It is ADHD Awareness Week!

ADHD Awareness week goes from October 14th~20th, 2012.  This week is to shed light on this disorder that many people still believe is not a real. For a parent with ADHD, there is nothing more frustrating than feeling incompetent to "control" your ADHD child.  I know many people, family included still don't believe that Nick has it rather than it being a discipline problem. I've heard many comments including, if he was my kid and did that he would get his a** beat. Ok then, thanks for the input that wasn't asked for. People who do not have a kid with ADHD just Do.Not.Get.It.  I wish it was a discipline problem, it would probably be easier to "fix".  After all if it was because we don't discipline him properly, wouldn't the three other kids act about he same?  Believe me most days I wish he didn't have it, you can't imagine how emotionally draining it is to deal with this day in and day out. However I recognize that Nick is who he is because of the ADHD. If he didn't have it, maybe he wouldn't have the amazingly creative mind that he has. He can create and build things out of Legos that you can't even imagine! He sees a actual object, car, house, boat, train, etc and he will sit in his room for hours building it until it is just right. When he gets a new Lego set, he uses the directions one time to put the set together and after that, it is all in his mind.  On Friday he stayed in for recess with his teacher just to make me a very cute purse with duct tape that has magnets to close shut. I don't know many 9 year old boys who would choose to miss recess to make something for his Mom just because.  He is still really struggling in school, but we are trying everything to help him. I have even written to the Special Services to get him reassessed and possibly get his IEP back. As many people know I will fight for my kid and do what needs to do in order for him to do well in school. We have been blessed this year with an extraordinary teacher who after two days with him approached me and asked if the things she observed were his norm. She goes above and beyond for him and I am so grateful that we got her. I know she will fight for my child as hard as I will.

The things I wrote in THIS POST are still true today, with an update on the ages.


Here are 7 Important Facts about ADHD

Man, life got crazy!

In the months since the last blog, my life has become one Hell of a roller coaster. To make a long story short, my father became ill, was hospitalized, then in a rehab, and has moved. Phew. Those events all occurred from the second week of July up until two weeks ago! Throw in four kids, back to school, and back to work you can imagine how busy I have been. So now my Dad lives just minutes from me which is so much more convenient than the half hour he used to. I can check on him as often as I want and if he needs me, I can be there in five minutes. He is living in a retirement type housing. He has his own studio apartment, and so far he seems to like it. He goes to a dining room for three meals a day so I know he is at least getting out around other people 3 times a day unlike when he lived by himself at home and sat inside all day long by himself, not talking to anyone. I know this has been a huge adjustment for him, but so far so good. I was worried that the adjustment from the home he has lived in for over 35 years would have been very difficult, but he was ready and knew that he couldn't live by himself any longer. The thing he misses the most is his dog.  So hopefully I will get back to blogging, at least more than once every six months.