Sarah Kaczmarek

I am the 34-year-old mother of two girls -- age 2 and 6 -- and wife to a supportive husband named Lenny, who makes so much possible. I work 40+ hours a week at a job I truly enjoy. I am proud to say I am a working mother. I’m just not stay-at-home-mom material, and even though I work long hours and stay busy in the community, I love my family fiercely and have worked as Hadley’s advocate since the day she was born.

Writing is cathartic and gives me time to reflect and appreciate my family. I am not a doctor, psychiatrist, or an expert in ADHD. I am an honest and realistic mother who has a daughter recently diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. Some days are harder than others, but the successes make it all worthwhile.

Hadley continuously teaches me lessons. She has taught me to try new approaches, have a little fun, work on patience, and roll with the punches of life. This is easier said than done, especially for a Type-A mom who can be controlling, impatient, ambitious, competitive... Thank goodness for my ADHD little girl.

• Attack of the Kindergarten Holiday Program
  Her holiday dress is perfect. Her smile lights up the stage. She curtsies after every... Will her star shine? »
• Consumed By Food
  Her psychologist insists that diet can't eliminate my daughter's ADHD symptoms. But I wonder: How... Unlocking an ADHD diet »
• Don't Judge, Just Bring Cookies
  Managing meltdowns with my ADHD child is already hard enough. Judging my parenting skills... What the other moms think »
• Helicopter Parent or ADHD Advocate?
  My advice to moms and dads of kids with attention deficit: Stick to your guns... Following my instincts »
• Summer Break…Sort Of
  For most people, school vacation means freedom and flexibility — but there's no summer holiday... A break is a break...right? »
• Road Trip Roadblock
  Thanks to careful choices about food on the road, our vacation was going well. But... Caution: red dye ahead »
• At Long Last, Family Dinner
  After years of picky eating and mealtime meltdowns, we're finally where we want to be... Mealtimes managed »
• What Personal Space?
  My exuberant, outgoing daughter might not yet be skilled in noticing other kids' boundaries —... "It hurt, but I handled it." »
• Book Review: Todd Rose's Square Peg
  This memoir of growing up ADHD offers relatable stories from a man who's been where... A real-world ADHD success story »
• The Bells Went Off: ADHD Alarm Success
  Are the most effective solutions sometimes the simplest? For ADHD kids and their parents alike,... The power of Tinkerbell »
• It's Not an Excuse. It's ADHD.
  "Maybe I should cut off Hadley from dance, Girl Scouts, and playdates. That will limit... From anguish to advocacy »
• Better Food, Better Mood
  I'm sure some think I'm crazy for being so concerned with everything my daughter eats... No dye, no dairy…no problems »
• An ADHD Mom's October Surprise
  The start of school finds this mother anxious and on-edge about the coming year. But... A mother's stream of consciousness »
• Sticker Shock: When Behavior Therapy Falls Apart
  My daughter's sticker chart was designed to motivate and reward good behavior throughout the school... Sticker chart redux »
• When the ADHD Volcano Erupts
  The frustrations and aggravations of daily life with ADHD well up inside Hadley until she... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... now breathe »