{"id":7062,"date":"2023-08-31T21:14:02","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T14:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7062"},"modified":"2023-08-31T21:14:02","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T14:14:02","slug":"back-to-school-challenges-for-parents-with-adhd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7062","title":{"rendered":"Back-to-School Challenges for Parents With ADHD"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">S<\/span>chedules, breakfasts, wake-ups, registration forms. Drop-offs and pick-ups and lunches. Getting kids\u2014particularly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.childrenscolorado.org\/conditions-and-advice\/parenting\/parenting-articles\/neurodiversity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.childrenscolorado.org\/conditions-and-advice\/parenting\/parenting-articles\/neurodiversity\/\">neurodivergent kids<\/a>\u2014mentally and physically prepared for sitting in class come fall often takes center stage at the start of the school year. But for parents with ADHD, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wellness-essentials-walmart\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wellness-essentials-walmart\/\">back-to-school<\/a> can be a time of under-acknowledged stress and upheaval.<\/div>\n<p>\u201cA lot of the emphasis goes on the kid being ready and not a lot of emphasis goes on the parent who&#8217;s preparing them,\u201d says psychiatrist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drhamdanimd.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.drhamdanimd.com\/\">Sasha Hamdani<\/a>, MD. \u201cIt\u2019s just this huge ramp up in intellectual needs.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<hr\/>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/adhd-add-in-women\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/adhd-add-in-women\/\">ADHD can look different<\/a> from person to person, it\u2019s generally characterized by \u201ca breakdown in functioning related to an inability to regulate focus,\u201d Dr. Hamdani says, which can also affect your ability to regulate emotions.<\/p>\n<p>Multi-tasking and multiple-ball-juggling is a challenge for any parent. And parents with ADHD may have an especially difficult time with these logistical demands, especially when they all come at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome of the demands of the organizational things and time management can be a little harder for individuals with ADHD,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.skimresources.com%3Fid%3D104860X1561639%26xs%3D1%26xcust%3DSTMSLS-1108418%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.donefirst.com%252Fmedical-team%252Fdr-zoe-martinez&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fparents-with-adhd-back-to-school%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.donefirst.com\/medical-team\/dr-zoe-martinez\">Zoe Martinez, MD, PhD,<\/a> an ADHD clinician with <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.skimresources.com%3Fid%3D104860X1561639%26xs%3D1%26xcust%3DSTMSLS-1108418%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.donefirst.com%252Fhomepage-2023-june-firstfold-test-1-preview-b&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fparents-with-adhd-back-to-school%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.donefirst.com\/homepage-2023-june-firstfold-test-1-preview-b\">Done<\/a>, a digital health company. \u201cAny transition for any individual with ADHD requires more organization than for someone who&#8217;s \u2018neurotypical\u2019 or has maybe different issues.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/parents-with-adhd-back-to-school\/\" current-title=\"It\u2019s Not All About the Kids: Back to School Can Be a Challenge for Parents, Too\u2014Particularly Those With ADHD\" current-image=\"parent-with-adhd-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-03-03\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/parents-with-adhd-back-to-school\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/parents-with-adhd-back-to-school\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/parents-with-adhd-back-to-school\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Dr. Hamdani is herself a parent with ADHD, with both kids in school for the first time this fall. She says it\u2019s been a challenge to juggle paperwork, to-do lists from teachers, family schedules, her own job and self-care, and ya know, the rest of life.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am a parent with ADHD, and I am struggling right now,\u201d Dr. Hamdani admits. \u201cFor me at least, it&#8217;s not a skill set that comes naturally. It requires a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot of forward planning, a lot of building in checks and balances to make sure things get done.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;I am a parent with ADHD, and I am struggling right now.&#8221; \u2014Sasha Hamdani, MD<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>While some parents might feel relieved by childcare duties getting taken off their plates for a good portion of the day, the very fact of a change itself is an additional challenge for parents with ADHD.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAny time there&#8217;s a transition, it requires a period of recalibration, and that can be destabilizing for someone with ADHD,\u201d Dr. Hamdani says. \u201cIt&#8217;s hard to create routines and build in patterns, and so when there&#8217;s a change in something that has become a pattern, it takes a bit to get used to it again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There is an added emotional layer of stress, since preparing your kids for school is wrapped up in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/mom-guilt\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/mom-guilt\/\">high-pressure idea of being a \u201cgood parent.\u201d<\/a> People with ADHD may feel shame or anxiety if they\u2019re struggling with the transition, which can only compound these issues since those emotions can lead to procrastination\u2014which then makes the tasks, or anticipation of doing the tasks, feel even more overwhelming.<\/p>\n<h2>So how can parents with ADHD effectively navigate back-to-school?<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Admit to the struggle<\/h3>\n<p>Recognizing the logistical and emotional challenges of back-to-school time is the first step in getting through this time period.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAcknowledge that any time there&#8217;s transitions, there&#8217;s increased stress, and whatever you&#8217;re struggling with is going to be a little harder, and that&#8217;s okay,\u201d Dr. Martinez says. \u201cHaving the conversation or even allowing yourself to have the thought that this might be something I&#8217;m struggling with is a good first start.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>2. Be okay with making mistakes<\/h3>\n<p>You\u2019re not going to do everything perfectly, and if you do make a mistake, try to approach it with compassion, and the attitude that every day is a new day. \u201cThe expectation of what \u2018perfect\u2019 is needs to really go out the window,\u201d Dr. Martinez says. \u201cThere is no person with or without ADHD that is going to be perfect at anything, including parenthood.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>3. Ask for help<\/h3>\n<p>Give yourself permission to delegate tasks to support people in your life, suggests Dr. Hamdani. \u201cYou look at these challenges and initially maybe it doesn&#8217;t look that complicated, but there&#8217;s a lot of stuff and there are a lot of layers, and it requires being vigilant,\u201d Dr. Hamdani says. \u201cIf you have a good partner or if you have family members that can help with some of that and just keep you accountable, that\u2019s really important.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>3. Manage the to-dos one by one<\/h3>\n<p>Breaking tasks into manageable chunks can also help you avoid feeling overwhelmed. \u201cMake the transition smaller by breaking it down into pieces,\u201d Dr. Martinez suggests. Case in point: Dr. Hamdani says she tried to get all her back-to-school tasks done in one day, which meant she got totally derailed when the day didn\u2019t go exactly as planned\u2014she says breaking it up would have helped.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Take notes<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Martinez also urges that you shouldn\u2019t be hesitant to take your time in digesting and recording information in a way that works for you.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost people don&#8217;t want to admit that they didn&#8217;t really hear what someone said to them,\u201d Dr. Martinez says. \u201cWriting things down is really important. That being said, a lot of times people with ADHD find that particular task to be extremely dull. So it&#8217;s a lot about the discipline of just knowing that that&#8217;s something I just kind of need to do when someone tells me something.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>5. Don&#8217;t forget about your own needs<\/h3>\n<p>Finding time for yourself will also help you replenish your mental and emotional engine, so allow yourself to prioritize self-care.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don&#8217;t feel guilty about brushing our teeth,\u201d Dr. Martinez says. \u201cSelf-care should be just like that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Overall, strategize with your mental health professional or with other online resources that might help you understand your brain better, and be kind to yourself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s okay to take your time to meander through it and feel the feelings,\u201d Dr. Hamdani says. \u201cIt&#8217;s a complex time and that\u2019s okay. You&#8217;re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Schedules, breakfasts, wake-ups, registration forms. Drop-offs and pick-ups and lunches. Getting kids\u2014particularly neurodivergent kids\u2014mentally and physically prepared for sitting in class come fall often takes center stage at the start of the school year. But for parents with ADHD, back-to-school can be a time of under-acknowledged stress and upheaval. \u201cA lot of the emphasis goes &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7062"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7062\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}