Skip to main content

Navigating the rough waters of ADHD

By Stephen C. Schultz


It can be tempting to explain certain childhood behaviors as temporary or situational. High-stimulus environments, sugary foods, disrupted routines, and heightened excitement can all affect energy levels and emotional regulation. For some children, these factors may contribute to occasional restlessness or impulsivity.

However, for families raising a child with ADHD, the experience is far more complex and persistent. Parents often describe embarrassing moments in public, frequent calls from school, and daily struggles with frustration, arguing, and exhaustion. Many find themselves deep in research, navigating medical appointments, and weighing decisions about treatment and medication—all while trying to support their child with patience and understanding.

If you are new to the overwhelming world of parenting a child diagnosed with ADHD, I hope the information below feels helpful and encouraging. If you are a seasoned parent who has been walking this road for some time, I hope it affirms your commitment and the effort you continue to invest. Please feel free to share these resources with family members, friends, or caregivers who may also be navigating the rough waters of ADHD.


Helpful Resources on ADHD

  • ADHD and Addiction: What is the Risk?

  • ADD / ADHD and School: Helping Children and Teens with ADHD Succeed at School

  • ADHD and Learning Disabilities: School Help

  • College Assistance Guide for People with ADHD

  • The Best Software and Gadgets for ADHD Students

  • The Ultimate ADHD Apps Guide: 18 Apps to Make Managing Your ADHD Simpler

  • Strategies to Empower, Not Control, Kids Labeled ADD/ADHD

  • How Dogs Can Help People with ADD & ADHD

  • ADHD and Stress: Does One Cause the Other?

  • ADHD and Coexisting Conditions: ADHD, Sleep and Sleep Disorders


I’ve also written a personal reflection on this blog about my daughter’s struggle with seizures and our family’s intentional effort to resist defining her by a diagnosis. That article explores the importance of seeing the whole child and building resilience beyond labels.

A diagnosis is not a label. Building resilience!

You can read that post here on The Interpreted Rock.

Comments

What you feel inside reflects on your face. So be happy and positive all the time.

Popular posts from this blog

The Young Boy and the Rattlesnake

By Stephen C. Schultz (Editors note: This is a story used in a Wilderness Treatment Program. Many come to this program having struggled with depression, anxiety and substance use.)   Many years ago there was a young Native American who lived in the very land you are residing in. He decided to seek wisdom by journeying to the top of Indian Peak. As he approached the base of the mountain he came across a rattlesnake that slithered beside him. The snake coiled as if to strike and the young boy moved back quickly in fear of being struck by the snake’s deadly venom. At that instant the snake spoke to the boy saying, “Don’t be afraid of me, I mean you no harm. I come to you to ask a favor. I see that you are about to traverse to the top of Indian Peak and was hoping that you may be willing to place me in your satchel so that I don’t have to make the long journey alone.” The young boy surprised by the snake’s request quickly responded by turning down the offer, stating, ...

Video Games, Anxiety and ADHD - Free Family Resources

 By Stephen C. Schultz This guide provides resources for parents navigating the challenges of ADHD, anxiety , and video game management in their teens and young adults. ADHD Resources The following books and websites can help you better understand and manage ADHD: Recommended Books: Russell Barkley : Taking Charge of ADHD Hallowell & Ratey : Delivered from Distraction Harvey Parker : The ADD Hyperactivity Workbook for Parents, Teachers, & Kids Bradley & Giedd : Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy!: Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your Mind Michael Gurian : The Minds of Boys: Saving Our Sons from Falling Behind in School and Life Mohab Hanna : Making the Connection: A Parents’ Guide to Medication in AD/HD Helpful Websites: CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) Help for ADHD American Academy of Pediatrics American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Anxiety Resources: The following websites provide support and information for man...

Perfectly Wicked - A new take on an old fairy tale!

Guest Blogger Amanda Schultz Age 15 There she was…hair as black as night, lips as red as blood, skin as white as snow. Standing by the window, washing dishes, whistling while she worked. Snow White. I shudder with disgust every time I hear her name. What kind of a name is that anyway? “Snow White”. Gahhh, it’s a name that practically begs to be made fun of. Yet, there she goes, frolicking around like she owns the Enchanted Forest. No. I’m the Queen. I’m in charge. My magic mirror was mistaken. I’m the Fairest of them all, not that sorry excuse for a princess. One bite from my poison apple and that air-head will be so ugly not even her mother could love her. And I will be the Fairest once again! I suppose that I should rewind a little bit. It wasn’t always a competition between Snow White and me. In fact, back in the day, we had a nice little system going on. I would rule the kingdom and practice my magic, while Snow did the dishes and tended the garden. She stayed out of my w...