I’m here, too! Helping Your Child Who Doesn’t Have ADHD
As the parent of a child who has ADHD, you are well aware of the tremendous amount of energy it takes to meet his or her needs. Most of your day seems to be consumed with meeting those needs, with constant redirecting and endless reminders. But what about the needs of your child who doesn’t have ADHD? Doesn’t he or she deserve attention, too?
Living with a brother or sister who has ADHD can be quite challenging. As one sibling of a youngster with ADHD told Terry M. Dickson, MD, ACG, CPCC, "My brother is a class-A brat! He gets all the attention around our house. Even when I speak up about something that’s on my mind, he’s always there to butt in and interrupt me. My parents don’t seem to understand, and besides, they’re always too busy chasing him around the place."
Unfortunately, we often miss the fact that our other child may be in fact feeling angry inside. That anger could be directed toward you or toward the sibling with ADHD. The child who doesn’t have ADHD may hold the anger inside for a long time, feeling hopeless that the situation will ever change.
Keep reading, My Brother is a Class-A Brat: Tips for Parenting Your Child Who Doesn’t Have ADHD in Attention magazine for tips on meeting your children’s needs.
ADHD affects the entire family, but often the sibling who doesn’t have ADHD feels alone and frustrated when the parent’s attention is on helping the struggling sibling. What can you do to meet the needs of your children who don’t have an ADHD diagnosis?