A Filing System That Even Impresses Me!
I know, I know. You’ve tried everything to tame your papers. Well, a dear reader contacted me recently about this product- the FreedomFiler. She told me that it really works for her and hoped I’d pass this along. So that’s what I’m doing. I checked out their site and I have to say…I’m impressed!
Check it out HERE
Two Amazing Songs That Will Make You Want to Exercise
These are two songs that make me WANT to exercise. Try them on for size, too. Make sure your sneakers are nearby:
1. Promises Promises (Dionne Warwick)
2. No Such Thing (John Mayer)
Got a favorite? Do share!
Keep Quarreling Siblings from Driving You Nuts This Summer
I read an interesting article in the Detroit Free Press that quoted a psychologist friend/colleague of mine, Dr. Arthur Robin. Dr. Robin is a respected expert on ADHD. Though the article is not specific to ADHD, I thought you might find it helpful.
Read it HERE
How to Stop Burning Your Dinner
Do you put dinner in the oven only to forget it’s in there, thus burning your chicken, roast, turkey, etc?
I found this totally cool and helpful device. It’s a Digital Oven Thermometer with Remote Pager. Here are some of the features:
- Wireless remote alerts you to when food is almost done and done
- Functions as a baking/roasting thermometer and a timer
- Temperature range 32 to 450 degrees F or 0 to 232 degrees C
- Backlit for easy reading
- Programmable thermometer
Check it out HERE
10 Expert Tips to Help Your ADHD Child
Recently, I was interviewed by Laurie Sanchez from LifeScript.com about how to manage your ADHD child. My pal Rory Stern was also quoted in the piece, offering many helpful tips as well.
Read the article HERE then come back and share some of your own tips!
De-Clutter Idea: Manage Your Cords, Manage your Gadgets
What an adorable, clever way to manage your extra cords! The Electro Man \turns one wall outlet into four. Check it out HERE
Is it Procrastination or is it Anxiety of the Unknown?
I’ve been working for months on re-designing and setting up my new home office- a space where I can work but also where I can retreat to in order to get away from the madness of everyday life. My objective was to create a practical work space while retaining a sense of tranquility and calm. In addition, the space had to double as a guest room for the occasional out-of-towner.
The work tables and cabinets have been purchased and assembled. The painters are long gone. There’s even a new sofa bed and recliner as well. I’ve spent days unpacking boxes and putting things away. Even the supply closet is looking pretty fine. But I’m stuck!
Getting stuck is nothing new, but I do find that analyzing WHY I’m stuck, often unlocks the key, allowing me to move forward. Often times, it’s simply the ADD “overwhelm”- a feeling you all are more than familiar with.
But in this case, the hardest work is now complete. So why is it nearly impossible to unpack those last few boxes?
I think I’ve figured it out. Because it’s happened to me many times before:
I’m afraid of finishing a project because then I’m faced with that sense of emptiness and the gnawing, anxiety-laden question of: WHAT DO I DO NEXT?
It’s facing that dark abyss– the not knowing what to tackle next. Not knowing which project at hand to work on next. Or worse, having TOO many projects and not knowing which one to choose.
Could procrastinating, then, serve a different function sometimes? Could it be a way to avoid making the NEXT decision? Not just the “where does it go?” decision, but, “now that I’m done, what do I do? Is it, in part, anxiety in disguise?
Does this ring true for you at times? Share your thoughts in the Comment section below.
Do you Daydream in the Shower? Bath Clock Keeps you on Track
Taking a shower, at least for me and many I know with ADHD, isn’t a simple grooming ritual. It’s a time to…
1. Brainstorm new ideas for decorating the living room.
2. Ruminate over what a co-worker said the day before and wondering why the words still sting.
3. Reminisce being a little girl, hunting for 4 leaf clovers, with no other care in the world.
4. Mentally prepare dinner
5. Suddenly become incredibly creative: planning a new painting, writing a new song, screenplay, poem <fill in the blank>
6. Worry about the kids
7. Remember all the bills that have yet to be paid
8. Simply daydream
…which of course, causes us to lose sight of the time and find ourselves yet again late for work, getting the kids off to school, etc.
I found a solution to the problem. It’s a clock that you put in the shower! You can keep daydreaming, yes, but the clock will remind you when to stop. Check it out HERE.
7 Easy Steps to Dressing a Table for Dinner (How can I decorate a table if I can’t decide on a menu?)
Every weekend, our newspaper delivers a special supplement that is chock full of interesting tidbits that focus on home living: recipes, decorating, home repair, etc.
Last week, an article ran titled “7 Easy Steps to Dressing a Table for Dinner” and I just had to laugh. The piece was chock full of great ideas for displaying a beautiful dinner table, but how does that help me if I can’t figure out WHAT to cook, let alone how to display it like an artist’s masterpiece?
Here are the seven steps:
1.Pick your theme
2. Start with a great base
3. Pick powerful plates
4. Add flatware
5. Select gorgeous glassware
6. Tuck in a napkin
7. Add layers of fun
So…I came up with the Matlen version:
1. Theme: Circus. That’s pretty much how you’d describe mealtime at my house.
2. Base: Vinyl table mats. Easy to clean up.
3. Plates: Paper. Ok, kill me for not going green. But for me, it’s all about survival.
4. Flatware: Plastic. Kill me again.
5. Glassware. Hmm..they suggest gorgeous. Do plastic cups come in patterns?
6. Napkin: why is this one singular? With my crew, it’s a stack in the middle of the table. I can’t tuck in 10 napkins under one (plastic) plate.
7. Fun: How about playing The Guessing Game? All members of my family have to guess what’s on their plate. Losers get to wash, er…throw away the dishes, while mom retreats to the hammock to recover from the train wreck of a dinner preparation.
So, do you think I should submit my ideas to the newspaper?
Keep Track of School Stuff
Finally! A solution for organizing your kids’ school stuff! Each compartment contains five folders: stuff to do, stuff to keep, stuff to return, fun stuff, and calendars.
Check it out HERE.
The Secret for Getting Your Kids to Clean Up
If you’ve never tried the Magic Eraser, you are in for a treat. Here’s how I get my kiddo to help with cleaning up.
I tell her it’s time to ERASE THE HOUSE. Who could resist?
Check out some creative uses for the Magic Eraser, then pick one up today HERE.
Cool Way to Disguise Cable Wires
Ingenious! What a great, creative way to hide those hideous wires coiling up all over the floor. Check out the Wire Blooms Cable Clips.
My Life is So Nuts, I Forgot Passover
I haven’t been writing recently. Why? Because my entire household is turned upside down by plasterers, painters, floor re-finishers, plumbers, and more. Last year, our house sustained a lot of damage due to back to back ice storms, with water draining down the walls, through windows and cabinets and landing on the floor. Not just in one room- in just about every room.
So it was time to call in the disaster team.
Which meant that I had to, for starters, pack up my entire home office and remove all the contents into another area. And that was just one room.
You know that when ADD is in the picture, dealing with moving, organizing, changing routines, etc. is nothing short of a semi emotional meltdown. Well, all of these things really threw me off.
There was one benefit from all of this- we had to vacate the house for 18 days in order for the floors to be repaired, so I went to Florida. Twice, in fact.
However, all the stress and physical efforts took its toll on me and I ended up with an injured back for most of my time in Florida.
So what does that have to do with Passover?
We returned two nights before the holiday. I was so swept up with the insanity of my life that I… forgot. For those of you who are not Jewish, imagine your life being so hectic that you forgot that Christmas was in two days. Yep.
Sometimes you just have to laugh. <wry grin>
iPad iPad, I want an iPad
I want one of these SO BADLY. Feel free to send me one for review. : )
Challenging Children
What is the most difficult challenge you face raising your ADHD child? Which behaviors are the hardest for you to deal with?
