Dealing with critical family members

 Some friends and relatives don’t
believe ADHD exists. They think your child is deliberately
naughty and you are a bad parent - they will often say your
child just needs a good smack.

Friends and relatives may feel they know everything
about ADHD because they’ve read it in the paper or seen it on
TV. So they’ll berate you for not trying an exclusion diet, not
giving your child dietary supplements or not trying
complementary treatments for ADHD.

They can blame you for putting your child on medication -
or not putting your child on medication, depending on their
views.

Educate them, if they’re open-minded enough to listen.
Some people can see comprehensive reports by an expert, but
will still claim the expert doesn’t know what she is talking
about.

If this is the case, you can simply smile politely, thank
them for their advice and explain that you’re following your
doctor’s advice. A second option is to just ignore them - and
punch a cushion when you get home.

You may find that some friends decide to drop you
because they can’t deal with your child’s behavior. This is
hurtful but remember: it’s their problem, not yours or your
child’s. True friends will try to understand and help. A friend
who drops you isn’t worth worrying about.

When you are parenting a child with ADHD, there are
special considerations that need to be addressed – whether you
want them to be or not.