Again? Really?

Last week I had another meeting at school.  Seems it’s becoming a habit for me.  The week before was my Son’s 504 review, and this one was with my daughter’s school psychologist.  She had recently performed a complete psycho-educational evaluation, and the meeting was scheduled to share the results.

Bottom line: among other things, it’s likely that my daughter has ADHD.  It’s not surprising, given her genetics and our families’ collective history. But I couldn’t help but think, “Really? You have got to be kidding me! Will I ever get a break?”  It was all I could do to get through the meeting.  At the end, I simply sucked back the tears and looked at my calendar to schedule the next discussion. (more…)

Relationship Battles: Lay down your Sword & Shield

Have you ever noticed how often we use military references in describing human interactions?

Think about it:  lower your shields, pick your battles, call a truce, stick to your guns, lose the battle but win the war, take the first shot, send in the reinforcements, negotiate world peace (if you’ve ever spent time with 2 or more kids, you know about this), détentes.  And this is all before we even get to the battle of the sexes! (more…)

Choose the Win-Win

How do you typically handle conflict when it comes up in your family?  Walk Away?  Fight to the Death? Negotiate? Give in? Compromise?

How each of us approaches conflict is based on our own beliefs and experiences. If you grew up as a middle child, for example, you may have the tendency to fight for what you want. Or, if you are a helping professional or a parent, you may have a tendency to respond with compassion. Depending on the situation, some methods can be more effective than others. (more…)

Thrive as a Parent with an ADHD Kid

I am inspired by every opportunity I have to spend time with a group of parents of kids with ADHD. Whether in person or on the phone, it’s empowering to be among conscious people who are trying to do the best that they can to support their child(ren), their families, their spouses and themselves. (more…)

Can’t do it all, not even trying

It’s times like these when I realize that parenting is a life-time lesson in letting go. It’s easier said than done, but life is always better when I accept those things that I cannot control, and focus instead on making deliberate choices about how I spend my time. (more…)

Six Fundamental Steps to Effectively Managing ADHD

ADHD is Manageable!

That’s the message of the new e-book by ImpactADHD, “ADHD in Reality: Practical Tips FROM Parents, FOR Parents” The book is a basic primer about living with and managing ADHD. It may not always be easy, but we maintain that there are steps you can take to help you Enjoy the Ride – of parenting or living with ADHD. So this week, we want to share an excerpt from our book and share with you “Six Fundamental Steps to Effectively Managing ADHD.” (more…)

Become a Dive Bomber Parent

Are you a Helicopter parent? It’s easy to become one when your kid has ADHD. It seems that they need help, support and guidance on a daily — if not constant — basis. For many of us, it could be a full time job. For some of us, it is, helping our kids keep up with assignments, arranging social lives, preventing mishaps.

As my kids have gotten older (5^th and 7^th grade), I have become increasingly more committed to challenging my tendency to hover over them.  Here’s why: (more…)

Choose Self Compassion over Self-Esteem

Is self-compassion more important than self-esteem? An article I read suggested that it is. Growing up, I learned that self-esteem was critical, but the idea of self-compassion was less focused upon.  Do they mean the same thing? Are they both important? (more…)

When the Gremlins Take Over

Gremlins – we all have them. What are they and why do they make or lives so miserable?

No, I’m not talking about our kids (though I’m sure we all have choice names for them at times.) Gremlins are those voices in our head that tell us, in one way or another, that we aren’t good enough. Some people refer to them as the inner-critic, or negative self-talk. No matter what you call them, they are troublesome at best, and for many people down-right paralyzing! (more…)

“How To” Find Joy this Holiday Season

Are you Ready to REALLY Enjoy the Holidays?

What would the holiday season of your dreams look like? I’m not talking about a fancy cruise or extended vacation, but a good ‘ole fashioned family holiday. You know, white-Christma-Kwa-nukah and all that.

The holiday season is an excellent time to rediscover joy, regardless of your religion. People are brimming with generosity, and the world conspires to create fun, loving events. So the season is ripe to add meaning and joy for yourself and your family. But how? I thought you’d never ask! (more…)