Getting Dad To Understand
“My husband seems to have no patience for our daughter due to her ADHD. He gets so angry with her sometimes for things I think are very minimal. How do I get him to understand that she has problems remembering and retaining information? I just want him to give her a break!”
Knowledge is the key to understanding and the more your husband is able to understand the disorder, the more patience he will have. If he has not already read Driven to Distraction by Hallowell and Ratey, I would suggest that he do. Two other excellent books that may help to change his perspective and be more tolerant are ADD, A Different Perception and Beyond ADD: Hunting for Reason in the Past and Present, both written by Thom Hartmann.
Encourage your husband to attend CHADD meetings or watch videos made about ADHD that enlighten and educate. CHADD has a list of audiotapes and videos from previous conferences at their website CHADD.org on a variety of topics concerning ADHD.
[Free Guide: Debunking Damaging Myths About ADHD]
They also have several fact sheets that can be printed out. Most of all, talk about it. It’s hard for many of us to understand another person’s difference, but if I sit down and really talk with a blind person about their blindness and what it is like, I certainly come away with a better understanding than if I just assume I know what it is like.
