I do not like being around my child right now
ADHD parent behaviour
Sustained exposure to high-intensity emotional output depletes your regulatory capacity, so the urge to avoid is protective, not selfish, and loving your child while not wanting to be in the room are both true at once. The guilt does not change the biology. Find one real moment of connection today, not a manufactured performance, just five minutes of a shared interest. The relationship repairs in micro-moments, not grand gestures.
What to do right now
You love them. You do not like being around them right now. Both of those things are true simultaneously and the guilt of admitting the second one is enormous. ADHD children are neurologically intense. The constant demands, the unpredictability, the sensory output. Being around that every day depletes you in ways that are not your fault. Find one small pocket of genuine enjoyment today. Not manufactured quality time. Something real, even if it is five minutes.
What your brain just did
Your body
You love them and you do not want to be in the same room as them. The dissonance is painful.
Your brain
Sustained exposure to high-intensity emotional output depletes the caregiver's own regulatory capacity. The avoidance impulse is protective, not selfish.
What this did
Find one moment of genuine connection today. Not manufactured. Not a parenting performance. Something small and real. Five minutes of a shared interest. The relationship repairs in micro-moments, not grand gestures.