By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC, ACS

Parenting a child with ADHD is a bit like trying to teach a butterfly to follow a straight path. They’re colorful, curious, and full of energy, but boy, do they get distracted! If you’ve ever wondered what’s really going on inside your child’s brain and why they act the way they do, you’re not alone. Let’s take a closer look at how the ADHD brain works and how understanding it can help you parent with more patience, compassion, and maybe even a little humor.

What’s Happening inside the ADHD Brain?

Imagine you’re driving a car with an overactive accelerator and unreliable brakes. That’s the ADHD brain. It’s not that your child isn’t trying; it’s that their brain is wired differently. ADHD impacts the areas responsible for attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation. Think of it as having a Ferrari engine with bicycle brakes.
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Kids with ADHD are often amazing problem-solvers, creative thinkers, and full of enthusiasm—when they’re engaged. The trick is learning how to harness these strengths while addressing the challenges.

By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC, ACS

If you’ve got an ADHD kiddo at home, you’ve probably heard advice like, “They need structure.” But what does that actually mean? And how do you create structure when your child seems allergic to schedules? Don’t worry—you’re not alone, and we’ve got some tips to help.

Why ADHD Kids Thrive on Structure

Think of structure like bumpers on a bowling lane. It doesn’t guarantee a strike, but it keeps the ball out of the gutter. For ADHD kids, routines and clear expectations provide a sense of safety and predictability in what often feels like a chaotic world.

When there’s structure, your child doesn’t have to guess what’s coming next. This reduces anxiety and helps their brain conserve energy for other tasks, like actually doing the thing instead of arguing about it.

By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC, ACS

Parenting any child can be challenging, but when you add ADHD to the mix, it can feel like you’re juggling flaming swords. The good news? With the right strategies (and maybe a little extra caffeine), you can navigate these challenges without losing your cool.

Why ADHD Can Be Frustrating

Kids with ADHD aren’t trying to push your buttons (well, not most of the time). Their brain struggles with executive functions like planning, organizing, and impulse control. This means tasks like putting on shoes or finishing homework can turn into an Olympic event.

By Keri Signoracci

If you can read this article, you are a human possessing a body. Most perceive our bodies as limbs, organs, and a solid physical structure. Our physical health is asserted as being located in our bodies and determines whether we are sick or well or in pain. Additionally, the size and shape of our bodies dictate narratives, arousing labels, judgments, and behaviors.

We often hear of trauma being "stuck in our bodies" and think that there is an extreme, cathartic process that takes place when undergoing body-centered therapy, i.e., Somatic Therapy. You may have heard of Somatic Experiencing and Hakomi, the more mainstream varieties. Many seek out these therapies to "remove or unblock trauma" as if it is an unwanted, vilified parasite, and we are inadequate until we do so. Similarly, we often judge ourselves or can be labeled by others as being stuck, tense, dissociative, or "not in our bodies." Many Somatic and other therapists suggest that the client "must get in their body" to be doing effective therapy. Outside influences often permeate, shrouding these concepts in shame and all-or-nothing dichotomies.

By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC

The end of the school year is upon us!  As we start our summers during the age of COVID-19, we will continue to have to be flexible and manage our expectations.  Trips have been canceled.  Summer camps will look different; if they happen at all.  And the worry of what school will look like in the fall looms large for many.  Radical acceptance is a difficult concept for many adults to adhere to, so what about our kids?
 
In my lifetime, there has not been a global situation that has affected our children as much as this pandemic is, and the effects will be ongoing, long after there is a vaccine and our worlds look closer to how they were in 2019.  These times can be confusing, frustrating, and scary for many.  Our children’s mental health will be affected if it hasn’t been already, and while mental health professionals are equipped to deal with these experiences that our children are living through, parents are on the front lines.  Parents are the first line of defense.  This may seem really scary as a parent (I have the privilege of being a parent to two wonderful boys and feel unsure all the time).
 
How can we as parents help our children weather this storm?

By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC

Yep, school is coming.  Most likely, your summer schedule has become more lax and free-spirited.  Vacations, inconsistent meal times, staying up late, and sleeping in are all some of the perks of summer vacation.  As school approaches, parents fear the process of getting their kids back into a set and structured schedule.  This is difficult for almost all children and parents alike.  One of the major struggles I hear during the transition time of starting school in the fall is how to set a morning routine.  For children with ADD and ADHD, structure in the mornings can help set the day and help them feel some control over their busy minds and bodies.  

By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC

​If you have a child with either ADHD or ADD or if you are diagnosed with one, you know how difficult organization can be.  Many times it seems that there is a trail of mess and destruction following your child.  You can see the path they took while changing their clothes or while taking off their backpack, shoes, and jacket after coming home from school.  Their folders and binders explode with week-old, half-completed assignments when you open them and their planners have yet to be opened.  There is rarely a spot of carpet that can be seen on the floor of their bedroom and you think, “No wonder they can’t ever find their soccer cleats.”  If your child struggles with executive function, they will probably also struggle with cleaning their room and keeping their school work organized among other things.  As frustrating as this can be, it is our job as parents to find strategies to help.

By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC

If you’re like me, you have always thought you’d be cool as a cucumber as a parent.  I will connect with my child and they will tell me everything.  We will be so close.  I will not do all of those annoying things that my parents did.  And then your sweet little child gets in your car after a day at school and you ask, “How was your day?”  The response, “Fine.”  So then you casually ask, “Well, did you learn anything new today?”  “No.”  By now your anxiety is moving up through your body.  “Did anything interesting happen at school today?”  “Not really.”

THAT’S IT!  I haven’t been with you for the past 8 hours (sometimes even longer) and that’s all I get?  Four words!!!  For many families, this change from sharing every little piece of information about their day to one and two word answers starts in the tween years (10-13 years old).  Well, for me, this conversation, if you can really call it that, happened when my child was three years old and I was picking him up from preschool.