The most important part of raising a child with ADHD is to recognise their attributes. Focus on the positives and leave the negatives out!
Remember – your child has a very different brain which makes him/her remarkable.
- Innovative and imaginative, lateral thinking
- Readiness to volunteer
- Kind, friendly and outgoing demeanour
- Good rapport with younger children
- Rises to a challenge if given responsibility
- A keen sense of justice and fairness
Visit https://adhdrichmond.org/famous-adhd to see the well-known people who have/had ADHD and yet gone on to reach great heights.
Curious, Problem Solving Ability: ADHDers thrive on solving problems and puzzles. Give them an interesting problem to solve and they won’t be able to drop it until they’ve found the solution! Inventor Thomas Edison is believed to have had ADHD
Creative: Hands-on jobs are great for those who are restless or easily bored at a desk. They often offer the use of creativity and problem solving skills — areas people with ADHD often excel in. Research supports the common idea that people with ADHD are more likely to reach higher levels of creative thought and accomplishment. The racing ideas in the minds of people with ADHD can contribute to creative thinking. Writers, painters, musicians, film makers, designers, sculptors, comedians – the list goes on! Artistic talents are abundant. Composers Mozart and Beethoven are believed to have had ADHD
Energetic: Yes, we all know about the hyper-activity but turn that to good use! It’s no secret that thoughts are constant and moving very fast for most people with ADHD. Harnessing that attribute can mean success on the job. They thrive in an environment that is stimulating.
Eager: Many people with ADHD are motivated by interest and urgency. Jobs where you’re passionate about the subject matter provide motivation and focus, which can help you succeed. This can be any field that you have a deep interest in — the sky’s the limit.
Sees connections others miss: Many ADHDers feel that they have a unique way of looking at the world, a perspective that others just don’t understand. You might say that they’re on their own wavelength!
Hyper-Focussed: The ability to hyper-focus is something that can be used to advantage. When kept under control and directed towards productive tasks, like accomplishing goals and living dreams, it can be an incredible asset that allows tem to get the job done, and done well!
Persistent and Driven: When an ADHDer is bored with a task, completing it can seem like torture. But give them an interesting project to work on and watch out! When they want to succeed, and have the necessary tools to do so, there is no stopping them!
Entrepreneurial: Not only does an entrepreneur start their own business, but they are willing to take risks and think innovatively. Those are two positive skills inherent in many people with ADHD. It must be a field they are passionate about though, since running a business also requires areas where people with ADHD struggle, such as planning, organization, and self-motivation. Successful entrepreneurs with ADHD include Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group; David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue Airways; and Ingvar Kamprad, founder of IKEA.
Sense of Humor/Comedic Flair: Most ADHDers love to laugh, and many also have a knack for making others laugh! Famous comedians with ADHD include Whoopi Goldberg
Resiliency: There’s no denying that even though there are many great qualities that come along with ADHD, there are also challenges. But ADHDers have an incredible ability to bounce back from those challenges and to keep moving forward.
Intuition: ADHDers have a sharp sense of intuition. This may be due to highly tuned levels of perception, or great insight into the human mind, or something else that we have yet to understand. Whatever the reason, it’s a very useful gift!
Idea Generating: ADHDers are wonderful idea generators. They don’t usually like to be bothered with details, but can come up with ideas at lightning speed! They’re a true asset in brainstorming meetings.