Parenting With ADHD: How To Manage Anger

Raising a child with ADHD can bring out the best and the worst in a parent. No matter how patient and committed you are to helping your child’s recovery, the behavior of children with ADHD provokes anger and frustration in moms and dads everywhere. How do you avoid blowing up with your child? Here are three tips that can help.

keep your perspective

Every parent has an anger button that is too easily pushed by their ADHD kids (and sometimes by their “normal” kids, too). It’s normal to get angry from time to time, but there are parents who are so prone to anger that everyone in the house gets out of their way. Try to control your anger using this exercise. First, divide your child’s misdeeds into two categories: the “little things,” which are small annoyances that aren’t worth getting upset about, and the “big things,” behaviors that hurt others, self, or property. home and demand an immediate response.

Condition yourself to prevent small things from affecting you. The next time your child with ADHD knocks over a glass, try telling yourself the following. Keep repeating them over and over again until you are conditioned to control your anger.

• I am angry, but I can control my anger.
• Accidents happen.
• We can all learn something from this.
• I am angry at the error, not at my son.

The next time a real-life “little thing” happens, you can take a deep breath, stay calm, and strategize. You are still angry, of course, but this anger is under control; instead of getting angry, you can lecture firmly or point out the mistake. It takes some practice, but you’ll be better able to cope with the upsetting aspects of your child’s ADHD once your child’s emotions are under control. Life with children becomes a little easier.

Use anger as your ally

When kept in perspective, anger can be very helpful because it signals that something is wrong. Use your anger to correct your child’s misbehavior. For example, parents of hyperactive children with ADHD go crazy when their little ones can’t stop running around the house. Instead of focusing on how much you hate movement, try to identify what situations or objects trigger this behavior. It is food? Is your child bored? Use your anger to learn creative ways to avoid these triggers.

Beware of situations that trigger anger

Is your situation in life currently making you angry? Going through a divorce and losing a job are some examples of life situations that can make a person understandably angry. But keep in mind that this situation makes it harder for you to tolerate your child’s behavior. Little things easily become big things. If the situation makes you angry, it may help to prepare your family and warn them that you may be upset from time to time. If you lose your temper, apologize to your child, but expect similar apologies when he misbehaves.