The Child with ADHD's Bill of Rights

"Help me to focus"
Please teach me through my sense of touch. I need "hands on" and body movement.

"I need to know what comes next"
Please give me a structured environment where there is dependable routine. Give me advance warning if there will be changes.

"Wait for me! I'm still thinking"
Please allow me to go at my own pace. If I rush I get confused and upset.

"I'm stuck! I can't do it!"
Please offer me options for problem-solving. I need to know the detours when the road is blocked.

"Is it right? I need to know NOW!"
Please give me rich and immediate feedback on how I'm doing. This will help me to understand.

"I didn't forget! I didn't hear it in the first place"
Please give me directions one step at a time, and ask me gently to say back what I heard you say.

"I didn't know I wasn't in my seat"
Please gently remind me to stop, think and then act.

"Am I almost done now?"
Please give me short work periods and short term goals so I can experience success.

"What?"
Please don't say "I already told you" Tell me again in different words. Give me a signal. Draw me a symbol.

"I know! It's all wrong, isn't it?"
Please give me praise for partial success. Reward me for improvement, not just for perfection.

"But why do I always get yelled at?"
Please catch me doing something right, and praise me for my specific, positive behavior. Remind me (and yourself) about my many good points when I'm having a bad day.

"I may be a challenge to live with and to teach sometimes, but I still have real feelings and would never have chosen to behave like I sometimes do. I respect you and really, really need your approval."

These days were Corey is in rare form are so hard. Its not his fault I know but try telling that to your heart when you are stressed. Sometimes I need a small reminder as too why I go through so much to make sure my child as every oppurtunity possible. The words the teachers say in his report cards tug at my heartstrings but I know they are helping me help Corey. With these reminders it helps me determine if we need to change dosage. School is what matters and I will bend over backwards to make sure he his excelling and not being pushed to the because of behavior. Weight is a whole other can of worms, as a parent is breaks my heart to watch him dominate the soccer field but to have to stop way before the other kids because he has no engery due to loss of appetite. If I could hook him up to an IV at night I would, but thats semi extreme don't cha think. We were doing so well and hit 40lbs which was a HUGE milestone, seriously we celebrated with cake and balloons. Seems once he puts some weight on a growth spurt hits and he shoots up like a weed. I just pray that we get a little break to put the weight back on so he can get out there the whole practice/game and be the BESTEST little Shark he can be. Hell, if we ever see that scale hit 50 (for Corey, not Ally beacause we know thats soon) we will friggin go to Disneyland. LOL

There you go, my vent for the day. Trust me you would rather hear me babble about Corey than the super crappy day I had a work.

Shawna says......