What a crazy journey sometimes!

The challenges of earth life!

Aren't they interesting, painful, inspiring, complicated, annoying, all the different things challenges can be.... they are. So many different emotions attached to them.

Through another blog I was led to this blog. It has been really interesting and sad and happy. It is about a man who had a brain hemorrhage and their whole little happy world has been shook up. But they are plugging away and working it out. And there dreams have changed. It is only about 10 days in so if you want to follow its not too late to catch up.

I have been reading a new book on ADD. I have a sweetie pie friend who led me to it and I am grateful for the "you need to be doing some research, girl!" jump she gave me. She didn't say that but she is a researcher and it made me think "are you nuts for not educating yourself on the topic?"...so I am.

So, I have been reading The ADD Answer. Written by Dr. Frank Lawlis. Endorsed by Dr. Phil. Why does that give the book more power? I don't know. But it feels more legitimate.

I also have a book waiting at the library (I HATE BORROWING BOOKS! I WANT TO OWN EVERYONE SO I CAN MARK IT ALL UP) called Boys Adrift. Cyber world recommended it to me. Somewhere I read about it and it said something about how we send little boys to kindergarten and are frustrated when they don't just sit still and do academic things. And it said that little boys are not always developmentally at that stage. I heard really great things about the book so I am going to read that one too.

I don't always enjoy reading self help books. I have to sort of make myself do it like a chore. I am always glad though for the new knowledge. Sometimes I look at Corey and think....why is it my job to read all the self help (or kid help) books. I want him to read one for once. (he HATES reading) (Hates) (As in NEVER reads) (The kids think he can't) (Rhett told me once that he was just going to be like dad and not read....Pffttt!!!! 1) uh.....let me thing about that for a second.....As long as my body can live and breath you will learn to read. 2) dad can read. He just doesn't.)

The few things I have learned from The ADD Answer so far was the different way the brain works for ADD kids. That frustrates me for them. And hopefully you already know this but people with ADD are just as smart as everyone else (Look at Glenny) it just is a different brain issue.

Another part of the book I loved is this part that the Dr. who wrote it says...

"The major complaint I hear from kids, especially teenagers, with ADD is that everyone focuses on the failures, and they already know about the failures. The worst thing a parent can say to a kid who screwed up is: "Look at what damage you have done. Do you see what you have done? You have wrecked your mother's car." Of course he sees what he had done. He desperately needs you to tell him what to do next. He is a child after all."

That might not "speak" to all of you the way it did me, but for some reason it did.

I have been FORCING, at my own painful expense, Rhett to take piano. He has been at it for more than a year. But it is MY dream for my son to be able to play the piano on his mission. Because of his dyslexia it has been very SLOW going. Symbols are also confusing to people with dyslexia. But I want my children to learn to work hard at something. SO I haven't let him quit. And I have sat with him for every practice coaching him along. And as of late I became his teacher when his real teacher moved.

So in the book it said that "One of the marks of ADD is the persistent failure of a child to conform to expectation, so it is highly likely that your child will be facing more failures than successes-and far more than then average kid does. Therefore it is critical that you, as the parent, prepare for the probable stress and even depression that comes from disappointments and find constructive avenues for your child to have success, in at least one arena of life. Otherwise, you can be sure that your child will find other ways of achieving some means of personal power, and these means may not be in the best interest of your child or the family."

So that made me think of the piano and Rhett. He HATES it. HATES. He is not "getting" it more than he is "getting" it. But I want my dream (I can admit it)! And it is good for him. But every practice feels like a failure to him, I think, because it is very difficult for him. So I decided that he will only practice one song a week. And he will not have to practice for long. I don't want him to continuously be failing at the piano because of his disabilities. But I don't want to give up the benefits it has either. When I told him that he was very happy.

Dr. Lawlis also said "My high school football coach use to say, "Always be moving in a positive direction. Even if you are pushed back a time or two, always move toward the goal, even if it's an inch at a time."

So that is how we are going to tackle piano. An inch at a time. And I feel really great about that.

I am now on Chapter 5 of the book! The medicine chapter. To medicate or to not. The book is pro...not. So confusing but knowledge is power so we shall see!

WOW! Super long and boring post to say"I am reading a book on ADD. "