Parenting Therapy
In addition to wreaking havoc on marriage and friendships, adult ADHD traits such as intolerance for boredom and routine and a need for constant excitement, stimulation, and action, can interfere with the ability to be a responsive and responsible parent.
Studies show that many adults with ADHD have erratic parenting styles. They tend to be inconsistent in terms of establishing discipline, setting goals, and maintaining realistic expectations, a fact that often results in household confusion and chaos.
Alert
Many adults with ADHD are too distracted, disorganized, and forgetful to perform the most routine household chores and tasks, such as helping a child with homework, preparing dinner, or taking a child to an after-school activity. Over time, the household unravels into unending chaos, clutter, and disarray that disrupt the lives of everyone in the family.
Parents with ADHD may also be too restless, impatient, or hyperactive to bond with children in time-honored ways, such as reading a storybook to a child at bedtime, playing simple board games with children in the evening, or watching a child's favorite TV show with him.
Strategies for Improving Parenting Skills
Parenting therapists can help you identify and begin to correct parenting behavior that may be adversely affecting your child, as well as your relationship with your child, by helping you find new parenting modes that tap into your strengths (creativity, spontaneity) and minimize your shortcomings (low threshold for boredom, impatience, desire for constant stimulation and excitement).
Spending more time doing creative things with your children that you actually enjoy, such as building things, cooking, or planning a garden, can improve the quality of the time you spend with them.
If a child wants to do an activity that you find dull or boring, you can either find a new and more exciting way to approach the game or project, or agree to the request but limit the time period.
