ADHD is so invisible to so many who have no idea how it can impact that child. The struggles are invisible and also his or her many thoughts throughout the day that are reacting to how the environment sees him/her.
A part of this child feels the self-respect plummeting when he can’t pay attention and knows that the teacher notices and is angry. Feelings could include maybe I don’t have any need to succeed. That need consists of understanding material and fulfilling teacher expectations. Maybe the child’s perception of teacher respect is one of being quiet, not stopping the class from progressing. Effective advocacy stops short because of the mere fact that if the teacher expects that you do have the ability to pay attention, be organized, and process information, then the question remains, why don’t I have that ability??
Self-respect is first needed in order to self-advocate. And that self-respect encompasses the need to understand ADHD.
This child needs to understand the medical nature of ADHD. Neural circuits and dopamine production affect how you think and behave. All of that behavior includes inattention, distractability, and impulsivity.
What does this mean? Our kids are smart, intuitive, and sensitive. They CAN succeed with the right support. But also they need to better understand themselves, have self-respect, in order to self-advocate and avoid that plummeting self-esteem that leads to total failure!