Not Just a Bad Behaviour: Understanding an ADHD Learner

The ADHD Parent Trap At one time or another, inadvertently, we might have used one of these remarks on our child. “You’re such a procrastinator!” “You’re such a rule-breaker! Can’t you follow rules?” “You’re always getting into trouble because you are so rash!” “You forget because you’re always so distracted!” Without a good understanding of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD, it is easy to mistake the symptoms of ADHD for the child’s personality. But these seemingly casual remarks can be very unfair and detrimental. They convey to the child that his or her weakness is fixed, that they can do nothing about it, causing them to be constantly trapped in this negative self-image. Parents and educators alike need to understand that these ADHD symptoms do not characterise the child. If we can understand ADHD, we will be able to appreciate their limitations. They need us to stand with them and find solutions together with them.