Understanding your child’s ADHD brain can transform your relationship and help them embrace their unique strengths. The best way to start is by truly listening with the goal of understanding. Here are three things your ADHD child wants you to know:

1. We’re not choosing to be disorganized or forgetful.

Our prefrontal cortex—the brain’s “CEO”—is less efficient, so planning, organizing, and working memory (holding information in mind) are hard. When we leave homework at home or forget our jacket, it’s not laziness or defiance—it’s how our brains work.

2. Our emotions feel huge and overwhelming.

We experience highs and lows more intensely because our prefrontal cortex struggles to regulate emotions. When we melt down over something small, it’s not drama—it’s real emotional pain. A listening ear and help sorting our feelings make all the difference.

3. Hyper-focus isn’t ignoring you—it’s intense absorption.

We may struggle to focus on some tasks but can lock onto others so deeply we don’t hear our name. It’s not defiance—it’s our brain on “reward mode.” You can help by using timers or visual cues to signal transitions, then celebrate what we created or learned during those sessions.

Parenting a child with ADHD takes extra patience and intentionality, but listening, teaching, and coaching will empower them to harness their ADHD superpowers. For the full list of 14 things kids with ADHD want parents to know, click here—and let us know how we can help you better understand your ADHD child.

Ready to schedule your assessment? Lets learn how your child learns best and get them the support they need to thrive. Visit beyondhomeworkhelp.com for more info and to schedule today.