It's Not an Excuse. Or a Label. Or a Weight to Carry. It's Just Who You Are.

I don't talk to my daughter enough about her ADHD -- in part because I don't want her to feel different or burdened, but also because it's just really, really difficult to strike that perfect balance between explaining her brain chemistry, encouraging her to do her best, and reminding her that I'll love her no matter what.

I hesitate to talk openly to my daughter about her ADHD. What if she feels like something’s wrong with her? What if blaming an acronym for her behavior makes her feel helpless? What if it lowers her self-esteem or makes her feel different in a bad way? All of these questions shroud, but don’t fully hide our elephant in the room.

I know she knows something about ADHD; I know she knows I know...but we aren't talking about it. Not often enough, anyway.

Experts urge parents to talk to their kids about their ADHD, and while I see the many benefits — helping them understand the biology of their brains, teaching them coping mechanisms, giving them more control — I still struggle to actually open my mouth and say the words that need to be said.

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