The Challenges of Parenting
As the parent of a child with ADHD, you already know that you face unique challenges. Of course, parenting a child with ADHD has special rewards too. Children with ADHD can be wonderfully creative, outgoing, and imaginative also. But their ADHD behaviors can overshadow their talents, which may go unrecognized or unappreciated. The challenge for you as a parent is to nurture and channel your child's special energies and behaviors in ways that can help him or her become the best he or she can be. At the same time, it is important that you take care of yourself and avoid becoming consumed and exhausted by your child's disorder.

An Issue of Self-control
ADHD is an umbrella term that describes several similar disorders. All of these disorders are caused by impairment in the brain's circuitry that affects self-control and causes three main types of behavior.

Inattention
With this behavior, the child may:

• Have a hard time staying focused on one thing
• Become bored easily
• Have difficulty organizing and completing tasks
• Lose or forget things often
• Make frequent careless mistakes

Hyperactivity
In this instance, the child may:

• Always be "on the go"
• Squirm and fidget often
• Run around or climb things frequently
• Talk constantly
• Regularly try to do several things at once

Impulsivity
In this case, the child may:

• Act before he or she thinks
• Shout out inappropriate comments
• Grab toys from other children
• Get into fights because he or she does not want to take turns