Parenting ADHD

Today I read a story on Instagram about a 15 year old Michigan girl that was jailed for a couple of months for failing to do her school work online. I couldn’t even wrap my mind around the trauma that this poor child has just been subjected to by some witch in robe trying to prove a point to this little black girl.

The little girl, Grace, has ADHD and I’m certain some other emotionl issues as well. I cried after reading the story about Grace because I immediately thought about my son that has ADHD and how sometimes he can be a handful. He definitely doesn’t make parenting a breeze and he tests every ounce of patience that I and some of our family members have at times, but I couldn’t imagine if that was my son in this situation.

Like any unknown subject, ADHD, has been a challenge to parent in my child. I’ve had to learn so much on the disability and how it comes along with some other issues that may heighten the ADHD in a person. It can be very difficult for a child to manage their life and the expectations that society has placed on them about how a child “should” act.

Having ADHD Isn’t an excuse for bad behavior in a child with it. I don’t ever make excuses for my son’s bad behavior, but it has challenged me to not react the same way that I would with my other two children. Now, back to Grace’s situation, I can’t believe that there was a judge, Mary Ellen Brennan, that thought she could punish the ADHD out of a 15 year old child. She actually thought that it was in that child’s best interest to be locked away in jail instead of given some form of therapy.

My heart aches for this child and her family because society has said that it far more easy to lock away our little black girls and boys, to teach them a lesson, thank it is to get to the root of their issues and get them proper help. Grace was finally released from jail on yesterday after her lawyer appealed the judge’s decision. I can’t imagine that if this judge were the parent of Grace that she would have thought that jailing her was going to “help” her and not harm her.

Mary Ellen Brennan is a horrible example of a family court judge. The social worker, Rachel Giroux, is just as bad of a person that the judge is. These two individuals are the reason that parents have to educate themselves and become advocates for their own children.

I will keep Grace and her family in my constant prayers because they’re going to need it. I also pray that God speaks to the heart of the judge, the social worker, and everyone else that has failed this child so that this sort of ignorant justice isn’t repeated.