I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!
I started reading books on ADHD to be able to understand it more and be able to be there for me daughter. I didn't know a whole lot about ADHD so I truly wanted to learn about what we are dealing with so I can help her to the best of my abilities.
This book is unique, intelligent, charming, and interesting. The author is a 17 year old boy who has been on ADHD medication since the age of 5. He talks about his personal experiences with the disease, ways the medication has helped him and challenges he still faced, different symptoms of the disease and how to recognize them and some solutions for dealing with them. It was an easy read and packed full of excellent information. I got this book from the library but I am going to buy a copy for myself and for family members who babysit my daughter often. I love hearing the story from his viewpoint. It is easier to be more patient now that I can recognize some of the things my daughter does and symptoms she is dealing with. It especially easier now that I have extra solutions to give her to help her deal with them. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who knows someone who has ADHD. I also recommend it to anyone who says ADHD doesn't exist.
This was an excellent and easy read. I came away from it feeling I learned alot and I am more ready to help my daughter face the challenges that lie ahead. I also cried in the last chapter because it was sweet and emotional to read all the good qualities that ADHD people have and how these qualities will serve them well later in life.
READ IT!!!! I generally avoid non-fiction unless it is something I have to learn or a biography or cook boook I am interested in. This is the most interesting and painless non-fiction book I have ever read. I LOVED IT!!!!
I love his personal anecdotes too, especially the ones about attacking the T-Rex bones at the museum and also the one about how he and a friend dealt with a bully. There are a lot of great stories in here and this bright, intelligent kid is a wonderful author and I wish him many successes in life!!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!
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Comments: 47
Thanks for posting this to Best Original Photos, Art and Writing for 2008.
This is a rather unpopular opinion but...
Since ADHD didn't really exist in any significant numbers 50 years ago, I can't help but feel its root cause is modern medicine, nutrition, and less informed practicioners.
Those people that did 'suffer' from this 'type' of condition turned out to be some of the most creative people in that society. Our society still uses a pathetic education system that conditions us to believe our children are ill because it fails to educate them in a more creative and appropriate way.
OK, I'm being negative. It's just an opinion. I've taught in several schools and the policy and procedure in most is rigid and panders to the medication instead of developing new ways to teach. People are different. We should embrace that difference not crush it.
David, I appreciate your comment and welcome opposing viewpoints. It makes for interesting discussion. Thing is my daughter's school actually worked with me and we tried several different ways of teaching and discipline. Academically she is one of the best in her class even unmedicated. She has been raised the way that all the parenting classes I took recommended, NOTHING helped. She knew the difference between right and wrong and simply could not control herself. Even if we offered rewards she seriously wanted and punishments she did not! Taking away everything she wanted to have priveledges, taking away toys etc. NOTHING WORKED! She was in counseling and behavior therapy teaching her better behavior and how to handle situations and we tried everything we could to help her. NOTHING helped and her not being able to control herself was beginning to take its toll on her self esteem. You can think what you want as to whether the disease is real or not. My child is a loving and sweet girl who could not control her behavior. She was extremely impulsive and extremely hyper. I originally thought she might even have the one disease that is borderline autism where you are extremely intelligent but horrible socially. I KNEW SOMETHING was WRONG, whether you call it ADHD or not SOMETHING was hurting my baby and her self esteem. Her diet was high in vegetables and chicken and other things that were healthy and good for her and very little sugar and she was tested for food allergies so we know that was not a cause. We investigated everything because I Was very very anti medication. Turns out the medicine we used as a last resort helped things INSTANTLY. She still has every bit as much energy and creativity as she had before, she is still a little hyper and impulsive BUT she is much better able to control herself. She is more polite, well mannered and completely able to stop herself before she makes a bad decision/choice. She thinks before she acts now and it has helped her in school (before she was being sent to the principals office 6-8 times a DAY now she hasn't been sent at all in 2 weeks.) It has also helped her in her extra activities, more focused in soccer, teeball, ballet, and tap dance (yes we enrolled her in a lot hoping she would burn off the extra energy which alone did not help) She is also behaving MUCH better at home. I am not a "lazy parent" who wants to control my child, as a lot of prejudiced people often refer to ADHD parents as being. I am an intelligent well educated mom who took parenting classes to be able to raise her child in an effective manner and help her build her self esteem and set firm and loving limits I adhered too. There were several times we removed EVERYTHING from her room except her bed a pillow and one blanket and told her she could earn stuff back with better behavior. WE put her on time outs EVERYTHING the experts recoommend to do with unruly children. WE were firm and loving and supportive and helpful and NOTHING worked. NOTHING. We got her diagnosed then, again after 9 months of counseling and behavior therapy, decided to medicate her. I saw a difference right away. She now has much more control over herself and under the hyper energetic bubbly layer there is now a large layer of self control and confidence and happiness. Her self esteem is better because she knows she can control herself now. SHe is doing excellent and the medicine is definitely helping her. SHe has had no side effects, she isn't a "zombie" and is in fact still very much herself with the exception that the impulsive destructive decisions have stopped. I am glad we got her treated and in my opinion, whether ADHD truly exists or not - she had SOMETHING wrong with her and this medicine is fixing it! I believe it is really truly something that affects children, as with any disease I am also sure that sometimes it is misdiagnosed. I believe my child has it and we are doing the right thing.
Just as a side note, my stepson was also diagnosed ADHD and they decided not to medicate him and behavior therapy helped him completely after 3 years of it and he is now the best behaved child I have ever seen!
Again, Thank you for your opinion and I hope you and your family never have to deal with anyone having this disease!
Blessings to you!
Kimber
My children both have ADD or ADHD - my daughter is almost 18 and has been told she is stupid, etc. by teachers. She is actually VERY BRIGHT - but processes things differently and has memory issues.
My son on the other hand is aggressive and hyper. And this is a disorder.
I also have been to behavioral therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and medication is the only things that helps my son to better control himself.
We also went through similar things as Kimber.
DAVID, I too appreciate your opinion as an educator, but beg to differ. This is a real issue for children today.
I have a masters degree and taught in the community college system for 10 years and have really seen my children struggle and hate to see them frustrated.
Medication was a last resort - but it is helping my son to better control himself.
THANKS Kimber for sharing this article.
And I will reiterate what Kimber said - I hope you and your family never have to deal with anyone having this disease! It takes dedicated, caring, patient parents to help the children to be as successful as we know they are capable of being!!!
THANKS KIMBER :o)
On a side note I work at a mental institution and sometimes pass out hundreds of pills a day. My view of the medication used is mixed at best.
My daughter thinks that one of my grand-daughters has this problem. After reading your review and the comments, I am inclined to agree with her.
One thing that I have noticed is that when she tells a story, she begins to act it out while telling you. Have you ever heard of this?
Thank you Kimber! This was great!
10 here
Blessings to you and your family... love ya...
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