How do you balance providing your neurodivergent children with the right support, whilst empowering them to make their own decisions?

In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Hester Grainger - a former TV and BBC Radio presenter, certified ADHD coach, and mum of two neurodivergent teenagers who were diagnosed with autism in 2019 and then with ADHD in 2020. Hester speaks honestly and openly about her journey raising children with ADHD and autism, managing life as a neurodivergent parent, and her own journey with ADHD having been diagnosed later in life at 43. Their conversation provides a refreshingly positive look at ADHD traits, showing how deeply understanding and advocating for neurodivergence can have a huge impact on parents and children alike. 

Hester shares the early signs of ADHD in her children that only became apparent during their lockdown homeschooling experience, which led to their diagnoses - and her own! She also reflects on how her children's true selves emerged during their assessments, showing behaviors they typically masked in school where they had mainly been viewed as ‘compliant children’. Hester highlights some of the challenges she faced getting the right school support in place for her children, and the benefits of home education for her daughter in particular. 

Claire and Hester discuss how they balance providing their neurodivergent children with the right support, whilst empowering them to make their own decisions. Hester describes her own approach of giving them a safety net, with a ‘loving push’ to try new things and learn from their experiences. She stresses the importance of taking the time to understand our children’s individual needs, encouraging them to advocate for themselves, showing them empathy - and throwing in a bit of humour when needed! 

Finally, Hester shares her experience of finding support from other parents who faced similar challenges and the importance of connecting with people who "get you." She advises parents of neurodivergent children to find their own supportive communities and to work on a loving yet firm approach to parenting, to help children build their resilience and self-awareness. 

To find out more about Hester and her work, head to:

perfectlyautistic.co.uk

perfectlyadhd.co.uk

To buy tickets for Hester’s ADHD Unmasked tour, head to:

https://www.mapletreeentertainment.com/currently-touring/ADHD+Unmasked/36/summary/