September 2017
None of us really stops learning. And, when you’re dealing with ADHD, your need to know more AND to apply that knowledge in your family or work life never ends.
Our feature article this month, “Think you Understand ADHD? Don’t leave out the best parts!” by ADHD Parent coach and educator, Yafa Luria Crane, MA, MS, MEd, helps clear up some common misconceptions about ADHD.
“Talking about ADHD as a deficit is not the only, nor the most helpful, way to think about ADHD. The best understanding is comprehensive – it is a biological, mental, and emotional difference.”
“We don’t need a “cure” for ADHD – ADHD is our genius. We need support… But every human, including the coolest, most successful people in the world, needs support.”
Parents need support too! On Facebook, the Honestly ADHD Parent Support group and Impact ADHD Parent community are both quite good. For other online and in-person to meet your needs see: Find Support for ADHD.
Diane Dempster, another Parent coach and co-founder of Impact ADHD, shares 5 Tips to Make Life Easier as an ADHD Parent.
For more specific strategies for your children for school or at home, see Organization for Children: Supporting Executive Functions by Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M, ACAC.
Yes, having ADHD can be challenging but you CAN develop tools that help. We can choose to ignore our symptoms and roll with the punches or we can identify our problem areas and find ways to cope more effectively. Happy (aka Meagan) of Happy Hyper Shiny outlines a few ways she finds calm, keeps track of her thoughts and belongings and makes sure that things get done in ADHD CHOICES: Things I CAN do! She says:
“I don’t have to subject my family to my crazy.”
“I am still a work in progress. We all are.”
“But my thought process has changed.”
“There is a lot more I CAN do than I give myself credit for.”
Are you learning new skills to help you design your life to work for your needs?
If you’re thinking of starting a side-gig or other project outside of a traditional workplace, check out these tips for Working from Home with ADHD by Sara Jane Keyser – It’s all about balance, organization, and planning, so these strategies are always good advice.
FREE Resources
This summer I realized that I needed more structure to my days and started using a weekly planner with good results. Having a written schedule allows me to plan and execute projects more effectively. I have even keep on top of Important but Boring tasks by breaking them down into doable steps. Together, these small actions add up and have helped me get things done that I had put off for months and even years.
Emily Ley sells a good planner, but she also offers a collection of Printables that I like. (Basic, Simple to use and FREE) Remember, with ADHD, it’s SO important to WRITE things down. Don’t depend on your memory. Keeping a to-do list or a done-list is a start, but there are many more tools to help you be more effective.
For other ideas, from the simple to the more complex, see my latest Pinterest Board, Planners, Journals, and Notebooks.
Videos:
Loomis and the Lust (3 minutes) What it is like to cope with ADD on a daily basis, from being at school to going on a date. In the video, the band has tried to visually capture what it feels like, at times, to have ADD. (With a little light-heartedness thrown in)
For more great videos, from informative to inspiring, see our ADHD in Video section.
I found a great Resource for Parents from our guest author, Yafa Crane Luria, MA, MS, MEd, ADHD Parent coach, and educator. Her ADHD Question and Answer Video Collection offers over 100 short videos about parenting children with ADHD. For more information and freebies, see her blog, Blocked to Brilliant: Parenting your Awesome ADHD Child.
The number one thing that children object to is yelling. It’s perfectly understandable that a parent’s frustration with a child’s behavior spills over and out, but it’s scary and generally ineffective with children with ADHD at inspiring the behavior you’d like to see.
How do I stop yelling? (3-minututes)
Another all too common parenting response may be spanking. But, is it effective? Or does it only cause harm? “Is it ever Okay to spank your ADHD child?” (1 ¼ -minute)
See our Pinterest boards or Facebook page for more resources to add to your understanding of ADHD and to learn new coping skills for yourself and your family.
Thank you for your time,
Joan Jager
(Title Photo courtesy of arztsamui/FreeDigitalPhoto.net) Modified on Canva.com
(Parenting Photo courtesy of Photostock/FreeDigitalPhoto.net) Modified on Canva.com.
(Working Photo courtesy of Vlado/FreeDigitalPhoto.net) Modified on Canva.com