Real parent training, with coaching to make it stick!
I know of a school that gives 2 grades for each class: one for academic achievement and one for effort. What a great idea! The school can really acknowledge kids for their attitude, even if they aren’t getting straight “A’s.” It’s a great idea to take this approach with our kids at home, too. We... read more
Sending students with ADHD to college can be thrilling and nerve-wracking for parents, especially if they have been providing them with a lot of support. Learning about the college environment, and preparing students for it, can alleviate everyone’s stress and help to make sure students will be successful. Specifically, parents need to understand that the... read more
Sometimes my life feels like Groundhog Day! Each morning my alarm goes off at 5:55. For the next 50 minutes, I do what I need to do for me: I take a shower, do my meditation, make my coffee, sometimes sleep in a little, sometimes read a little. By 6:45, I am ready to get... read more
If you look for it, almost every scenario has a silver lining – and a banana peel perspective. The silver lining is the positive way of looking at any situation (cue the violins playing in the background). The banana peel is the comedic perspective (cue the wa-wa horns). When we don’t take things too seriously... read more
Some people are comfortable when things don’t go the way they plan, while others want to control everything. The gift lies somewhere in the middle, recognizing when things are good enough. Last week Diane talked about recovering from perfectionism. In learning to let go of perfection — frankly, in every aspect of life — the greatest... read more
Reading Ann Dolin’s blog this week was a great reminder for me. As someone who is highly motivated by performance and end product, (can you say, perfectionist?) it’s really difficult for me to relate to anything else. When she tells us to focus on the process not the product, I understand it, but it can... read more
Motivating yourself to do anything is much easier when you focus on the positive. Being a great parent is no different. ADHD brains have many attributes that make parenting frustrating. In fact, for a parent of a child with ADHD, this is an understatement. Chaos can ensue without warning. It never ceases to astound me... read more
The foundation of modern-day coaching has its roots in the world of acting. Ironic, in a way, that such an authentic form of communication is like a spin-off from the world of make-believe. But to pretend authentically – that is, to act well – requires a depth of understanding, and clear communication. Since that’s what... read more
I have a meditation practice… I have a meditation practice… Do you think that if I say it enough it will start to happen more consistently? Seriously, research has shown that for all of us, especially ADDers, spending 10 – 15 minutes each day in silence can be a huge support for mental, physical, and... read more
(Re-Learning Parenting Lessons: Just When You Thought You Had It Down) You know what captures the essence of parenting better than anything? It’s that moment when you realize, just when you think you’ve learned a lesson well, that you have SO much more to learn. It’s humbling. It can be crazy-making. It’s parenting. I’ve had... read more