PDA teen - just need to talk!!!

[JekyllHyde]

I have a dd14 with adhd and the PDA is coming out in force. Mornings are like walking a tightrope trying not to say the wrong thing!

I’ve been speaking with a parenting coach who is helping me understand her and how to parent her but it’s so tough. And that’s before we even get on to my son. My mental health is through the floor but just gritting my teeth and trying to get on with it.

anyone else sympathise? I feel quite lonely tbh

My Dd is 16 - she is PDA and ADHD. The struggle is immense with GCSEs imminent. Her anxiety is sky high. Struggle to get her up, to eat, to go to school. It is punishing trying to be supportive. Not clear it will improve any after school either. Much sympathy OP.

Thanks for reply - I ended up starting a thread in mental health as this board is slow!!

im dreading GCSEs next year so I wish you much luck!

have you considered BTec instead of a level? My colleagues dd has adhd and she has found it a lot less stressful and has ended up doing really well

Yes DD wants to do BTEC at college as she is too anxious about exams. My concern is that there are still lots of demands with coursework and there is the feedback to contend with. She is doing music now and it is an uphill challenge to keep going and address the feedback she has been given. So I am not sure how college will work out.

My DS is extremely academic but can not do exams so he has dropped out of the system and is trying to find retail jobs and so far no luck. It’s so hard because he has so much potential but can’t access it. At least he managed decent GCSEs

have a look at the thread in mental health (I can’t link but it’s called impact of pda on parental mental health or similar) as there’s some good advice from others on there

it feels so hopeless and some days I just don’t want to wake up but then I see glimpses of the brilliant people they are and it does give me a little hope

My teenager is PDA - not really attending school. I'm taking a very low-demand approach, which has reduced stress and helped our relationship. However, I am concerned about how they'll manage in the future, whether they'll get a job.

Yes I worry about the future and how they would cope in a workplace.

spend a lot of time thinking of careers that would be low demand!!!

Please could you explain how PDA manifests itself? My 17 year old has ADHD but he literally will not get up and go to school in the mornings, lies in bed all day, won't revise etc. Could this be PDA?