My 14-year-old adopted daughter turned to me aghast. “Why are you trying to make me fail?” she asked. “Why are you accusing me of trying to make you fail Lyn,” I asked softly. “If I had not given you the cinnamon rolls what would you have done?”

“I would have waited until nobody was looking and I would have stolen them,” she actually responded honestly.

“Well Lyn, when you take things without asking, your parents don’t trust you. I don’t like what not trusting you does to our relationship. Therefore, I want you to have all the sugar you want so you are... more

A friend wanted to borrow a textbook that Lane used last semester for a college class. I asked him to find it for me. Although he had just finished the course in December, it might as well have been a year ago. He couldn’t find it; he even asked me if I had sold it on EBay already. I wish I was that far ahead of schedule but I am currently being pulled in too many directions. Then I asked Buck if he could help his brother look for the Psychology textbook because my friend needed it tomorrow. He appeared about 10 minutes later saying that it wasn’t in the room. That, of course, left... more

Here’s yesterday’s observation on how healthy children and our special needs children handle change differently.

Yesterday during the church service our new pastor did something that hasn’t been done for a very long time (since two pastors back, over 7 years ago). She had the children all come up front for a Children’s Sermon. I watched as even the middle school-aged children nearly ran and break-neck speed to the front of the sanctuary. Of course, LuLu wanted to go, and we let her.

She immediately started ramping up anxiety wise and chattering.... more

The real cost of having a child with ADHD doesn’t have anything to do with the doctor’s appointments or trying various ADHD medications and alternatives. It has to do with the damage to your home and possessions from your child’s inability to sustain attention. I’m not implying that the ADHD child is naughty, just careless.

Our son is only 14, but the costs are beginning to rise. He will take driver’s training this month, and then I imagine he can begin destroying automobiles. Actually, he is an excellent driver. He drives the tractor, the backhoe, and... more

Our son, Lane, just returned from an excited week of tracking wolves in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on the North County Trail. Sometimes, because of his ADHD, organized events can be frustrating for him. He sees himself as a capable and intelligent individual with the right to express his opinion and have it considered. Others frequently see him as a disrespectful know-it-all kid... more

Do you know a person who catches hummingbirds? My son with ADHD has caught two hummingbirds in the last week. Yet he can barely sit through school. Like so many children with ADHD, he seems to have ants in his pants and a chatterbox that rarely quits.

However, his ADHD doesn’t seem to get in the way of doing what he really loves. What he really loves is hunting, fishing, searching for snakes and other critters, and just being outside. In fact, he has displayed incredible patience waiting hours for a fish to bite or a deer... more

Living with ADHD can be a constant battle. My 14 year old son is very intelligent and he has ADHD but he won’t take any medication to help him control his symptoms because he doesn’t like the side effects. He is in his second semester at the local community college and currently has a 3.5 GPA there. Recently he was diligently trying to get his grade to an “A” in his Anatomy class although with a “B” he had the 6th highest grade in the class of 42 students.

Unfortunately he just can’t control his mouth, he talks constantly. So after... more

Our fourteen year old son asked if he could take our one year old granddaughter outside to play. “That would be wonderful,” I told him as I was trying to cook supper and she really wanted to go outside. Happily they went out to swing and enjoy the mild spring weather.

About fifteen minutes later my adult daughter came walking in the door, unexpectedly as I thought I was going to take my granddaughter home after our visit, carrying her crying daughter. She looked rather upset and asked me why her daughter was outside alone.... more