Terry Matlen Teleseminar Tonight on Moms with ADD!

Please join me tonight (Wed, April 13) 8:30 – 9:30 pm EST for a special teleseminar at www.ADDvisor.com where I’ll be presenting on Moms with ADD: Tips and Tools for Surviving an ADHD Family. Bring your questions for the Q/A portion of the presentation.

See you there!

When ADHD and Puppies Don’t Mix

Let’s see. ADD means you have some or all of these symptoms: distractibility, impulsiveness, hyperactivity, inattention…

You might also be impatient, get bored easily, have a hard time making decisions, anger quickly, get overwhelmed easily…and that’s just the beginning.

So why would anyone with ADHD in their right mind decide to get a puppy? A puppy requires patience, consistency, attention and calm. Hmmm. Those don’t seem to be traits that always come easy for those of us with ADHD.

Nearly three years ago, my beloved dog, Annie, passed away. Those of you who are dog lovers will know instantly the deep feelings of loss and pain one feels when losing a pet. Annie was my soul mate who followed me everywhere. I’d never known such loyalty and love from a dog before, though I’ve had dogs my entire life: Blitz, Nanny, Bridgette, Toby, Tina, Ruthie and Harper.

Not long after Annie’s death, we got a puppy, known as “the-puppy-from-hell”: Harper. Harper didn’t enter our lives in a calm, sweet way like most puppies. She charged into our home, nipping, destroying furniture and creating complete havoc. Knowing she’d eventually calm down as she matured, like her predecessor, we hung in there. Sure enough, when she hit the age of two, she became a calm and sweet dog. But I vowed I would never, ever get another puppy again.

So when Harper bonded with my husband, leaving me completely in the dust, my heart longed for a dog that would steal my heart and give me hers.

I began the quest– searching for a puppy. This time, I’d find a breed that was easier going than my last two. At first, I looked into Rescues, but struck out twice with that. Just the wrong mix for my complicated family. Then came toy poodles, then a host of other breeds, until I made the decision (finally) to find a Cockapoo. Cockapoos are a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle. They have the intelligence of the poodle and the sweet nature of the Cocker. But most of all, they love their people and are known to be “Velcro” dogs. Just what my broken heart needed.

Here’s where my ADD worked FOR me.

Once I settled on a Cockapoo, I spent hours and hours each day, looking online for breeders. It became the hunt that so many of us love when we’re in that hyperfocus mode. Where others might have given up or just gone with the first breeder that they found, I scrutinized them, studied their websites; how they raised the dogs; the backgrounds of the dogs, references and more.

A professional ADD coach acquaintance, Rhonda Pawlan, saw my dog searching post on Facebook. She, too, was looking for a puppy and showed me a photo of a litter she had considered. I immediately fell in love with one little brown and white puppy. Within a week, he was mine.

Elliot O’Riley Matlen is 12 weeks old as of this writing and has been in our home for less than 2 weeks. To prepare for his homecoming, I ADD-ishly read and researched the best way to housetrain a puppy. I had no idea there would be so many options out there. I decided to go with the pee pad method, which a good friend of mine had used successfully with her dog years ago.

Shortly after initiating the pee pad plan, I began reading that this would only delay the dog from learning to “go” outside. Whether that’s true or not, I impulsively shifted gears and decided to crate train him. My feeble attempt at that ended quickly when both my daughter and I, who along with our ADD also have significant sensory issues, couldn’t tolerate the whining and screaming. Who knew a 4 lb puppy could have such lungs?

I returned to the pee pads but combined it with constant supervision so I could get Elliott outside before he’d hit the pad- a method I thought that combined the best options: pads for backup emergencies for when I couldn’t get him outside in time. And did I mention that the temperatures were in the teens when we brought him home? The coldest spring in years, of course, making the pads a wonderful option, especially at night.

Well, poor Elliott is just plain confused. Should he use the pad? Or go outside?

Hyperfocusing is fun if you’re playing video games or working on a project that excites you, but watching a puppy constantly and rushing outside every time he is in a semi-squat position wears thin after a few days.

Then there’s the middle of the night outings, since he’s still not quite able to get through without an accident. Thankfully, Elliott is happy in his bedtime crate, as long as he’s within 3 feet of me. But I am exhausted, even with my poor husband taking a nighttime shift.

Bottom line? (I’m sure you’ve been waiting):

If you have ADHD and find it hard to stick with routines, hate feeling tied down, need uninterrupted sleep, then perhaps getting a puppy is not the right move for you. But looking beyond the puppy scenario, perhaps there are other things you find yourself getting into that don’t speak to your strengths or challenges. Perhaps you can begin to think about what those things might be and either avoid them, or find supports to help you through them.

One thing that’s getting me through this insanity, is knowing that it’s all temporary and within a few months, I’ll have a wonderful pet. But until then, it has been very very difficult managing this full time job on top of everything else.

How about you? What decisions have you made that turned your life upside down, even temporarily? How did you get through it? What would you do differently the next time around?

Share your thoughts and tips in the Forums!

Enter my ADHD Contest! Yes- YOU! Win a Prize!

ADHD Contest!!!! Respond to my survey and win a prize: http://tinyurl.com/4s78onm

I would like to invite you to join me in a 5 minute creative brainstorming session that will improve the lives of many thousands of people throughout the world who have ADHD.

You see, I am in the process of totally re-vamping www.ADDconsults.com and www.MomsWithADD.com and could use some creative thinkers to help me come up with new services and fresh ideas that will help you manage your ADHD.

Those who respond to this short survey will be entered into a drawing to win a free autographed copy of my book, “Survival Tips for Women with ADHD.”

Get involved! Join the clan. Have a say in the matter…by filling out the short survey HERE.

Terry’s Top 20 Gifts for Kids and Adults with ADHD

Hey! Sit back. Relax. Avoid the malls. I’ve done all the work for you- alll YOU need to do is click on the gifts that you’d like to give to your loved ones this holiday season, and they’ll be mailed to you or yours. No stress shopping!

Look what I’ve found! Check out my list HERE

Terry’s ADD Checklist

Hey! If you didn’t receive my latest newsletter (What? You can sign up for it here- on the right- on my homepage), you missed my humorous ADD Checklist. Got something you’d like to add? I’d love to hear what’s on your list.

Read mine HERE

Contest! Win a Prize!

Announcing the first ever Moms with ADD CONTEST!

I am offering two prizes to two lucky winners. Here’s how it works:

On or before September 14, I will randomly draw one name from my Moms with ADD newsletter subscriber list and post the winner’s name in the next issue of Moms with ADD.

On October 1, I will draw one name from only the subscribers who have joined my newsletter mailing list in the month of September. That winner will be announced in an October issue of Moms with ADD.

Prizes: Each winner will receive a book on ADHD, handpicked by yours truly.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN:

If you already are a subscriber to my Moms with ADD newsletter, you don’t need to do a thing. Lucky you!

If you are NOT a subscriber, simply subscribe to my mailing list on my homepage at www.MomsWithADD.com (on the far right).

Can’t get much more simple than that!
Good luck to all!

Rules and blah blah: Must be 18 or over. USA/Canada only. Winners give Terry Matlen/MomsWithADD permission to use their full names/location in future publications.

New Book by Dr. Russell Barkley

Taking Charge of Adult ADHD

“This book will surely become a classic. If you are an adult with ADHD, Dr. Barkley can help you make sense of your lifelong struggles and develop a clear roadmap for overcoming them. Stories and examples from others facing the same challenges bring Dr. Barkley’s ideas to life. I will certainly recommend this easy-to-read yet scientifically based book to everyone who comes through our adult ADHD clinic.”–J. Russell Ramsay, PhD,

Order your copy HERE

Sari Solden LIVE Broadcast Friday, July 30th

Finding Your Self with ADHD

Sari will be offering a free video broadcast tomorrow, July 30 from 12 noon- 12:30pm EST.

Write in LIVE or send your questions in advance to sari@sarisolden.com, and she will choose several to address during the broadcast.

This program is open to all visitors and members and will be saved and accessible from her site at www.ADDJourneys.com – NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED!

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!

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.

4 ADD Friendly Recipes

1. 15 Minute Turkey and Rice Dinner

Ready In: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients: 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 1/2 cups water 1/4 tsp. each paprika and pepper 2 cups uncooked Minute White Rice 2 cups cooked turkey or chicken 2 cups cooked vegetables (carrots, green beans, peas)

Directions: Mix soup, water, paprika and pepper in skillet. Heat to a boil. Stir in rice, turkey and vegetables. Cook over low heat 5 min. or until done.

2. 5 Minute Burrito Wraps

Ready In: 15 minutes Servings: 6

Ingredients: 1 can (11 1/4 ounces) Campbell’s Condensed Fiesta Chili Beef Soup 6 flour tortillas (8-inch) Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions: Spoon 2 tablespoons soup down center of each tortilla. Top with cheese. Fold tortilla around filling. Place seam-side down on microwave-saft plate and microwave on High 2 minutes or until hot.

3. Easy Tuna Dinner

Ready In: 15 minutes

Ingredients: 1 package (10 oz.) frozen peas 1-1/4 cups water 1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup 1 can tuna (drained and flaked) 1 chicken bouillon cube 1/4 tsp. pepper 1-1/2 cup Minute rice

Directions: Bring peas, water, soup, tuna, bouillon cube and pepper to full boil in a large saucepan. Stir in rice. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

4. Easy Fettucine Alfredo

Ready In: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients: 8 ounces fettucine 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup evaporated skim milk 1/3 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded 1/2 teaspoon dried basil juice from 1/2 of a lemon dash ground black pepper additional fresh parmesan cheese, shredded fresh basil

Directions: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; immediately return to pan. Add olive oil; toss to coat. Add evaporated milk, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, dried basil, lemon juice, and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until bubbly, stirring constantly. Top with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Do you have some ADD Friendly recipes you’d like to share? Post them in the ADD Friendly Recipe thread, here, in the Forums.

Ned and Sue Hallowell Exclusive Interview: “Married to Distraction”

There are a handful of professionals in the field of ADHD who have literally changed my life. Because of the impact they had on me and how their work influenced my own personal life, I decided to change the course of my professional work so that I, too, could help those challenged by ADHD.

One of those people who opened my eyes to understanding my own ADHD as well as my clients’, is Dr. Ned Hallowell. His first book on the topic, Driven to Distraction, which he co-wrote with Dr. John Ratey, was truly life-altering.

I’ve heard Ned present at local and national conferences many, many times over the last 15 years and I never left without a lump in my throat or another wise collection of “Ned-isms”- inspirational stories he shares about his own life- which I continue to bottle up and take home with me to share with my clients, readers and yes, my own family.

I’m proud to call Ned a friend and was thrilled when he and his wife, Sue Hallowell, LICSW, accepted my request to interview them about their new book, which they wrote with the help of their colleague, Melissa Orlov.

Married to Distraction, Restoring Intimacy and Strengthening Your Marriage in an Age of Interruption “show(s) you how to make your relationship special, in the way that we all want our number one relationship to be special. We believe in romance, but we also believe in practical advice and dealing with reality.”

Married to Distraction recently received a starred review in Publishers Weekly, the major review publication of the industry. Each week, Publishers Weekly reviews around 25 books and usually only gives two or three of them starred reviews, so this is a major literary achievement. The people who review books for a living think Married to Distraction is excellent. So will you!

The book will be out March 16. Before then, it can be ordered on amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and other online outlets. For more information, visit Dr. Hallowell’s website at www.DrHallowell.com or join his fans page for Married to Distraction on Facebook.

1. Can you briefly describe your new book, Married to Distraction, Restoring Intimacy and Strengthening Your Marriage in an Age of Interruption, and what it can offer partners where one or both has ADHD?

This book grows out of our 21 year marriage, and our combined 50 years of clinical experience in working with couples. We look at how the issues of distraction, interruption, overbooked-ness, crazy busy-ness, pervasive clutter, and non-stop information–so common both in modern life and in life with ADHD–impact marriage and other close relationships.

We offer a host of practical solutions to the most common problems, such as, how to break “the big struggle;” how to reverse the parent-child dynamic that so often develops between spouses; how to make time for what matters most; how to develop genuine and useful understanding of the other person; and many other common issues that come up in marriages these days.

We close the book with a workbook called “30 Minutes, 30 Days” in which we give couples exercises to do together, 30 minutes a day over 30 days, to help develop better communication, closeness, and empathy. Many people have told us that the workbook itself is worth the price of the book.

2. Why did you decide to write this book? Aren’t there others out there that already cover this topic? What makes yours different?

We decided to write this book because we have learned so much about the topic through our own marriage (Ned has ADHD, Sue does not) and through our vast clinical experience. Ned has an M.D., is Board Certified in Psychiatry, taught at the Harvard Medical School for over 20 years and has been seeing patients regularly in private practice since he finished training in 1983. Sue has an LICSW, taught at Simmons School of Social Work for 12 years, and has been seeing patients in private practice for about 25 years. Both of us have been treating couples and families in which one or more people have ADHD for decades.

Since we have seen and learned so much over the years, we are uniquely equipped to write this book.

While there are some excellent, well-researched books out there that address couples and ADHD, there is no book on the topic we know of written by a couple in which one partner has ADHD, nor is there a book written by two experts who, for decades, have been actively engaged in treating couples where there is ADHD.

Because we have seen so much and worked with so many couples and families, not to mention lived our own years together, we have learned in the trenches of true life the importance of empathy, communication, and positive energy in couples. We also see a positive side to ADHD, not just an endless list of negatives, not because we “believe in” a positive side, but because our immense clinical experience has shown it to us, time and time and again. But we also have seen how frustrating and terribly destructive untreated ADHD can be in a marriage or a family. We know that getting the diagnosis and proper treatment can be utterly life-changing.

For those reasons, this is a unique book, one that can save a marriage or make it better.

3. What is the biggest challenge in an ADD marriage?

The biggest challenge is developing mutual empathy and understanding. Without that, couples slip into the blame game. They struggle and fight. The non-ADHD spouse comes to feel as if she is the parent, not the spouse, of her ADHD mate. The ADHD spouse feels as if he is the naughty child, always being reprimanded or scolded, always slipping up, always causing problems. What Sue and I call “The Big Struggle” quickly becomes the standard pattern of interaction.

4. Can you offer 2 tips from the book that will help improve marriages when ADHD is part of the picture?

We’ll offer three, because the first one, which may be the most important one, can be difficult to carry out due to the shortage of doctors who truly know how to treat adult ADHD.

1) Make sure both spouses understand what ADHD is, and make sure that it is properly treated in the ADHD spouse by a doctor who really knows what he or she is doing, i.e., someone who has extensive experience with adults who have ADHD.

2) Set aside time every day to discuss and plan. Build a boundary around this time. No interruptions! Make a rule that during this time there is to be no blaming, fighting, or leaving the room. The purpose of this time is to discuss–not argue–and to plan what has to be done that day, that week, that month. As you do this, you will gradually learn how to communicate rather than struggle, and solve problems rather than create more of them.

3) Try to understand conflicts from the other person’s point of view. This is often difficult! But doing it gradually leads to mutual understanding, better communication, and deepening of love and respect.

5. How can one differentiate enabling vs supporting an ADHD spouse?

Enabling is a concept that comes from the world of addictions. The classic example is the wife who covers for her alcoholic husband, thus allowing him to continue to drink and not deal with the negative consequences.

A similar pattern can develop if one spouse has ADHD and the other spouse covers for all the missed appointments, obligations, and other mishaps that commonly occur in life with ADHD.

Instead of covering–which means doing the work of two people–the non-ADHD spouse can show support by making sure the ADHD spouse gets the help he or she needs. If the spouse rebuffs such help, the non-ADHD spouse should allow the ADHD spouse to face the consequences of his mistakes. That is actually more supportive in the long run than covering is, because it forces the ADHD spouse to deal with the problems he or she is creating.

The non-ADHD spouse can say, “I love you so much I am not going to help you become an invalid. I am not going to help you disown responsibility. I am not going to help you become less of a person than you could become. I am going to risk your anger, even your rejection, because I love you so much. I am not going to collude with you in bringing you down.”

6. How does an ADHD partner, who most likely struggles with distractions, impulsivity and/or inattention, work on improving communication and connection with his/her partner?

Above all, get the ADHD treated! As I mentioned above, this is not always easy, as doctors who know how to treat adult ADHD can be hard to find. But, you can contact the nearest medical school’s department of psychiatry and ask for a referral. Usually, academic centers know of skilled professionals in this area. Search high and low. Your marriage may hang in the balance.

In addition, read about ADHD. As you understand the complexity of this trait, its many manifestations, both positive and negative, you will develop methods of dealing with it that work for you. In addition to our new book, Married to Distraction, which is aimed at marriages, I’d also suggest reading Delivered from Distraction, which gives an in-depth look at ADHD in adults and contains many suggestions on how to deal with it.

Finally, make sure the person with ADHD is working on making changes he really wants to make. If he is only doing what he’s told, with no real buy-in on his part, the efforts will soon fizzle.

7. How long have you been married and how do you make it work, given ½ of you has ADHD? What is the secret to your successful marriage?

We got married in 1988. We both agree that the secret to our marriage is the secret to most marriages that work. So it is no secret. It is that we respect each other a ton. We argue, we fight, we disagree, but there has never been any doubt in either of our minds but that we respect each other.

Of course, that’s not all it takes. We also like each other, and we have fun when we’re together.

And we share a common dream. This is particularly helpful. We both had difficult childhoods, so our common dream is to give our 3 kids the happy childhood neither of us had. We make many sacrifices of time and money for our children, but they do not feel like sacrifices because they are in the service of this dream we both cherish.

8. What makes an ADHD marriage different from a non ADHD marriage?

LOL. So much! But then again, so little. At some level, all marriages face the same problems: getting done what needs to get done; financial planning; deciding what temp to set the thermostat at, what TV show to watch, what allowance to give the kids, whose house to have Thanksgiving at, etc.; and most of all, understanding the person you’re married to.

ADHD can speed everything up, introduce more chaos than most couples contend with, make communication especially difficult, timeliness a struggle, and bill-paying a dilemma. But, if understood and managed well, ADHD can also make a marriage lively, passionate, full of energy and new ideas, adventuresome, full of humor and wit, and just full of exuberance and love.

We really believe that if people learn how to manage ADHD correctly, it can become an asset not only in the life of the person who has it, but in the life of the couple and family as well.

9. How does having children affect an ADHD marriage?

More LOL. With children come a ton more responsibilities than you ever had before. You give up your time, your money, your energy, your sleep, pretty much everything for these wonderful little ones. There is so much more to plan! And planning is not easy for someone who has ADHD. There is so much more to do. And prioritizing is not easy for someone who has ADHD. There is so much more to attend to, and attention is not consistent in someone who has ADHD.

BUT, if you learn how to manage all this, chaos need not reign. If you visited our home, you would not find perfection, but you would find that we are a very close and warm family. We argue, but we love each other to pieces. And our kids are growing up to be wonderful people—so far, knock on wood, thank God.

10. Ned, you often say in your presentations that one of the best ways to treat ADHD is to make sure you marry the right person. Given one’s impulsivity, inattention, etc., would you say that many adults with ADHD do NOT marry the right person?

Many adults with ADHD in fact do NOT marry the right person. Nor do they find the right job. They make the same mistake in mate selection that they make in job selection. They marry and/or work for a caricature of a controlling 5th-grade teacher. They marry and/or work for a demeaning, reprimanding, angry person. Why do they do that? Because they got the idea, back in about 5th. grade, that that’s what they needed! Of course, that is the last person they need. They need someone who loves them for who they are and who can help bring out the best in them.

11. Sue, how do you manage living with a house full of ADHD family members? If I remember correctly, at least two of your kids have ADHD. Life must be pretty interesting, if not downright hectic for you. Any advice?

All 3 of our kids have ADHD–and wouldn’t trade it for the world. But yes, my day starts off with me having to organize many people’s lives. This is actually a skill of mine. For example, I am Chair of the Board of Trustees at the private school all our kids attended pre-K through 8th grade. I’m a good organizer and the social worker in me likes to find each person’s strength and help that to grow.

If I had expected or demanded of myself–and my family–that we be House Beautiful with recipes color-coded and everyone marching to my orders, I would have been sorely disappointed with what I got.

But that’s not what I was looking for. I wanted an interesting man I loved, and I wanted kids who would become whoever they were meant to become. I have that, and I have a career that I love as well.

It’s also important that I have a life of my own outside the family. I am part of many groups outside the home. I do not feel that I have to ride herd on every member of the family every minute of every day.

12. What is the “30 Minutes, 30 Days” Workbook included in your book?

We end the book with a workbook that gives an exercise couples can do together each day for 30 days. They spend 30 minutes together, allow no interruptions, and do the exercise. Each one is aimed at improving empathy and communication. As we said above, many people have told us the workbook alone is worth the price of the book.

Order Married to Distraction at Amazon.

Copyright © 2010 Terry Matlen, ACSW

Contact Terry Matlen at terry@MomsWithADD.com

Twist ‘n Write Pencils and Pens

Many children (and adults) with ADHD have poor fine motor skills. That means, in my case at least, sewing, handwriting and other fine motor skills are quite a challenge.

For children, that often means struggling at school because handwriting is often very messy. So when I heard about the PenAgain Twist ‘n Write, I thought I’d share it with you.

The Twist ‘n Write’s primary focus is comfort, allowing your hand to relax and letting the weight of your hand hold the pen/pencil in place.

Check it out HERE

Ugh- We’re having THAT for Dinner Again?

Not all that many years ago, when my kids were still young and didn’t care much about hurting my feelings while expressing their (strong) opinions about my culinary attempts, I took their words to heart. Probably way too much, too.

I can’t say that I am or was a horrible cook; I simply hated every aspect of it. The decision making, shopping (two hours-all those distractions!), preparing, cleaning…only to hear a united “UGH” when the filled plates hit the table, brimming with meatloaf, chicken or oh…the other 5 things I had mastered over the years.

Cooking was and still is a horrific chore for me. As a woman with ADHD, the cooking machinery just doesn’t work too well, because it expects one’s executive functioning to be running as smoothly as silk. And I don’t know a single woman with ADHD that doesn’t have problems with executive functioning.

For many of us with ADHD, there’s simply too many steps involved in cooking and at some point, it often becomes ridiculously too difficult to manage.

I was thinking about the guilt involved in my giving up cooking on a regular basis and it struck me that the guilt hits me on several levels:

1. Women/moms are *supposed* to know how to get healthy meals on the table.
2. Many women I know seem to love cooking. So what’s wrong with me?
3. Many women are also pretty creative in the kitchen. I’m not one of them!

But even more so, the UGH words cut me deeper than they should have. And now I realize why: the words opened an old, vulnerable wound. It wasn’t “just” that they didn’t like what I’d prepared for dinner. It was a daily reminder that I was, in my mind, incapable of doing what most other women could do without blinking an eye. In other words, it wasn’t about feeling hurt that my food was not to their liking. It was a direct blow to my shortcomings as a woman; a mom.

What I’ve learned over the years is that I am not defined by how great- or not great- I am in the kitchen. When these feelings of inadequacy wash over me, I remind myself that my lack of certain skills does not define whether or not I’m a good mother or wife. I’m more than that. I’m also a writer, speaker, musician, artist, good friend to many, animal lover, advocate and more.

Can you re-define who YOU are by focusing on your strengths and uniqueness instead of your Mac and Cheese recipe?

Join me Tomorrow for “Parenting with Distractions” FREE Teleseminar

Hi all!

Please join me tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan 26) as I present a free teleseminar titled, “Parenting with Distractions” 9pm EST at www.addclasses.com .

Are you and your family overwhelmed with the daily chaos, from getting kids off to school, to managing piles and piles of messes?

How does a parent who struggles with disorganization, time management, procrastination, sensory overload and more, effectively parent a child (or two or three) who also is challenged with the same ADHD symptoms?

I will explain the difficulties families with ADHD face and offer practical tools and strategies for improving your day to day life, as a parent with ADHD raising children with ADHD.

I’ll also be answering questions from the audience!

This course will also be helpful to any parent raising a child with ADHD.

Register now at ADD Classes.

When Kids Can’t Sleep, YOU Can’t Sleep

Kids with ADHD often have trouble falling asleep. And mine is no different. She’s been on sleep meds for many years and though they sedate her, she fights the sensation and becomes even more hyperactive. At her last doctor’s visit, the psychiatrist suggested a trial of Intuniv, a new medication for ADHD. We’re on our second week and second dose increase, so I’ll let you know how things go.

How many of you have kids who just can’t seem to settle down at night? What tips can you offer?

PS Read more info on Intuniv from one of my favorite bloggers/writers, Dr. Charles Parker

And learn more about this new med from the manufacturer’s site HERE

The Organized Purse

Wow, how cool is this? It’s the first purse I’ve ever seen with all built-ins! Organize all your stuff in this fashionable Butler Bag purse. No more digging for stuff.

Check it out HERE

Embarrassing To-Do Lists

Face it. We all have items on our To-Do lists that should have been done days ago. Weeks ago. Or in my case, 1 ½ years ago.

Sitting right this very minute, on my kitchen counter, is a plaque which reads, “My Beloved Pet.” That plaque doesn’t belong in the kitchen; it belongs in my backyard where our beloved dog, Annie, was buried a year ago in June, after struggling for months with a horrific heart tumor.

Every day when I come down into the kitchen, the plaque shoots me two reminders:

1. How much I miss my beloved pet and
2. How my ADD impacts me on a daily basis.

With the New Year, I made a list of resolutions. There’re here…somewhere in my blog. I need to add one more to it: to place the plaque in the backyard where it belongs as soon as the weather breaks.

What’s on your To-Do list that you’ve been staring at for weeks or months? What is your plan for tackling it?

Taming the Hurricane of Inertia

Shell Shocked by the Holidays?

I am.

The back to back festivities, filled with food, family and long weekends, have thrown me for a loop. While my kids were out of school, we talked about movies, getaways, gatherings and all sorts of things. In between and following the holidays, I had two weeks of fairly unstructured time, too, where I had planned on organizing my workspace (a true work in progress), getting back into my art studio, and enjoying the free time with various other activities.

I don’t know about you, but all this free time pushed me into a hurricane of inertia. That’s the best way I can describe it! My mind was planning dozens of things, but my body buckled and said no.

Those of us with ADHD often find that unstructured time can be a disaster. Our brain ping pongs off the walls of the mental pin ball machine, hitting all the bright lights, but scattering in and out of tunnels and landing in the big black abyss.

Then there’s the holiday season overload that precedes this. It’s like going from the Mardi Gras to a Zen sitting.

Are you feeling out of sorts- lost and unmotivated? What are you doing to kick start back into your routine?

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