What I Wish My Parents Had: Burnout Tips for Raising a Child with ADHD
Sep 30, 2024
Growing up with ADHD, I saw firsthand how my condition affected not just me, but also the people closest to me—especially my parents. While I was grappling with the challenges that came with ADHD, my parents were on their own rollercoaster, one that, looking back, I now recognize as pure exhaustion. I can still see the worry lines etched on their faces, the frustration of navigating ADHD without a roadmap, and the emotional toll it took on them as they tried to figure out how to support me, keep their own sanity intact, and balance the demands of daily life. They were burned out, and they didn’t have the tools to cope.
If my parents had access to something like Bonding Health's Burnout Tips for Parents Webinar on October 9th, led by an expert like Dr. Lara Honos-Webb, I know things could have been different. This journal is a reflection on my personal journey and what I now wish my parents had back then—a toolkit for managing burnout, delivered by someone with the experience and knowledge to truly make a difference.
The Hidden Impact of ADHD on Parents
As a kid, I had no idea how much my ADHD affected my parents. In my mind, my struggles were mine alone. But as I grew older, I started to understand that ADHD isn't just an individual challenge—it's a family-wide issue. My impulsive behavior, emotional outbursts, and lack of focus didn’t just frustrate me; they put an emotional and physical strain on my parents. There were endless doctor’s visits, trying different therapies, and constant monitoring of school performance. Every small victory felt temporary, and every setback seemed like a mountain. My parents were navigating an exhausting, never-ending journey without a guide.
They rarely talked about their own struggles. I never really saw their exhaustion for what it was: burnout. They were always there for me, but I could sense their patience thinning over time, their tempers shorter, and their sense of overwhelm more apparent as the years went on. I realize now that while they were focused on helping me, no one was focused on helping them. They were pouring from an empty cup.
What Could Have Helped: A Resource Like Lara's Burnout Tips Webinar
I often think about how things could have been different if my parents had more support. What if they had access to someone like Dr. Lara Honos-Webb back then—someone who understood both ADHD and the toll it takes on parents? Dr. Lara’s upcoming Burnout Tips for Parents Webinar on October 9th offers exactly what I wish my parents had: a way to manage their own well-being while raising a child with ADHD. The guidance that Dr. Lara provides could have given my parents the tools to not only manage my behaviors but also take care of themselves.
Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of chronic stress, emotional fatigue, and the ongoing challenge of balancing a child’s needs with your own. Dr. Lara’s strategies are all about finding ways to prevent burnout before it becomes overwhelming, using practical tools like emotional regulation techniques and self-care strategies. If my parents had known how to prioritize their well-being, I believe our whole family would have been healthier and more resilient.
What Burnout Looked Like for My Parents
While we didn’t have a name for it then, burnout was a real part of my parents’ lives. The symptoms were there: the exhaustion, the stress, the impatience. I could see it in the way they sighed after another long day or how easily frustration would flare during a particularly challenging homework session. Sometimes they felt like they were running on fumes, and yet they kept pushing through because they thought that’s what being a parent was all about—especially for a parent of a child with ADHD. They didn't realize that managing their own emotions would have made it easier to help me manage mine.
Why I Want This Webinar for Today’s Parents
Today, we know so much more about ADHD, and we have access to resources that my parents could only have dreamed of. That’s why I’m so passionate about this upcoming Burnout Tips Webinar. I see it as a lifeline for today’s parents, a way to prevent the same burnout I saw in my own family. This isn’t just about surviving ADHD parenting—it’s about thriving in it. It’s about learning how to manage the emotional ups and downs with grace, how to set boundaries, and how to find the balance between caring for your child and caring for yourself.
I wish I could go back in time and give my parents access to a resource like this. But what I can do now is encourage every parent of a child with ADHD to take advantage of this opportunity. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, if you feel like you’re constantly on the edge of exhaustion, please know that you’re not alone—and that help is available.
Dr. Lara’s webinar will cover key strategies for preventing and managing burnout, with practical tips that parents can start implementing right away. From creating a “not-to-do” list that frees up your mental space to setting boundaries that protect your time, this webinar is designed to help parents recharge and take back control of their emotional well-being.
A Better Path Forward
I think about how my parents could have benefited from these kinds of strategies—ways to say “no” to unreasonable demands, tools to manage their emotions, and reminders that they don’t have to do it all perfectly. And I think about how much better our lives could have been if they had learned to prioritize their own well-being as much as mine.
So, to every parent reading this, I encourage you to sign up for Dr. Lara’s Burnout Tips for Parents Webinar on October 9th. I know that the strategies shared will make a real difference in how you navigate the challenges of ADHD parenting. I truly believe that, by taking care of yourself, you’ll be able to show up even stronger for your child—and that’s what parenting is all about.
