One mum's heartache: 'Oh, for Christ's sake give her a cookie so she'll shut up!'

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as, ADHD, has become quite a common disorder amongst young people. 

Yet, even still, many people can't see it for what it is, and they certainly cannot distinguish a sufferer of ADHD. 

And the first people that tend to get the blame for a child's actions, are their parents, which can lead to some pretty emotional meetings. 

Taylor Myers is an example of how people can sometimes overstep the mark. 

While doing her grocery shopping with her daughter Sophie, her toddler had one of her ADHD episodes. 

The encounter happened when Taylor refused to buy chips that Sophie had tried to add to their shopping cart. 

"She's relentless. I know this. I live with it. Her ADHD and obsessive little heart gets on these subjects of things she finds unjust and wrong and it doesn't stop until she eventually falls asleep or something very dramatic happens to snatch the attention off the obsessed about subject."

"We stood in line for several minutes, me ignoring her whining and refusing to give in. What's giving in to bad behaviour going to do but reinforce the bad behaviour?" added Mum.

But while standing in line, it was the comment of a strange woman behind her that reduced the mum-of-two to tears: "Oh, for Christ's sake give her a cookie so she'll shut up!"

Not wanting to lose her cool, but tired of the niceties she is so used to sharing with strangers when it comes to her daughter's disorder, Taylor responded: "She's four-years-old and you need to mind your own f***ing business."

Taylor firmly admits she could have responded in a nicer way; but raising two children alone, and trying to teach her four-year-old that she can't always get what she wants, while a stranger wants her child to 'shut up' can take it's toll. 

"I kept my composure until I finished what I was doing and walked to self check-out so I could avoid facing anyone else as 'that person'; the person with the misbehaving child. The person who seems lazy because they're ignoring the behaviour. The person who knows doing anything but ignoring it is only going to make it worse."

But by the time Taylor made it to the check-out she was in floods of tears; she was hurt, angry, frustrated and naturally offended. 

The mum-of-two began to scan her items, but as she did, another woman struck up conversation with her four-year-old. 

This strange woman was distracting Sophie, so Taylor could manage to buy her groceries, asking Sophie about her little brother, and supporting Mum when the toddler was beginning to vent about the chips once more. 

Taylor appreciated this more than that woman will ever know; but she has a very important message for all the strangers frequenting the grocery store:

"It only takes one comment to break someone down. You never know what someone's going through. You never know the problems a child has that causes them to misbehave and unless you know the struggle of being a parent to a child like mine, you cannot judge me."

But while Taylor wants people to understand that you shouldn't judge, she also wants people to realise the benefits of mums supporting mums.

"It also takes one small act of kindness to make a mama feel comfort and validation. Thank you to the woman today, for showing that kindness to my children and I. Thank you for walking us out. Thank you for backing me up. Mamas have to stick together."

And we totally agree – we should stick together, it's too often we're pitted against one another. Let's help each other along the way mamas!