Building an All-Star Team Around Your ADHD Child
Updated: Oct 20
It’s Week 6 of my fantasy football season, and my team is second to last. The reason? I have terrible wide receivers. Every other position on my team is decent, but this season I lose every game because my wide receivers are a weak link.
A child with ADHD is part of a team, too, and their ability to thrive is connected to the strength of every player on their team. Each team member around your child has a role connected to the ADHD, and when everyone understands their role and is committed to doing their best, kids will develop well: they will understand who they are as people with ADHD and thrive from childhood into adulthood.
SO LET'S BREAK DOWN THE KEY PLAYERS A CHILD WITH ADHD NEEDS TO HAVE ON THEIR ALL-STAR TEAM
PARENTS
As their child’s “#1 Persons,” parents are not only their child’s teammates, they are coaches and cheerleaders too. That’s why it’s essential for parents to understand what ADHD is and how it affects their child’s brain, developmental growth, and emotional states. When parents understand how ADHD shows up uniquely in their child, they can be intentional about creating an ADHD-oriented home space and life routines that promote their child’s mental and physical thriving. Parents can do this by regularly asking themselves: How are my child’s sleep patterns, diet, and exercise? Where & when is ADHD presenting the greatest challenges for my child? What natural strengths does my child have that can help them manage their own ADHD? How can I structure our home setting and daily routines to help my child’s ADHD brain function best? How can I talk to my child about his or her ADHD in a way that helps them understand their brain, become self-sufficient, and know I support them? Who else might I need to engage to help my child and our family be our best?
SCHOOL STAFF
Teachers and school counselors should be aware of their school’s plans and accommodations for ADHD-diagnosed students so that they can ensure these students are receiving the assistance that’s allowed for their ADHD. Beyond the accommodation plans, though, schools can be strong teammates by educating their teachers in ADHD. When teachers understand how ADHD brains work they will be more likely to see the behavior of their diagnosed students through a lens of individuality, compassion and flexibility, rather than assuming those students are lazy, uninterested, or irresponsible.
OTHER ADHD-RELATED PROFESSIONALS
Doctors, therapists and coaches are all part of the team too. When they are aware of how the various parts of your child’s ADHD team are operating, they can tailor their treatment in the most effective ways. Do they know what meds your child is taking and how they are working? Are they aware of particular struggles your child is dealing with? Are there ways they can assist the other teammates mentioned above in being their best for a child?
YOUR CHILD
The MVP! The purpose of the team is to work together to give your child the opportunity to thrive amid systems that often don't understand them. Kids with ADHD who don’t have a strong team around them can become dependent and discouraged – feelings that can take root and stay with them into adulthood. When their teammates are working well, a child with ADHD will grow up with a sense of agency, purpose and confidence. By learning about their ADHD, discovering the strategies they need to navigate life well, and believing that they have the ability to succeed, kids with ADHD are set up to enter adulthood with confidence and security.
