LD/ADHD Website for Parents

by David Parker, Ph.D.

Okay, take out your pencils. This is a pop quiz. What do Whoopi Goldberg, Anderson Cooper, Cher, Justin Timberlake, and Tim Tebow have in common? They are all well-known Americans who have learning disabilities and/or ADHD. The way we talk to our children and teens as they grow up with these learning disorders can greatly influence their self-esteem and ability to self-advocate and succeed in adulthood. But what’s a parent to say? We don’t want a diagnosis to become an excuse for underachievement or lack of motivation. On the other hand, we don’t want to shroud a child’s learning difference in complete mystery when so much is known about these diagnoses, either. How do other parents strike a balance with this complicated challenge? These issues came to light at CRG’s recent Got BOUNCE? Workshop (about the role of resilience and grit as teens with disabilities transition to college). During the panel discussion, students, teachers, and parents in the audience listened to two young men speak openly about their own disabilities (Asperger’s, ADHD). Zane and Erik described how they explain their learning needs to others when necessary and how they have come to understand and accept their own strengths and weaknesses. One mother in the audience asked, with obvious admiration and a little surprise, “HOW did you learn to be so…open about your diagnosis?” Another mother chimed in, “I didn’t think we should use these labels when talking with our children. Won’t that…discourage them?” A new website can provide parents (and others) with helpful information regarding these important questions, including blogs in which they can pose questions and read what other parents are doing in similar situations. Check out the Understood website at https://www.understood.org/en. While surfing through its resources, be sure to read Bob Cunningham’s article, “Talking to Your Child About Differences and Disabilities.”