Divorce Rate Increases with Child With ADHD

Researchers studied married couples and found that before age eight, parents of children with ADHD were 22% more likely to divorce than parents who did not have a child with ADHD. Having a child with ADHD will strain your marriage relationship.

Children with ADHD, especially the hyperactive-impulsive type, are often emotional and have behaviors that are difficult to manage. I know parents with great parenting skills who have one child without ADHD and with this child they look like parenting champs. They also have a child with ADHD that makes them feel like they don’t know what they are doing. Parenting is a project when you have a child with ADHD and I recommend three thoughts.

Spouses must be on the same page when parenting a child with ADHD. Back each other up. When it comes to discipline, I often find mom is the bad guy and dad becomes the good guy. This strains the marriage relationship and the parent-child relationship. One child with ADHD cursed out his mom and the dad, standing nearby, did nothing. His inaction reinforced how this boy treats his mom and with time it will transfer to his girlfriend or own spouse. Dads must take a stance.

Give moms a break. Dads can take the child with ADHD and do something they both enjoy. I used to take my child camping so my wife could have a day to herself. A friend took his child to sports games. Time alone gives mom time to renew. Everyone needs it.

Married parents must spend quality time together. Without your relationship there is no intact family unit. Make time to talk. My wife and I would sit on our patio or walk around the neighborhood together. Sometimes we’d hire a sitter for a date night. The point was to make time for the two of us to communicate. Connect with each other and beat the divorce statistics.  Call our office if you need help.