It's ADHD awareness day or week or some interval or another. Because of my background and expertise in child welfare and children's issues, I am sometimes asked by parents whether I think that their child might be ADHD. They describe the symptoms, and I invariably opine that I think the correct diagnosis is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. It's hard to tell the difference, but parents seem to prefer the ADHD diagnosis to FAS for some reason.
ADHD is a real disorder, and some kids have it bad. But not every moderately inattentive or energetic child has ADHD. In my opinion, too many parents refuse to thwart their children in anything, act surprised when their children become out of control and annoying, and welcome a diagnosis of a disorder that gets them off the hook for bad parenting. On the other hand, teachers and some parents seem so intent on controlling children so much that they cannot tolerate any inattention or unauthorized activity. They welcome the opportunity to drug children into submission.
I have observed that parents may be placed in one of two schools of thought with respect to their children's personality and deportment:
A. Parents who reckon that personality and deportment are inborn and genetically predetermined.
B. Parents who reckon that personality and deportment are the result of childrearing practices.
Guess which category has the worst behaved children.
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