Today marks the beginning of an online community for parents raising children with ADHD, ADD, ODD, OCD, and ADHD/ODD. There is a need for this community, and for more awareness about these disabilities and their affect on parents and children.
Society views children with these disorders as "hard to handle", "difficult", "unruly", "undisciplined", or worse yet, as "bad seeds". Parents of these enigmatic children are often ostracized, criticized, shunned, and simply labeled as poor or bad parents.
One the plus side, there has been more television exposure regarding ADHD and ADD, as celebrities come forward with personal stories regarding these disabilities. This is a huge step forward for us "regular folk", and gives us a glimpse of what might be, however, not all of our children will become celebrities, and enjoy their success.
Even with the rise of exposure, parents raising these children continue to struggle. Resources are fragmented and difficult to find, leaving us feeling isolated and confused. Support groups are often outside our areas, or non-existent, which furthers the feelings of isolation.
An online community can reach anyone - world-wide - all that is needed is an internet connection. Parents can now connect with each other; share their stories, resources and receive much needed support. If you are a parent struggling to raise one (or more,) of these charismatic and often times exasperating children, or you know of someone who is, please join or pass this on.
Helping parents and adults living with ADHD, ODD, OCD and other disorders
No comments:
Post a Comment