I'm A Therapist – Use This Response If Your Child With ADHD Is Rude Or Aggressive |
I'm A Therapist – Use This Response If Your Child With ADHD Is Rude Or Aggressive
It’s hard. It’s exhausting. It can stir up every difficult feeling you have as a parent. But it works.
As both a mum and a therapist, I’ve seen it all. I’ve been on the receiving end of eye-rolls, sarcastic remarks, and shouting (my own child has ADHD). I’ve also supported parent clients whose children have lashed out physically.
And let me tell you, the shame that comes with it can feel almost as overwhelming as the behaviour itself.
It’s something I’m sure some parents reading this have experienced, as well as those judgemental and even worried looks or comments from other adults.
But you are not a bad parent, and these are not bad kids.
Rudeness and ADHD (as well as other neurodivergent profiles) often go hand-in-hand. It is not a reflection of your child’s character, nor of your parenting.
It stems from differences in impulse control and emotional regulation, and it can show up as a fight-or-flight response – sometimes in words, sometimes in actions, and sometimes in full-blown physical aggression.
Understanding the ADHD brain
Think of the........