Mum who attended the Incredible Years ADHD group

I have attended two courses with the ministry of parenting, both helping me to learn how to cope daily and long term with the affects having a child with additional needs (in my case ADHD) . In my family I have a husband and 2 children, one 10 and one 4. ADHD does not just affect the child having to live with the differences compared to their peers, it affects the whole family. Learning coping strategies, the tools to keep under our belts, the basics of learning through play – and the eventual mutual agreements and understanding of each other’s feelings – has been the biggest difference to our family since attending the courses. In a very real way, I will let you know that I personally was at the point of breaking down and asking my sons dad to have him full time (this wasn’t a clear cut feeling) but the days were horrendous, I was bullied by my child. The relationships between all family members had dispersed. Now we can thankfully say we may have one or two times per month where it can feel overwhelming, but nothing like it had been. These courses are so important to mental health for the family. They are important for the well-being of the child involved. And more importantly to anyone giving out a grant – they are more important to the social care system – because if this course could help me to bring up my son more adequately and in a much happier environment , it would also help many more . I am still raising a manager rather than an employee. Something I learnt at group was ok to be raising someone who didn’t conform to ‘usual’ stereotypes.