Post by laughterandtears on Mar 15, 2004 19:20:07 GMT -5
My wife and I have been married for 16 (17 in July). We have four children. Our introduction to ADHD was with number 3 - Christopher.
Prior to that, we were less than understanding of those whose children were a "little out of control." Christopher taught us: one, humility; two, that God has a sense of humor.
Since then, we have become advocates for him and others like him. They tend to flock to us and our house so we have a home that tends to be loud and unruly. Our dreams of a "china cabinet" with fine china have been replaced with nerf footballs and a trampoline.
Actually, we are happier this way. As an adult who is ADHD - and realizing my mother's way of handling us was very effective, we are quantifying those ideas.
In 2000 I wrote an essay called, Laughter and Tears In A Hyperactive Home. It was published and some of my wife's friends and a psychologists we worked with said, "make it a book."
We have completed our first edition - and are both shopping publishers and self-publishing as work book to be offered in conjunction with some workshops. It is a non-clinical (not about treatment or management), anecdotal work about parental & teacher perspectives that reduce stress for you and child - hopefully lending itself to greater successes at home and at school.
It's initially impetus, the essay, outlined my mother's approach to dealing with me and my three "out of control" brothers. I remember her saying to me, "you are so hyper." When we were in trouble - daily - she would be lecturing, yelling, exasberated. Suddenly, she would start laughing.
I would ask her, "If we are in trouble, why are you laughing?"
Her response remained with me and became important in how we dealt with and reacted to Christopher. She said, "I'm laughing so I don't cry."
I spoke in December for a business/professional organization - the topic: Lessons On Life & Business From A Hyperactive Child. Now we are furthering that with the help of some teachers, psychologists, and other family conference speakers. Hopefully, we can learn a lot here and provide a lot as well.
Thanks,
Matt
www.cbtoolkit.com/laughter
Prior to that, we were less than understanding of those whose children were a "little out of control." Christopher taught us: one, humility; two, that God has a sense of humor.
Since then, we have become advocates for him and others like him. They tend to flock to us and our house so we have a home that tends to be loud and unruly. Our dreams of a "china cabinet" with fine china have been replaced with nerf footballs and a trampoline.
Actually, we are happier this way. As an adult who is ADHD - and realizing my mother's way of handling us was very effective, we are quantifying those ideas.
In 2000 I wrote an essay called, Laughter and Tears In A Hyperactive Home. It was published and some of my wife's friends and a psychologists we worked with said, "make it a book."
We have completed our first edition - and are both shopping publishers and self-publishing as work book to be offered in conjunction with some workshops. It is a non-clinical (not about treatment or management), anecdotal work about parental & teacher perspectives that reduce stress for you and child - hopefully lending itself to greater successes at home and at school.
It's initially impetus, the essay, outlined my mother's approach to dealing with me and my three "out of control" brothers. I remember her saying to me, "you are so hyper." When we were in trouble - daily - she would be lecturing, yelling, exasberated. Suddenly, she would start laughing.
I would ask her, "If we are in trouble, why are you laughing?"
Her response remained with me and became important in how we dealt with and reacted to Christopher. She said, "I'm laughing so I don't cry."
I spoke in December for a business/professional organization - the topic: Lessons On Life & Business From A Hyperactive Child. Now we are furthering that with the help of some teachers, psychologists, and other family conference speakers. Hopefully, we can learn a lot here and provide a lot as well.
Thanks,
Matt
www.cbtoolkit.com/laughter
