They Did It!

Ok, she did it!  My oldest daughter and her team have won their region We The People competition.  This competition is national in scope, and starts out in regional competitions.  They must prepare 4 minute testimony, or papers, on a particular question having to do with American Government and present them in front of a panel of judges.  Then they must endure and successfully answer 6 minutes of detailed questioning. 

Now, the subject matter is EXTREMELY detailed, and quite frankly over my head (history and government were not my strong subjects).  And, their judges were very influential people.  Local judges, politicians, educators and administrators of the local college.  These kids held their own against some very tough questioning.

So they are going to the state competition in February.  They will be presenting and competing at our State Legislature against schools from all over our state.  It is very exciting and very nerve racking.  Now, the poor kids won’t be relaxing over the winter vacation as much as they had expected too.  But they say it’s worth it.

Anyway, in honor of their win I have decided to do something different, something unexpected, something that will help your children begin the road to realize the same kind of successes other students are seeing.  So, here’s what I am doing:

I will be giving away two two-month scholarships to The Tutoring Club at TheADDEdge.com!  That’s right, two two-month memberships, complete with everything a regular paid membership would include.  You will get the initial consultation, intake interview, report, and two months of the Silver level of The Tutoring Club membership!

This is truly a rare opportunity to utilize the services The Tutoring Club has to offer and see the benefits first hand, and it will all be on me!

I hope you’ve had a chance to look at The Tutoring Club page at TheADDEdge.com.  It is an amazing new program that will help transform your student’s studies.  It will help change the way you relate to your student regarding their grades.  It will make a huge difference in all of your lives!

How can you take advantage of this awesome opportunity?  It’s actually very simple.  Just post a reply to this message stating why you think you should be awarded the two month scholarship.  What do you hope to gain from the service, and how will you and your child benefit from this opportunity.

All entries will be evaluated by the team of tutors at The Tutoring Club.  All entries must be posted by 1 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Tuesday, December 18, 2007.  Winners will be announced at 10 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday, December 19, 2007.

Entries will be judged based on need, honesty, vision and goals, as well as unique situations that may be present.  Enter today, and Wednesday you may be a winner!

 

Meds, adults, cardiac changes, does any of this make sense?

So I was reading a new article on WebMD today about the cardiac effects (or lack thereof) of stimulant medications on our children and I saw, embedded in one of the later paragraphs, a surprising statistic! 

Did you know that 1.5 million adults are now taking stimulant medications for ADHD, and 10% of those adults are over age 50?!  I was shocked.  I had no idea that it was so prevelant, and more importantly diagnosed, in adults now.  Then I realized I had mixed feelings about this.

I am glad that adults struggling with ADHD are getting diagnosed, this has been a challenge for a long time.  I think it is good that people, particularly in the medical field, are recognizing that a lot of adults live with the ADHD brain style as well as children.

On the flip side I am a little concerned.  There are documented findings showing adverse side effects of stimulant medications, and many of those can be more dangerous for adults.  In fact, studies have shown a 5 point increase in blood pressure when on these meds.  While 5 points might not be a big deal for kids, or some adults, for others it can be a very big deal.

You know, one of the challenges I see for ADHD in our kids is that they have this particular brain style, one that does not work so well with the traditional school setting.  However, as an adult I have found that life allows us to adjust a little bit easier than our children can.  We can make things fit us a little better, find ways to make ourselves more effective.

So, I thought I’d ask your opinion.  If you could go to this pageand take this survey then I will post the answers here.  From this information we will all be able to get a better handle on exactly how adult ADHD affects society.  Talk to you soon!

It’s not just any one country

I guess it is slightly comforting to know that it is not just in the US, or Europe, or Africa that parents are having trouble with the school districts.  Now, I would never wish trouble for anyone, especially not when trying to raise their children.  But it is reassuring to know that this is a problem across the globe.

I don’t know if you have heard, but there is a father and his 14 year old son in Australiai that are suing the boy’s school district for failing to teach him.  He is now in high school and has been found to be a good five years behind his peers.  His father had asked for help repeatedly throughout the boy’s time in school, but to no avail.

I just found this interesting.  It let me know that it is not just our school district, not just our children, not just us.  It is everywhere.  I was reminded that perhaps one of the most important roles we play as a parent is that of advocate for our child.

We must never give up or be quieted.  It is imperative that we make sure we are doing what is best for our children.  We must share this passion with our educators.  They do want to help, often times they are not given the resources to do so.  We must help them find them.

We can do this.  If we keep our wits about us we can focus on what matters most, and that is raising happy, healthy kids who will contribute to society.  We need to work together to do this.  Remember, just as our children are doing the best they can, so are our educators.  Let’s help them help our kids.  Let’s share with them the things we learn about our children and ADHD.  Let’s make a change!