If you missed part 1 or part 2 of this series, read them now.
Today… my son and I are super tight – even when we disagree (and we certainly DO disagree).
His heart is big and bold. He loves himself. He wants his independence but (usually) respects my input. He gets good grades, pretty much all on his own. He’s making friends – real ones, that share his interests.
He’s amazing.
Does he struggle some extra because of his ADHD? Sure!
AND despite the struggle, he and I are BOTH confident that his future is bright, and that he can and will accomplish what he sets his big mind to.
His ADHD is well-managed, and we can focus on using those ADHD traits to his advantage… not to his detriment. And believe me — ADHD traits can be massive advantages!
I don’t tell you this to brag. I tell you this because I know that if I can do it, so can you.
This kind of progress is absolutely available to you, too. And even better – you are completely in control of the first steps needed to get there.
The NUMBER ONE thing that changed my son’s progress was a complete shift in MY knowledge, mindset, and parenting skills.
I did a 180 degree shift myself. This in turn, allowed him to do a 180-degree shift, too.
We didn’t do it alone. We had the help of an amazing coach.
She changed my perspective of what ADHD is and turned my parenting approach on its head. She empowered me to change our lives. I had never felt so good in my entire life as I saw all my efforts begin to make a difference.
But here was my real A-HA moment — as I began talking to other parents who were also raising kids with ADHD about what I was learning, how I was changing, and my son’s progress, I discovered that this type of help is virtually unheard of!
I discovered that my loneliness and feelings of isolation were extremely common with ADHD — more parents felt that way than I could ever have imagined.
I learned that there are hundreds of thousands of parents just like me (and maybe you) who long for the same things:
- For someone in their corner.
- For someone who sees and appreciates their effort and desperate NEED to get this parenting thing right.
- For someone to reassure them that they are on the right track, even when the results aren’t immediately obvious.
- For a community of moms and dads who they can talk to without justifying themselves, sugar coating hard things, or feeling crazy.
I certainly didn’t have any of that. And now I was understanding that others don’t have it either.
So… I decided to create it for you.
I made the decision that helping other parents through this ADHD-journey was going to be my life’s work, and that I could not stand by while other parents went through this all alone.
My family and friends were a little surprised, to say the least. You see, I was in the middle of a successful career as a corporate attorney. I was leaving a lot behind in order to do this work.
But there was absolutely no question in my mind.
Every step on this journey has been worth the effort. My life has been forever enriched.
I created Honestly ADHD, and through its community and the ADHD parenting courses offered in the Honestly ADHD Parenting Academy hundreds of parents have been able to make major changes in their children’s lives.
Our family’s struggle brought us to a place of strength and has allowed me the opportunity to do the same for thousands of other families too.
I am truly blessed.
