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It's Not a SprintMy life running an ADHD marathon -- with a jogging stroller.
As with marathon training, Amanda has found that parenting ADHD children requires equal parts humor, humility, and mental endurance. Recent Blog Posts
That last mile until summer vacation sure takes a long time. Another rough morning in my household has confirmed the worst: Summertime-Hurry-Up-And-Get-Here is has fully set in. With each morning, it gets harder and harder to wake the teen and tween. Then the struggle to eat, get dressed, and out the door has become a knock-down drag-out battle. Behavior becomes rockier. The "I have a stomachache, can I just stay home?" complaints triple. As I...Continue Reading »
Becoming more a more resilient mom will help my children face future struggles. Recently my first niece was born, and my brother became a new dad. As he and I were discussing the joys of parenting, he described being on an outing with his wife and baby and getting a great deal of flack from passers-by: "How dare you bring a baby out in public! She'll get sick!" My advice to him, based on my own...Continue Reading »
Overcoming her fear of math has been tough for my adolescent daughter. But with plenty of support — and a lot of parental patience — she's finally moving past meltdowns. One of the worst four-letter words in my house is spelled M-A-T-H. For a few years, this word has sparked panic attacks and meltdowns in my middle child, Quinn. Because she so detested the subject, attempting to do homework, study, or tutor her here at home caused many a dinner-table battle. Things like addition facts and money value took forever for her to memorize...Continue Reading »
Arguments, drama, troubled transitions — sometimes getting an ADHD family dressed, fed, and out of the house is like herding cats. This past weekend, we had the genius idea to take all three kids to their first professional soccer game. It was to be a very special event for our footballer, Quinn. Thanks to the team she plays on, she had the opportunity to be on the field during the opening ceremonies. The idea was quite exciting to us all. However, when the day came, the idea seemed...Continue Reading »
When it comes to ADHD, girls and boys are not created equal -- especially when puberty hits the fan! I'll never forget the conversation I had with my son’s psychiatrist (who treats his ADHD) a few years ago. I asked him what he thought about Holden’s impulsivity, I specifically wondered if he’d be as impulsive at 25 as he had been at 8. Easing my worries, the doctor suggested that adolescence, specifically puberty, could have a calming effect on those impulsive behaviors. Not necessarily the...Continue Reading »
The decision to treat my kids' ADHD with medication was anguishing. But ultimately we decided the risks of remaining unmedicated were far greater than any potential side effects. Once again, a great big spotlight is shining on the treatment of ADHD children. In light of the recent New York Times editorial and subsequent rebuttals about Ritalin, the talk has been hot: "Medicate or not?" Because I’m an open-book parent, most of my friends know that we're using medication as part of our treatment plan and now I'm hearing, "How do you feel about...Continue Reading »
Oh, God. Is that another school-project permission slip? Navigating research, reports, and paper mache with my ADHD son. "Mom, guess what? We get to make a model of a whale this weekend!" Holden eagerly made the announcement as he jumped into the car during afternoon pick up. Like any good parent, I enjoyed hearing the excitement in his voice as he spoke about school. Yet, somehow I knew there was more to this story -- and I was frightened. Rightfully so: The minute we walked in...Continue Reading »
When did I first notice my son's ADHD? 6 months before he was born. He started kicking then, and hasn't taken a break since. "When did you first notice something was different with Holden?" My son, at 3 years old, had been in Early Intervention for nearly a year when we piled into the family SUV and headed off to the big city hospital looking for more answers from the professionals. This was more than a speech delay; that, I knew. Thankfully, I had a strong background in Child Development and Special...Continue Reading » « All Blogs |
    
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ADHD from the perspective of a busy mom who runs marathons -- literally and figuratively. A dedicated runner who's also busy chasing after her ADHD kids, Amanda addresses topics candidly and openly. She shares her triumphs, hardships, and the lessons she's learned along her journey through diagnoses, IEP meetings, organization challenges, medication changes, and more.