Identity, masking, strengths and self-esteem
Help a child understand themselves without shame or false positivity, while leaving room for strengths, privacy and an identity bigger than any diagnosis.
What you can find here
- How do I explain ADHD or autism to my child?
- What is masking and how do I know it is happening?
- How do I build confidence after years of criticism?
- Should my child tell friends or teachers?
- How can we talk about strengths without denying difficulties?
Begin with the main Library article
Main Library article
How do I explain ADHD or autism to my child? A parent's guide by age
How to give a child honest, age-appropriate information about ADHD or autism and keep the conversation open as their questions change.
More from the Library
What is masking, and how would I know my child is doing it?
What autistic masking can look and feel like, why children may adapt their behaviour, and how to respond without making assumptions.
Written February 2026
What if my child does not want to be autistic or have ADHD?
How to respond when a child rejects an autism or ADHD diagnosis, without arguing, forcing an identity or withdrawing useful support.
Written February 2026
Should my child tell their friends and teachers?
How to decide who to tell about an ADHD or autism diagnosis, what each person needs to know and how to protect the child’s choice.
Written February 2026
How do I rebuild my child's confidence after years of being told off?
Practical ways to repair repeated criticism, make success accessible and help a child build a more accurate view of themselves.
Written February 2026
How do we talk about strengths without pretending the hard parts are not there?
A grounded way to recognise a child’s strengths, interests and values without using positivity to minimise difficulty or deny support.
Written February 2026
How do I help my child feel safe enough to stop masking?
How to reduce the pressure to mask while protecting a child’s choice, privacy, safety and access to everyday life.
Written February 2026
Difference or deficit? The words we use and how a child hears them
How to describe neurodevelopmental difference and real difficulty without turning either into a judgement about the child.
Written February 2026
Quick answers from the Blog
Why does my teenager want to keep their diagnosis private?
Why a teenager may keep an ADHD or autism diagnosis private and how parents can protect choice while arranging necessary support.
Written February 2026
How do I explain my child's diagnosis to grandparents and family?
How to give relatives useful information about a child’s ADHD or autism diagnosis while protecting the child’s voice and privacy.
Written February 2026
What do I say when my child asks why they are different?
A short, honest way to answer a child who asks why they feel or seem different, with or without a diagnosis.
Written February 2026
How do I help a child who says they hate themselves?
How to respond to self-hating words, ask directly about safety and know when a child needs urgent mental-health help.
Written November 2025