In this excerpt from the book, Ms. Dendy describes the unique issues faced by single parents raising teens with AD/HD.

What Unique Issues Do Single Parents Face?

Divorce is a fact of life in the world today and may have a negative impact on many teenagers with attention deficits. The exploding divorce rate (approximately 50 percent) has resulted in roughly 40-50 percent of all teenagers living with a single parent, typically their mother. Adolescence alone is a difficult adjustment period for many young people. If the teen has an attention deficit, plus parents who are divorcing, it is an even more stressful time in his life.

Researchers tell us that divorce is harder on youngsters with attention deficits than it is on their peers. So single parents face a special challenge raising these teens. Although experts aren't certain why, children with attention deficits who live with a single parent are more aggressive than those living in a two-parent family. Having the sole responsibility of raising a teenager with this disorder is an exhausting job, especially if no family members live nearby to provide support and help. This doesn't mean single parents cannot be good parents. However, the job of raising these teenagers is usually easier when two parents work together and give each other some relief from the stress. Two-parent families who move a lot and have no relatives nearby also miss the extra support an extended family can provide.

Exhaustion and lack of support are often huge problems for single parents, especially when their teen has undiagnosed coexisting problems:

"The turning point for me as single parent came when I was trying to hold down a job and keep my son in school. Those two things together were about the death of me. I was exhausted physically and emotionally but I never got a break from the stress of raising him. At times, I just needed to be away from him, to get my emotions under control - so that I didn't do any harm to him or myself.

"Once I was feeling so overwhelmed, I locked myself in my room and found myself praying, 'Am I the right parent for this child?' I couldn't open the door until I got an answer to that question. I finally realized that I was the only hope for this child. No one else could do it for me. I had to do whatever it took to help him, in a world that just didn't understand him. I prayed to God to give me strength because I was absolutely at the end of my rope.

"Here's my advice for other single parents: Never doubt that you have what it takes to stay the course. In fact you may be the only person who can or will.

"Looking back on this incident now, I can laugh about it. I so badly needed just a little time alone, that's why I put myself in 'timeout' by locking myself in my room. But even then I couldn't get any peace. He was banging on the door and screaming at the top of his lungs, 'Mama, let me in.' It's hard to believe he was only five years old. Much later I came to understand why he was so challenging; he had both ADHD and bipolar."

The isolation and rejection by others are incredibly painful for these families.

"When Jeremy was small, I was so isolated. Nobody wanted my child to be around their child. We were both excluded. He was not invited to parties or invited over to play. He was not picked for teams. No one seemed to understand. These were just little things, but it was so hurtful for me as a parent to watch that happen and to feel helpless to do anything about it. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness will eat you alive. I struggled on a daily basis with feelings of being excluded and nobody wanting us. That was such a lonely and terrible place to be. Occasionally, I even felt like I was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"There was no place I could go and be accepted except at CHADD (Children and Adults with AD/HD) meetings. That was the only place I felt I could just be myself and not be judged. They had been there too; they understood."

"Single parenting is 'doable' when you have a support system of family, friends, and professionals. But when access to resources is denied because of finances, location, or availability, isolation and depression can become your worst enemy. This was one of my biggest struggles."

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