"Our Son Has ADHD and it's Hurting Our Marriage"

THE COUNSELOR'S TURN

"Emily and Kenny called me because they were unable to make a decision about the best way to help Jack. But after listening to them for a few minutes, it was clear that, while Jack's issues may have been the trigger that set off the current fight, these two had been battling over a variety of things for a long time.

"Agreeing on the best parenting style is tough for most couples. It's especially hard for an 'opposites attract' pair like Emily and Kenny. Emily is laid-back when it comes to household issues and Kenny needs a lot of structure. Parenting a high-maintenance child like Jack made their job tougher and that stress ratcheted up the tension between them. Neither Emily nor Kenny had strong communication skills, and without the ability to really listen to what the other was saying or to speak without criticism, they couldn't resolve their disagreements. As each tried to prove the other wrong, they slipped into old patterns that made matters worse: Kenny ranted and rambled, whether he was talking to Jack about homework or Emily about housework. Emily, overwhelmed and anxious, became tearful and sarcastic. Conversations, instead of being productive, turned nasty.

"But these two loved their kids and insisted they wanted to figure out why they were never on the same page. To dial down the tension, I made a few obvious suggestions. To resolve the who-does-more argument, I suggested they keep a list of everything they did in a day, from laundry to arranging dental appointments. Kenny saw that Emily was doing a lot more than he'd given her credit for. 'Many men don't even think about the "shadow" work women do,' I said. 'Social tasks like arranging playdates, signing kids up for after-school activities, or remembering Grandma's birthday can be just as draining as other chores.' Kenny promised to focus on ways to make life easier at home. They decided to hire a college student to come in from 4 to 7 p.m. to help with homework, play with the kids, and straighten up. That gave Emily time to recharge at the end of a workday before tackling dinner. She also had more energy to stick to the structured strategies that were important to Kenny.

"Another easy step was to schedule a date night. 'Even if you just wander in the bookstore, spending time as a couple is mandatory,' I said. 'You check in with each other, remind yourselves why you fell in love -- and why you've stayed together all these years.

"As Emily and Kenny began to feel more like allies, we worked on ways to communicate without triggering hostility. Turning to Emily, I said, 'Maybe you don't realize it, but you often respond to Kenny with an irritated voice or angry words. When you disparage his ideas, he feels marginalized.' It's not a question of right and wrong, I added. 'In a good marriage, partners respect that there can be a difference of opinion. Show that you respect Kenny's point of view by telling him you understand what he said before you offer your own take on the situation.'

"Meanwhile, Kenny's tendency to talk 'at' Emily and Jack wasn't helping, either. With me there to referee, Emily explained to Kenny that kids like Jack have trouble following a string of instructions. 'Ask him to do one or two things at a time and he'll succeed,' she said. After some discussion, we came up with a plan for Emily to signal a time-out whenever she sensed Kenny wasn't getting through to Jack or to her. A funny look or a good-natured 'Whoa! You lost us back there!' was his clue to slow down. Rather than storm off angrily, Emily could also say: 'Jack, what I think Dad is trying to say is...Is that right, honey?' This not only helps father and son, it sends a message to Kenny that she's on his side.

"In addition to helping them communicate better, I also suggested that they give themselves, and each other, permission to take a time-out whenever they feel they're losing it. At the same time, they could ease each other's stress by asking, 'How can I help?' If the answer is 'I need time alone' or 'I could use a hug,' they need to make that happen.

"Finally, we focused on the issue that had brought them into therapy: medication for Jack. 'When you talk about hot-button issues, it can help you stay cool if you pretend you're talking about them with a colleague instead of your spouse,' I advised them. Then I asked, 'Do you want your son to do better and feel better? Has what you've been doing worked? Then why not try another approach?' Now that they were working more as a team, Kenny felt more open to Emily's ideas and agreed that medication was worth a try. They made an appointment with a psycho-pharmacologist who agreed that Jack could benefit from medication."

"We noticed a change within a week. Jack's much happier and the teacher says he pays more attention to his work."

"Now that their son is managing his work better, he's no longer up late at night."

"And that means more time for us -- thank God!"

"As additional parenting issues crop up, this couple's new skills are continuously tested. Emily still feels overwhelmed and frustrated from time to time and if she's not careful, she picks a fight with Kenny. Instead of getting angry, though, Kenny calmly wraps his arms around her and asks what he can do. 'I'm honestly amazed how simply having him say that, and hold me, makes a huge difference,' Emily says. Evenings are more peaceful, too: Kenny realized he wasn't spending enough time just having fun with Jack, and they started a nightly father-son game of chess while Emily reads Harry Potter to Caitlin. I'm confident that Emily and Kenny now know how to resolve their parenting conflicts -- and have the courage to pick up the phone and call me when they feel shaky."