Your Child Isn’t Lazy: The ADHD Struggle Parents Often Misunderstand, Episode #176

In this insightful and deeply validating episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we sit down with Mike Goldstein — education leader and co-author of I’ll Do It Later: Surviving School (and Renewing the Love) with Your ADHD Son.

Together, we unpack a refreshing and realistic perspective on ADHD — one that moves beyond blame, labels, and quick-fix parenting strategies.

Through powerful real-life stories and case studies of boys navigating school, motivation, homework, and everyday life, Mike challenges one of the biggest misconceptions about ADHD: that children simply “aren’t trying hard enough.”

Instead, this conversation reveals a much deeper truth.

Many children with ADHD genuinely want to succeed, want to please the adults around them, and want to follow through — but struggle with executive functioning skills like task initiation, organization, sustained attention, planning, and follow-through, especially outside highly structured environments like school.

We explore why so many traditional parenting and school approaches fail to create lasting change, how technology and shrinking attention spans may be complicating ADHD symptoms, and what actually helps children build motivation, confidence, and independence over time.

Most importantly, this episode offers parents a compassionate reframe: ADHD is not a character flaw or motivation problem — it is an execution challenge rooted in how the brain manages attention, regulation, and action.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Why ADHD is often misunderstood as laziness or lack of motivation
• The difference between wanting to do something and being able to initiate it
• How executive functioning impacts homework, routines, and follow-through
• Why many ADHD strategies fail over time
• The impact of technology and attention fragmentation on kids today
• How relationships and environment shape ADHD success
• Practical ways parents can reduce power struggles and frustration
• Supporting children with ADHD through coaching, understanding, and realistic expectations

This episode is a powerful reminder that behind many unfinished tasks, forgotten homework assignments, and frustrating routines is a child who is often trying much harder than we realize.

To find out more about Mike, click here

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