Lost generation. That’s what they call late-diagnosis ADHDers. We weren’t told we had ADHD in our 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s childhoods. We weren’t losing our tempers, getting into trouble, cursing out teachers, or fighting with other students. But, we hated recess and would rather stay inside and make art or read books or spend time playing with or leading games for younger students.
We would daydream constantly and think of creative and original ideas, and, in the fifth grade, stay up until 1 am, working on an assignment due the next day. The assignment was given months ago. We’d stay so calm when the proverbial ish hit the fan.
We were sensitive to sounds, tones, textures, and moods. We’d pick up on subtle patterns and notice things that most wouldn’t, like the sights and sounds and music from a long overnight road trip. We frequently wondered if others didn’t like us, and we were called too sensitive. We’d stand up for the causes we believe in.
Our teachers told us we talked too much, took too long to settle down to work, and needed to get our hearing checked because we missed instructions, mixed up words, or often asked that things said be repeated. But, the audiologists always gave us a perfect score since our hearing wasn’t the issue.
And yet we had an infinite focus on the things that interested us, and were energized by the topics and subjects we liked best, whether it be books, superheroes, dinosaurs, music, capital cities, flags, or maps. We, the lost generation, emergent neurodivergents, the neurospicy crew, received our ADHD memberships in our 30s, 40s, and beyond in the 2020s, in part thanks to a TikTok obsession and a growing conversation around mental health and disabilities. For weeks, I questioned whether I would choose to share my ADHD diagnosis on this platform in front of, literally, thousands of my colleagues. But who else should be more understanding and aware of ADHD and its impact on our classrooms and student learning than you, educators?
As I learned more about my ADHD, I understood and appreciated each of my students differently. I will never look at their outbursts, wandering, fidgeting, frequent questioning, chattiness, and encyclopedic knowledge of superheroes, dinosaurs, or maps, the same again. I realized that they weren’t trying to be disrespectful or misbehave, but sometimes they couldn’t help it. I began to understand how my ADHD comes out through my teaching practice and my career. It’s a lot.
Like ASD (autism spectrum disorder), dyslexia, and other forms of neurodivergence, we neurospicies have a different way of processing our world. Often, we are twice exceptional or have comorbidities, meaning we may have a second and third diagnosis on top of the first one.
It’s a challenge. A diagnosis can be a stigma that many teachers may choose not to share with colleagues, which is completely okay. It’s a personal choice. But when I have shared with my students, I found them to be very understanding and the younger ADHDers often cheered. They realized they weren’t weird or alone. They felt seen.
And as I edited the final draft of my latest book last summer (Getting Us to Grandma’s), it became clear to me that this story about Nikki, based on a childhood trip I took with my family, showed that she/I also had ADHD as a child, and it gave us a gift. Like Nikki helped her family, I found a way to channel my gifts in a way to serve my family, school, community, and world.
Now let’s do this. Let’s find out what ADHD really is and create spaces where we, our colleagues, and our students can thrive.
I wish to thank Elementary Teachers of Toronto (ETT) and Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) for the many courses, conferences, and learning opportunities over the years. Thanks also for the support, especially early on in my career when I felt alone as a teacher. In many ways, ETT, my union, is the reason why I am still a teacher today. Thanks also to vice-president Nigel Barriffe for seeing my potential for this story and songs. Thank you all.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nadia Hohn
Nadia Hohn, B.A. (Hon.), B.Ed., M.Ed., M.F.A. is an award-winning author of several books for young people and an elementary school teacher of 20+ years based in Toronto, ON.
This article is featured in Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Winter 2025 issue.
