Is it ADHD or something else?

33: How to Get Your Kids to Celebrate Their Neurodiversity

1 in 2 kids in America has a physical or mental health problem. Although we should be worried about the effects of the diagnosis, there’s nothing to be ashamed of when your kid is different.

1 in 2 kids in America has a physical or mental health problem. Although we should be worried about the effects of the diagnosis, there's nothing to be ashamed of when your kid is different.

As most people say, being different is good, and it's true because we have a diverse population. In scientific terminology, we have been using the term ‘neurodiversity,' which we'll discuss further.

Now let's talk about how we can help our kids accept themselves and how to get them to celebrate their neurodiversity.

It's never too late to have conversations to help our kids celebrate their differences

As parents, we want the best for our kids: the best educational system, mental healthcare providers, and more. So we are all working hard for our kids to have all these things and more opportunities for them to enjoy such beautiful and comfortable lives.

Because we don't want them to experience any discomfort or any problems, we tend to shelter them too much. We've been doing “Bubble Wrap Parenting” for so long that we forget that these kids build resilience through pain, grit, and challenging times.

Through these challenges, kids get all those critical coping skills that they need and will be beneficial for them in dealing with issues. That's why engaging them in conversations is essential, as it helps them celebrate their differences.

It's never too late to have these conversations, and it all starts at home, considering that parents are the first role models for their kids. So, you must have respectful communication within the family. Avoid using negative words that adversely affect your child's motivation and mental health.

Einstein had a genetic defect that allowed his brain to process information at 400 times the rate of a typical brain

When people talk about being brain smart and being a genius, they usually refer to Albert Einstein, one of the most famous physicists best known for developing the theory of relativity and contributing to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics.

Most people are unaware that Einstein had a genetic brain defect along his corpus callosum. As a result, he had 400 times the neural connections. A genetic defect allowed his brain to process information at 400 times the rate of a typical brain.

However, there were many different stories about him in his younger years, and some haven't been proven. Although, it's been said that he didn't talk until the age of 4, and that's understandable considering the genetic defect in his brain.

His brain was processing too much information that was coming in, which is quite excessive for such a young child. It's even tougher to take in when you have all these roads of information. The brain couldn't handle the pressure.

Neurofeedback helps calm the brain down

With all the information coming into the brain that needs to be processed, the most innovative tool that's been a game-changer for most people is neurofeedback.

Neurofeedback helps tune everything out, and most importantly, it helps calm the brain down. But, like I've said in other podcast episodes, medication shouldn't be the first solution for our kids. Instead, go for safe and natural treatments that are proven effective and backed by science, research, and peer-reviewed studies.

Getting kids to celebrate their brains

One of the most crucial parts of getting your kids to celebrate their neurodiversity is understanding the brain, how it works, what it's capable of, what we can do, and everything else.

You don't have to be a brain expert to be able to give your kids an in-depth understanding of what's happening to them or their brains. Make them understand the importance of having excellent executive functioning skills.

Teach and help them better manage impulse control, organization skills, focus, emotions, attention, etc. Once they understand these things, it will be easier to acknowledge being neurodiverse and celebrate their brains.

The more you help your child not to feel ashamed, the more they will feel ashamed

For some, it's easy to help their child and to get them to celebrate their neurodiversity. However, for others, it takes time because sometimes, the more you help your child not to feel ashamed, they're still stuck and feeling embarrassed and criticized.

Because some children are more sensitive, they tend to perceive the help they're getting as something negative. So it's good to consider consulting with licensed therapists offering their services to kids, especially those with difficulty in such situations.

Licensed therapists will help you find a way to engage in meaningful conversations with your child. Though parents should take note that if you don't feel good about yourself, nothing positive can come from it.

It will help if you believe in yourself. Besides being the CEOs of their family, parents are role models first to their kids. So, when getting your kids to celebrate being different, you must also believe in yourself and your kids.

Believing and supporting them makes them feel good about themselves and gives them tremendous empathy towards others. But, of course, we all know that empathy is one of the characteristics of great leaders.

How to help your kids celebrate their neurodiversity

Compassion is an essential gift, primarily when everything's fast-paced and many issues are arising. Although compassion might sound so simplistic, it goes a long way.

It also helps your kids celebrate their neurodiversity. As we've mentioned, talking about the brain, and having conversations about their diagnosis and its effects and gifts that come with it, are also helpful.

It all boils down to teaching your kids and making them understand their brains and everything relative to it. But we must bring the relevant information to them in a more comfortable and appropriate way.

Finding the right words to say may be challenging, and that's okay. Professional help is available for you if you need assistance. Remember that neurodiversity is here to stay, and getting your kids to celebrate their brains will help them today and in the future.

No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help you:

Links and Resources:

➡️ “Is it ADHD or something else?” Take the quiz. 

➡️ Join our FREE Natural Parenting Community to receive science-backed resources for your child and family. Join here.

➡️ Get help from Dr. Roseann and her team. Apply here. 

 

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147 Therapist-Endorsed

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147 therapist endorsed self-regulation strategies for children a practical guide for parents
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