When my sons were younger, I thought my job was to prepare them for the world.
Then I realized: the world wasn’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat.
And definitely not for kids with autism and ADHD.
Instead of meeting them with curiosity, the world met them with confusion. Sometimes with pity. Often with judgment. And almost never with the tools or patience they actually needed.
So, somewhere between meltdowns in the grocery store and IEP meetings where I had to become both lawyer and translator, something shifted in me. I stopped asking, How do I fix my kids so they can fit in? and started asking, How do I help the world see them clearly?
Why This Became My Mission
Like a lot of parents, I started out just trying to keep my head above water.
No one really prepares you for the day-to-day reality of parenting neurodivergent kids. You get packets of diagnoses and maybe a pamphlet or two, but not much on how to stay connected as a family when you’re all running on empty.
And especially not how to keep your heart soft in a world that keeps hardening around your child.
That grief we carry? It’s not about who our child is. It’s about all the ways the world still refuses to make room for them. But I don’t want to live stuck in grief. And neither do you. So I started building something different.
A more compassionate world. Not just for my kids—but for yours. And for you, too.
What Compassion Really Looks Like
Compassion isn’t just warm fuzzies. It’s not letting everything slide or avoiding tough conversations. It’s asking better questions.
Like:
“What might this behavior be protecting?”
“What need isn’t being met right now?”
“What’s the kindest next step I can take—toward them, and toward myself?”
This mindset doesn’t come easy when you’re exhausted. But it does get easier with practice. And it pays off. Kids who feel understood are more open to guidance. More resilient. More themselves.
Compassion, it turns out, isn’t just for them. It’s for us, too. Because when we approach our kids with curiosity instead of criticism, we unlock more connection. Less conflict. And way more trust.
It’s Not Just About the Kids
Here’s the part we don’t say out loud enough: parenting a neurodivergent child often feels like running a marathon in a maze. You’re doing your best, but the finish line keeps moving—and no one else seems to be running your race.
You deserve compassion, too.
Not just the “take a bubble bath” kind. The real kind. The kind that says:
You’re not failing.
You’re not alone.
You’re learning in real time, and that’s brave as hell.
We build a better world for our kids by building it within ourselves first. That’s the long game. That’s the mission.
What You Can Do Today
You don’t have to start a nonprofit or change the whole school system. You just have to begin where you are. Here’s one practice that’s helped me, my kids, and the families I coach:
Try this script the next time your child is struggling:
“I can tell this is hard. I’m here. We’ll figure it out together.”
No demands. No shame. Just presence and support. It’s simple—but it’s powerful. Because when our kids feel safe with us, they can begin to feel safe with themselves.
You’re Already Part of the Solution
Every time you advocate.
Every time you stay kind in the middle of chaos.
Every time you choose connection over control…
You’re helping build the world our kids need to thrive in.
Not perfect. Just compassionate.
That’s more than enough.
Thanks for being here with me.
— Brian R. King, MSW
Quick Tips: Teaching Your AuDHD Teen or Young Adult Compassion in Action
Because kindness isn’t just a value—it’s a skill. And like any skill, it can be modeled, practiced, and strengthened with the right tools.
Helping your neurodivergent teen or young adult grow into a compassionate human being doesn’t mean lecturing them on empathy. It means giving them the language, structure, and lived examples to practice it—in ways that make sense to their brain.
Here are three simple but powerful ways to start:
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