Graduating With ADHD?

Okay, so I know it’s been a little bit since you’ve seen a post from me.  I seem to have gotten a little bit overwhelmed recently.  It appears as though my oldest has made it to 18 (there were some days I wasn’t so sure she’d survive). 

Now that I have survived the 18th birthday, complete with visiting relatives, she is graduating in 8 days (not that I am counting).  So, this coming weekend brings more family coming from out of town, and this time they are staying through until her party next weekend! 

I’m not sure if you are familiar with all that being the parent of a graduating senior entails.  Money, lots of it.  Of course, the financial outlay starts a year (or two) early with the purchase of the class ring.  After that shock, you will be treated to many other  expenses, from senior ads in the yearbook to cap and gown costs.  Add to that announcements, invitations, party expenses, and it’s better to just stop counting.  The shock can be overwhelming.

Watching and helping your child prepare for their high school graduation is a bitter-sweet experience, to say the least.  It is a time of reflection and anticipation, and is really difficult to put into words.  It signifies an end to the public school struggles so many of us have handled, yet the beginning of so much more.  It is a time of letting go, but not too far, as oftentimes our ADHD kids need some additional time in the nest.

That said, I would like to publicly congratulate my daughter, Amber, on graduating from high school.  There were a number of days we weren’t sure she’d make it all the way through.  Some of her teachers did what they could to throw bumps in her way, but even more teachers took her by the hand to help her navigate the treacherous waters of high school.

High school for an ADDer is a unique experience, and their success depends greatly on the support and help of those around them.  The academic culture is much more structured than in the earlier grades, and this can be a good or a bad thing, depending on how the student’s brain works.  The social culture in high school for a kid with ADHD can prove particularly demanding. 

In any case, thankfully, another ADDer has successfully found her way through the maze of social rules, academic requirements, and parental demands placed on her in her high school years.

And it is here, in public, that I personally, and whole-heartedly, congratulate my brilliant, and tough, daughter!

Until next time, stay strong.

Tracy

P.S. Thank you for indulging me today and allowing me to send a shout out to Amber.  If you’d like to leave any notes for her, I will make sure to pass them along.

Have You Said Thank You Today?

Today is Teacher Appreciation Day here in the states.  It’s a day when we can all have a reason to stop and say thank you.  Thank you for all the things they do throughout the year to help our kids grow and learn.  Thank you for the little ways they help our children to become better people.

Now, this can present an interesting challenge for parents of kids with ADHD.  Oftentimes we are so involved in the struggles with our kids’ teachers that we do not want to think about thanking them.  It can seem like all they do is cause us more struggles and stress.  They give us headaches, complain about our kids, don’t help them the way we think they should.  Why is it you should thank them again?

Because of all the other things they do that we overlook the rest of the year!  They dedicate their days (and their nights and weekends) to helping our kids learn.  They grade papers, teach social etiquette, referee disagreements on the playground, run interference with the administration, and overall they care about our kids.

It is so easy to lose sight of that amidst all of the disagreements we may have throughout the year.  Make sure you take advantage of the days that are set aside to help us remember to be grateful.  Help your kids find a way to say thanks with you.  Here are some quick ideas:

·         Help your kids make a beautiful handmade cards to say thank you

·         Have your child write down things their teacher has helped them learn (if they’re in fourth grade, write down four things)

·         Give them a candle to use whenever they have quiet time alone

·         Get them a fun book for teachers (there are a lot of great ones out there!)

These are just a few small ideas of things you and your kids can do to say thank you!  Let me know how it goes, and what other unique ways you find to appreciate your child’s teacher.