Parenting children with LD and ADHD is challenging. Complex academic, social, emotional, and behavioral issues can tax a family’s ability to grapple with adversity, identify appropriate strategies and accommodations, and coordinate appropriate professional support—to say nothing of getting through the normal day-to-day obstacles that all families face.

Parents who invest time and energy in supporting the needs of children with LD often forget to nurture the most fundamental resource they have—themselves.

Breaking the Frustration Cycle

There are three components to guaranteeing success for your child, which will, in turn, minimize your frustration:

• Know your child. Make sure that you have identified the conditions that maximize your child’s learning potential. Confirm that these conditions are consistently upheld. Be sure to monitor and work with those responsible for your child’s well-being.
• Build a network of reliable support professionals. Develop a group of people who understand your child’s issues, respect your family dynamics, and support all concerns related to your child’s academic, social, emotional and behavioral well-being. Refine and expand your network as necessary in response to changing developments at school, at home, and in the community.
• Don’t forget to breathe. Take a lesson from the airlines, and “secure your own oxygen mask before trying to help others.”  Frustration is a negative force that not only depletes parental resources, but can also poison a child’s environment. Be proactive, not reactive. Fill your life with activities that support your own talents, desires, and competence.

The best gift you can give to a child with LD is a parent who models optimism, hope, and triumph over adversity.