If anything can make you feel like a failure as a parent it is parenting a child with severe ADHD. For me it is just one of those things I dont like to discuss because if the floodgates burst open I dont know if I will be able to keep treading these waters. The most heartbreaking thing is when a child with this condition feels that they are 'bad' and 'worthless' and the cant do anything right. Because in the parents heart the blame is self-focused: what is wrong with me as a mother if I cant even teach my child to make his bed every day or stay in his seat in the classroom or not torment the teacher. What have I done wrong?? Why does my precious child have to struggle with every little basic life skill??
And when you look into ways to help your child you see the same old stuff- strict routine, orderly envrionment, lists, schedules, positive reinforcement, clear expectations and consequences...blah, blah blah! There are no answers when you are already doing all of the above! It is the worst feeling when a day passes by with your child doing literally every single thing wrong- from wake up till bedtime. Where do we go from here? Is this merely a road without an end? Welll, when you are a parent the idea of giving up just isnt an option. So you make a new chart, apologize to the teacher, give your 5 millionth reminder and you stay the course. And sometimes, when you least expect it there is a good day. And your heart bursts with both pride that your baby is smiling and hurt that every day cant be like this. Then the next morning you wake up and try again. And you love him every step of the way.
