Nicole W. Barnes Virtual Assistant

A common comparison for life is to look at it as seasons. Seasons change, some are harsher than others, and some are amazing. The same comparison can be made with parenting.

Since my oldest has been diagnosed ADHD, I have been an open book about it. I talk about her meds, therapy, home strategies…but what I don’t talk about much is the harshness of the seasons.

In the past year we have been through probably six different seasons. These seasons can be pinpointed by medication changes, growth and development, and life’s curveballs.

We have had to watch our daughter go through trial and error periods with medication to help her manage her (current) diagnosis of ADHD, ODD, and a mood disorder. I know we could’ve been dealt a tougher hand, but with any medical diagnosis, it’s so hard to watch your child struggle.

We’ve learned to gauge her moods, highs and lows, and her middle ground. I can’t even begin to explain how much it hurts my heart that we can’t guide her through things any more than we already are.

For those of you against medication, we’ve tried it. We’ve tried everything under the sun. It’s the only thing that helps her and at nine years old, she fully recognizes that.

We have now hit the season of her growing up and wanting more independence. More freedom. To be who she is without us constantly looking over her shoulder or reminding her to have self-control.

With this season comes peers that are also at that same point in growing up. Our daughter is slowly realizing that she is different. She notices when no one wants to be around her. She sees and hears people saying negative things about her.

As a parent, my heart is broken. We do our best to teach our children to be kind, yet they don’t understand when they aren’t given the same kindness.

The whole point of this post was to talk about seasons in our lives. Our season right now is a bit brutal. It won’t always be this way. God will see us through like he always does.

As the start of this school year rolls around, please remind yourselves and your children that kindness goes a long way and everybody could use a little grace.