| ADHD Directory |
| ADHD Printables |
| ADHD Guides |
| Expert Answers |
| ADHD News |
| Tools and Checklists |
| ADHD Topics A-Z |
| Book Reviews |
| Podcasts |
 |
| ADHD Groups |
| ADHD Discussions |
| ADHD Blogs |
| Share Your Story |
| E-Newsletters |
| ADHD Events |
| ADHD Videos |
|
| Subscribe |
| Give a Gift |
| Current Issue |
| Archives |
| Buy Back Issues |
| Buy Booklets |
| Customer Service |
| Contact Us |
| Advertise |
|
|||||
ADHD Parenting Blog
In addition to writing and blogging for ADDitude, she is the author of one (so far!) children's picture book, the editor of an anthology about the experience of parenting kids with ADD/ADHD, and contributes to a collaborative blog, "a mom's view of ADHD." She loves reading, Breyer's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream, sleeping in, and Club Night (drinking wine and eating gourmet food with three other couples). She's thankful for her extended family, good friends, and reliable babysitters. Her life may look picture-perfect, but one of her biggest blessings -- being Natalie’s mom -- is also her biggest challenge! And the reason she blogs about living in knee-deep clutter, managing Nat's special services, Nat's intense neediness (“MOM-EEEEEEEEE!”), and (oh, let's not forget) finding time to mother her other child, and how she copes -- or doesn't -- with this picture-perfect life. Read Kay Marner's full bio and browse her blog archives: 2008, 2009, and 2010. Recent Blog Posts
Be my guest at the summer 2012 Happy Mama Conference & Retreat! March 30, 2012 marked 4 years since I started writing this blog for ADDitudeMag.com. When I first started, I worried that I'd run out of things to write about. As it turns out, my concern was unnecessary. My daughter, Natalie, generates plenty of ADHD-inspired material for me, bless her heart. I have no doubt she'll continue to challenge, entertain, and inspire me well into the future. I've...Continue Reading »
A new study shows a direct correlation between respite services and lower hospitalization rates for children with special needs. So why are these sanity-saving services so difficult for parents to secure? Does your ADHD child benefit from them? Our family is going through a tough transition right now. My niece Hannah, who has been our primary respite provider and Natalie’s summer tutor for the last few years, is moving out of state in a few weeks. We’re happy for Hannah, and her husband, Adam, as they take this next exciting step in their lives as young marrieds. But that happiness is tempered by some...Continue Reading »
When another parent instantly recognized Natalie's differences, it hit me hard that no matter how much we practice social skills, ADHD is always front and center. We adopted our daughter, Natalie, from Russia when she was two years old, and over time we learned that she has ADHD with a few comorbid conditions. While some adoptive parents view questions about their child and the circumstances of his/her adoption as rude and intrusive, I’ve always welcomed such conversations and the opportunities they give me to educate others. Same goes for questions about Nat’s...Continue Reading »
Natalie and her ADHD friends were so proud of their efforts at cleaning, organizing, and decluttering her playroom. And so was I, until I looked in the trash can. Last weekend Natalie had two of her friends over to play, but they couldn’t think of a thing to do. They were soooo bored. So I said what I always say after they pooh-pooh my every idea for entertaining themselves: "I can put you to work. There are plenty of chores to do.” Miracle of miracles — perhaps because they talked me into paying them —...Continue Reading »
"I think of my 14-year-old son, Aaron, as a shadow child -- out-moved, out-shouted, and out-needed by his 10-year-old ADHD sister, Natalie, the child we brought home from Russia." Enter to win a free copy of Kay's book, Easy to Love but Hard to Raise! Even though I co-edited the book Easy to Love but Hard to Raise, and thus had a considerable in, I didn’t submit an essay for inclusion in the book. I started to write an essay, but I never finished it. One reason was that I was too busy editing other people’s...Continue Reading »
Worry, guilt, and ultimately joy -- do you recognize yourself in Kay Marner's portrait of the parent of a challenging child? Tell us how you're like Eve for a chance to win Kay's new book. February 1, 2012, marked a milestone in my life. Easy to Love but Hard to Raise, the book I co-edited with Adrienne Ehlert Bashista of DRT Press, was officially published! In celebration, and in thanks to this blog's readers, I'm giving away three free copies of the book. For a chance to win, just comment on this post, answering this question: How are you like Eve? Chances...Continue Reading »
When you’re parenting a young child with ADHD, there’s a question you might wonder about, but are afraid to ask: Do things get easier as our kids with ADHD get older? Take heart, fellow parents, because, at least in my personal experience, the answer is “yes.” February 12, 2012 marks the ninth anniversary of my daughter Natalie's adoption, and the beginning of the most challenging years of my life. Nat was 2 and a half when we brought her home from an orphanage in Russia. Within days of coming home, we began the ongoing process of evaluating, treating, “therapizing,” and teaching that helped her grow into the fabulous tween girl she is today...Continue Reading »
Letting my preteen daughter text has helped her join the in-crowd, but her ADHD makes it hard for her to control her digital impulses. Some of you may find this hard to believe, but I’ve never had to set limits on my daughter Natalie's use of electronics. The hyperactivity that comes with her ADHD is extreme enough that she's never been interested in sitting still very long -- at the computer, the Wii, or with her Nintendo DS. Until recently, that is. At age 11 and in fifth grade, Natalie doesn't...Continue Reading »
School-related anxiety was making both Natalie and me sick - literally. Until a meeting with her pro-active special ed teacher proved that ADHD guardian angels do exist. Last Friday morning, I met with my daughter’s special education teacher to discuss Natalie's recent attempts to avoid school by claiming sickness. I believe her illness is really school-related anxiety, a side-effect of her attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I entered the meeting with Mrs. McCasland incredibly worried -- and left feeling like I’d been over-reacting. It felt suspiciously like I'd just had a therapy appointment...Continue Reading »
Under the state's new education reform plan, my ADHD daughter Natalie almost certainly would have repeated third grade due to reading deficiencies. Is there really no other option? Last Friday, Iowa’s Republican governor, Terry Brandstad, released an education reform plan aimed at making Iowa’s public schools into World Class schools. One component of the plan, perhaps the most controversial, calls for ending social promotion for third graders who don't meet a certain standard for their ability to read. Third graders would take a state-wide exam in March, with their promotion to fourth grade riding on the...Continue Reading » « All Blogs |
    
|
||||
