Today was a typical Saturday in my home. The twins are crying at 7am letting me know it is time to eat. My husband picks up our six month old son and I grab his twin sister. I sit down on the couch and get ready to nurse them. While the feeding begins I hear my eleven year old son call out from his bedroom. I am hoping he does not wake up his three year old brother, who is sound asleep. My eleven year old does not pay attention to these details of common courtesy…he has ADHD.
I have a master’s degree in special education and am learning that teaching a student with a disability is a whole different world from raising a son with a disability. Many thoughts run through my mind when facing the challenges of raising a child with ADHD.
Some people say it is a miracle when he is able to exhibit self-control. Most of the time he can’t help how he behaves. Is that really true? His counselor says he should not take so much of my energy to raise him. How can I make that happen? My doctor says he understands why I feel like I am raising two three year olds. What will it take for my son to act more his age? How can I help my son use his ADHD as a blessing instead of a curse? How do you teach a child with ADHD to be efficient in completing tasks? Is there a strong link between diet and ADHD? Are there alternative treatments that are as effective as his medication with less side effects? How do you teach a child with ADHD to be socially appropriate with people of different ages?
I intend to find the answers to these questions, in order to help my son and to create a more peaceful environment in my home.