Moving Forward With Compassion And Persistence.
Here’s a resource that I hadn’t known about before today. Once again, timing is everything. Unfortunately, this just reinforces my natural inclination to procrastinate, rewarded yet again for waiting ’til almost the last minute to get a long-term project accomplished. ADD’ers out there understand this; mild stress is a great motivator, it gets the body/mind chemicals stimulated to move forward. I can practically hear my synapses singing (oh wait, that’s my Pandora station in the background, LOL).
Brainstorming for what to write about, I went back to basics. Knowing that I needed to write something today, I looked thru old notes and memos to myself, ideas that seemed fabulous THEN, but now not so much.
Searching for an idea, can I trust it will work, how to release it? How does a person know when an original thought is the real deal, something worthy of saying out-loud? What did I get myself into when I promised Karen that I’d publish more frequently?
None of my old ideas seemed exciting enough to write about, so I did what I used to do in the stacks of the library when I needed to expand a research topic. I went to the cyber version of the Dewey Decimal System and just Googled ADD. Lo and behold, a new resource appeared. Here it is. Hot Off The Press…hmmm, what’s the electronic equivalent for that journalistic reference?
The February 2010 online newsletter of Helpguide.org a project of Rotary International. The information contained in this newsletter is credible and the advice is immediately useable. It’s a nice compilation of research based data and anecdotally supported evidence described by legitimately credentialed professionals. The contributors address a broad range of ADD parenting topics:
- Staying Positive and Healthy Yourself
- The Power of a Positive Attitude
- Establishing Structure and Sticking To It
- Helping Your Child Stay Focused and Organized
- Don’t Forget Positive Reinforcement
- Set Clear Expectations and Rules
- Using Rewards and Consequences
- Encourage Movement and Sleep
- The Benefits of GREEN Time
- Helping Your Child Eat Right
- Teach Your Child How to Make Friends
- PLUS links to other resources and organizations along with further discussions of strategies for school, and how to know if medication is right for your family.
“Life with a child with ADD/ADHD can be frustrating and overwhelming, but as a parent there is actually a lot you can do. The symptoms of ADD/ADHD can be controlled and reduced. You have the power to help your child meet his or her daily challenges and channel his or her energy into positive arenas—and at the same time bring greater calm and order to your family home.
Children with ADD/ADHD can and do succeed. The earlier and more consistently you address your child’s problems, the more likely their success. ” HelpGuide.org February 2010 Newsletter
Make this your mantra…Moving forward with compassion and persistence. You have the power.
~~Debbie
This site is for information and support; not a substitute for professional advice.