Parenting a neurodivergent child, especially one who displays challenging behaviours, can be a journey marked by unique obstacles and transformative growth. Many parents fall into the trap of communicating based on their own thought processes, assuming their child thinks in a similar way. This assumption, though natural, can create a barrier to true understanding and effective communication.
A key principle in the Davis Parent Power — Harmony at Home course is recognising that neurodivergent children often experience and interpret the world in fundamentally different ways from neurotypicals. For many of these children, a significant portion of their time is spent engaging with their own thoughts and imagination. While this introspective focus fosters creativity and deep inner worlds, it also means that some key physical-world life lessons may not be fully assimilated. Concepts like cause and effect, time, sequence, and the distinction between order and disorder are often only partially understood, if at all.
This incomplete assimilation can lead to challenges in essential skills such as impulse control, time management, sequential thinking, task management, and personal organization. For instance, a neurodivergent child might struggle with understanding the consequences of certain actions, leading to impulsive behavior. Similarly, a limited awareness of time can result in difficulties keeping to schedules or completing tasks in a logical order.
Davis Parent Power — Harmony at Home equips parents with insights, techniques and strategies to address these gaps, helping them understand how their child thinks and, just as importantly, how their child doesn’t think. By developing a foundational understanding of their child’s unique thought patterns, parents can then establish a constructive and harmonious dialogue. This approach creates an environment where parents can communicate in a way that resonates with their child, offering guidance on critical life skills in ways that align with their child’s thinking style.
Through this supportive, tailored communication, parents can help their child gradually build the skills needed to navigate the physical world more confidently. In doing so, they foster a happier home environment, marked by more positive behaviour patterns, deeper mutual respect, and a stronger parent-child connection.
Join our inaugural course commencing on 9th January 2025. Course Presenter is Richard Whitehead.
Building Harmony at Home with Your Neurodivergent Child
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