ADHD Parenting Tips for Fathers, Coaches, and Teachers

This Father's Day, Kirstin Stevens , Founder of Gaia Learning , and Christian Ehmen , a new father, primary school teacher, and ADHD coach, delved into the intricacies of parenting and teaching children with ADHD. They explored the concept of "procrastivity," a blend of procrastination and proactivity familiar to those with ADHD. Christian shared his journey of embracing his ADHD diagnosis, emphasising the importance of social-emotional learning and the need for a healthy emotional foundation in education.

The discussion highlighted the vital role of fathers in nurturing neurodivergent children and the significance of reparenting oneself to break generational cycles of parenting. Christian stressed that support for children should not wait for a formal diagnosis and that teachers should assume neurodiversity in their classrooms. He shared practical classroom strategies, such as using fidget toys to create an inclusive culture.

The conversation also touched on the challenges of transitioning from primary to secondary school for ADHD children, the creative use of online teaching techniques during lockdown, and the importance of lifelong, hybrid and community learning. Christian recommended several insightful books on ADHD and coaching, offering valuable tips for parents, teachers, and coaches. This discussion provides a comprehensive guide to supporting children with ADHD, fostering an inclusive and empathetic environment both at home and in the classroom.

This summary was composed using #AI but you can watch the human conversation in full below.

Embracing ADHD Diagnosis:

• "I've been diagnosed with ADHD... at first, I didn't really want to know much about it. Just take the medication and get on with it until I learned... it's not just about that.

Social-Emotional Learning:

• "I'm more strong on the social-emotional side of things... building a social, emotional, healthy foundation is the core thing to everything."

The Role of Fathers:

• "I'm envious of empathetic fathers who are kind and self reflective... especially in those foundational years for kids."
• "In Germany, Father's Day is usually an excuse to get drunk... but now that I'm actually a dad, I don't participate in these kinds of things anymore."

Parenting and Teaching:

• "I knew I would become a dad... lots of principles I used in the classroom were based on parenting insights... like The Conscious Parent by Shefali Tsabary."

Reparenting Yourself:

• "It's about reparenting yourself first... recognising generational cycles of how you were brought up and dismantling social conditioning."

7. ADHD in Boys and Girls:

• "My parents struggled to understand what ADHD, especially for a girl, meant... you were good and quiet and did well at school doesn't mean you didn't struggle."

Communication in Parenting:

• "It's all about communication... having conversations about how you were brought up and what you want and don't want for your child."

Collaboration Between Parents and Teachers:

• "Providing a judgment-free space and just listening... understanding where parents are coming from is crucial."

Importance of ADHD Label:

• "You shouldn't have to wait for a diagnosis to start supporting the child... every teacher must assume there will be brains that work differently in their classroom."

Classroom Strategies:

• "For example, I got lots of fidget toys for the classroom... building that classroom culture where everyone understands we are all different is essential."

Transitioning to Secondary School:

• "The transition from primary to secondary can be really challenging... it's demanding when you have different teachers and routines."

Online Teaching Techniques:

• "During lockdown, I used Google Classroom and sent out daily videos... it was about making sure kids knew what was coming and felt supported."

Keeping Students Engaged:

• "It was important to give heads up about tasks and allow flexibility... I even sent out feedback forms to parents to improve the process."

Lifelong Learning and Curiosity:

• "Keeping ourselves learning, staying curious, and ahead with evidence-based approaches is vital."

Recommended Books:

• "The Disorganised Mind by Nancy Ratey, The ADHD Advantage by Dale Archer, and Dark Horse by Todd Rose are great reads for understanding and managing ADHD."

Practical Framework for Managing Tasks:

• "Every week, I do a brain dump of everything on my mind... I use a modified Eisenhower Matrix to prioritise tasks and keep track of important and urgent items."

Blue Sky Thinking for Future Education:

• "I imagine a community where parents collaborate closely on their children's education... recognising that education cannot be outsourced but is a shared responsibility."

Embracing Technology:

• "Technology is integral to modern education... tools like ChatGPT and other online resources should be leveraged to enhance learning."

Watch the full human conversation here: