I've made two blog posts about chores, recently: The Chore of Chores discusses the importance of getting our kids to do chores. Chore List lists guidelines for deciding which chore a child can do. The fact remains, however, that kids don't like to do chores. So how do you get them to cooperate? Do chores together. Everything is more fun with a partner. Work side by side with your child. Have your child clear the table while you wash the dishes. One of you vacuum while the other folds laundry. (Pick up those feet!) One take things off the shelves while the other dusts and wipes down … [Read more...]
Science Project Due?
March 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Some of you may know that after years of struggling with science projects, we found some that worked so well that we put them into a package of guides and now sell them online. The guides are called 24 Hour Science Projects. The projects are experiment based, have step by step instructions, preformatted charts and graphs, and links to resources. As the title implies, they are fast and easy. Don't let that fool you, though - kids using our guides have won lots (and lots!) of awards. And remember, we did them with our ADHD boys! Check them out 24 Hour Science Projects here. Visit our website … [Read more...]
Will They Ever Learn?
March 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Parents of forgetful and irresponsible middle schoolers - take note of the following… Our oldest son Ron is a junior in college, but (counting one summer session) this marks his ninth college semester. We have a policy in our house that we pay half of college tuition, room and board. The boys come up with the other half - but they have to pay for all of their books. When we instituted this policy, we reasoned that it would encourage the boys to look for bargains and sell their used books. Well, we were half right. The boys are genetically predisposed to find (or wrangle) the very … [Read more...]
Counting to 504
March 4, 2009 By 6 Comments
Our second son was in fourth grade when his teacher approached me about having him tested for ADHD and a learning disability. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Despite a background in psychology, I associated ADHD with a hyperactive child. This child had only had his name on the board once in his life, so there was no way he had ADHD. He made decent grades and he was very bright and articulate. His teacher was right, however. He did have trouble focusing, and sometimes seemed spaced out. He was disorganized, and had a tendency to forget his homework. As the year progressed, he … [Read more...]
Start at the End
March 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Quick hint for today. When your teacher assigns end of the chapter/section questions, make sure your child reads the questions before reading the material. This helps her know what to look for as she reads. If you have a scanner or a copier at your house, copy the questions. He can jot down short answers, or mark multiple choice questions as he goes. We purchased an all in one printer/copier/fax/scanner last year, and it has been one of the best investments we've ever made. I absolutely cannot imagine life without it now. Visit our website at http://www.adhd-inattentive.com. Help your kids … [Read more...]
Chore List – Guidelines for Assigning Chores to Kids
March 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment
In a recent post, I listed five reasons that is important for us to make sure our kids do chores. You can read the list on the ADHD-Inattentive blog. But just how do we assign chores that our kids can - and will - do? Here's your chore list: It's important to match the chore to the child. When you assign chores, take your child’s age, ability and personality into account. From the moment they are out of the high chair, a child can ‘dump their plate’ and put it in the sink. I have sweet memories of our little ones reaching over their heads to lob their dishes (plastic, of course) into … [Read more...]
ADHD – Can’t Do It Alone
March 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment
I get lots of feedback from newsletters, which I appreciate - and enjoy - very much. One reader, an ADHD mom, had read about my mixed feelings when our oldest son Ron decided to go back on medication. (Ron is in college.) She sent me the most interesting thought. Like Ron, she is on medication, which initially made her feel very guilty. She wrote that she now considers the ADHD medication, "a daily reminder that I can't do it on my own, I have to leave it to God." Cool thought, which I immediately passed on to Ron. By the way, Ron says the meds continue to make a HUGE and important difference … [Read more...]
