful.”
Laurie will also offer solutions to common challenges your child might face, such as
How the depression and frustration of being different from your friends can be coped with
How social skills may be harder to develop but can be mastered
How medication is not a “magic bullet,” but requires constant tweaking and changing as the brain grows
ADHD/ADD challenges are not trivial. But when you see things from a long-range, broader perspective—when you encourage your kid to focus on his or her strengths—you’ll have a terrific advantage. Having ADHD/ADD may seem like a curse, but consider that it can also be a part of your child’s unique recipe for greatness. Just a thought. Listen in, and share your comments on www.singlemomtalkradio.com.