Real parent training, with coaching to make it stick!
Last year, my son and I attended the national ADHDAware event; a “leadership” summit. Being surrounded by a large group of parents and kids managing life with ADHD made me think about leadership from a new perspective. I wondered, is my 13 year old son really a leader? My first response was, “of course he... read more
Being the mom of an ADD/ADHD kid is hard work. It can be overwhelming, frustrating, confusing — lots of emotions come up. Sometimes I just feel like running away. My tip to you today is to do it! I don’t mean to pack your bags and leave your kids behind, although there may be times... read more
Let’s face it, middle-schoolers can be mean. It’s a natural result of an increasing desire for independence, chronic deficits in self-esteem, an under-developed capacity for empathy and compassion and raging hormones. Add all of these up and the result can be just plain nasty! I am fortunate enough to have two such hormone rangers in... read more
There is nothing cliché about gratitude (even when you blog about it during Thanksgiving week). Research has shown that a focus on positive things actually leads to improved physical and mental health. Not all of us are glass half-full people, so having a regular practice of gratitude can be a structured way to bring positivity... read more
Parents typically come to us because they want something in their life to change. They are unhappy with how things are going for themselves and/or their families, and they want it to be different. At times, the desire can be desperate – something needs to be “fixed” quickly or they feel like they will hit... read more
Sometimes, even when we try to be conscious parents, we inadvertently hurt our kids’ feelings. We don’t do it on purpose, but they interpret something and the next thing we know, they are upset. So what to do in response? Take time to really listen: I take the time to curl up on the couch... read more
I’m a planner by nature – actually I used to do it for a living – so it’s difficult for me to imagine not having structure and scheduling as part of almost everything I do. In fact, at times I’ve been accused of not being spontaneous. (My friends are laughing right now.) At the same... read more
We had quite an adventure with rules this week. My son broke a house rule, and then lied about it. My daughter then told on my son, breaking another rule. It ended with me feeling conflicted about which rule to enforce. Ultimately, it got them both in trouble. So, which is the worst offense, lying,... read more
This week, in honor of ADHD Awareness Week, we’ve opted to run some ImpactADHD favorites. These are Cathy and Tishia’s favorite posts. What are yours? Choose Your Words Wisely My 13-year-old gets credit for this one. The other night, when I asked him to do his homework, he said, “Mom, instead of saying ‘do your... read more
My car’s in the shop today. Not to worry — I’m optimistic it just needs an oil change. While waiting, I have taken the time to wander the lot. After sitting behind the same steering wheel every day for eleven years, I admit that I’m a little bored. I’m not exactly driving my car of... read more