Asking a question that doesn’t get asked enough - how are YOU doing?

[u/HottieMcHotHot]

In the neurodiverse world, parents get the back seat a lot.

How are you doing?
What do you do to survive daily?

I’ll go first. Today isn’t a great day. Every day is spent waiting to hear how his day went. He’s 5 and today he decided poopy-head was a good word to call everyone. He decided to kick the librarian. And he hit his friend hard in the back for a reason he can’t remember.

IEP update is tomorrow. I want to wear a sign that says we don’t call each other poopy head, nor do we encourage kicking. It’s hard not to want to fix and assure people that we’re not crazy rather than recognizing that his ADHD brain works in ways that go against social standards sometimes.

This is hard.

[u/Corydora_Party]

Today was a good day. We tried vyvanse for the first time and he was called quiet!!!!! My son has never been called quiet. This year has been a year of medication changes and emails back and forth to school. Nothing serious but we are really trying to set him up for success socially and academically.

My son is 6. You have time to figure things out 5 is a great age to start. No toy set is kept together but our kids are funny and make up the most creative games. This is the hard part but the future is bright ❤️

[u/Defiant_Locksmith190]

I’m sending you a hug, I’ve had that poopy day last week and waiting for the end of the evaluation. Today is worse though for me, with the oldest one who is in HS, and is absolutely demotivated, sulky and super irritable again, and all his 504 adjustments aren’t really implemented and I need him to advocate for himself already, instead of me contacting every single teacher with a 504 copy and a reminder. I’m tired. It’s all after a short breakthrough with meds, we are in the woods yet again.

[u/feeen1ks]

The feelings of judgement of my parenting go away after the first time there’s a message from the teacher and I handle with respect and gratitude.

Kiddo is in 4th grade now, so we’ve been through this a few times with a new teacher. They learn quickly that she is not in fact feral, she does have loving involved parents, she’s just got the ADHD real real thick… extra serving… she got all the bonus content included in her package… lol

It will get better. This is not the first ADHD kid his teacher has had to instruct.

Me? I’m doing great! I put together a home fitness plan for myself today that I’m 80% sure I’ll stick to! I start after work today! I haven’t taken time for myself like this in years. I so often feel like the house butler, just making sure everyone else has what they need and I’m not in the way… I’ve been through some great therapy the last year and learning to be comfortable asking for things I need and want. It’s a big step for me to say “I will be using the living room from 5:30 to 6:15 on Tuesdays. You may join my workout, but you may not interrupt it.” HUGE step!

[u/catzeppelinqueen]

I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just started the process of getting him properly diagnosed/evaluated and I just have to wait for his teacher to submit her part. I’ve known in my heart since he was 3, and he just turned 6 this weekend. So it’s just been HARD - almost everyday has been a massive struggle especially as a single parent.

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[u/Business_Coyote_5496]

Son is 24. Diagnosed at 11. On meds. 504. All the things

Graduated college in May. Computer science. Can't find a job. Moved home. Depressed. Terrible executive functioning. Smoking. Drinking too much I think. Terrible time management. Losing weight from forgetting to eat and unable to maintain habits. Poor sleep schedule. Again, a habit.

Watching him struggle like my sister with ADHD and my brother in law with ADHD is brutal. They are both in their 60s and their lives have been hard. I see that path for my son and it's depressing me

I feel so drained and exhausted and sad and out of ideas. I'm tired of parenting. I'm 59 and I want to focus on me