The Weekends

I used to love weekends...well, actually I still do to a certain extent but with the kids home ALL summer there ought to be a law that forces schools to be in session for the first 6 weekends too. Since there isn't I can only escape to the above pictured place in my mind...and rarely can I picture the above without it bursting into flames before being thrust into my referee or riot control job!
With ADHD children, structure is very closely related to parental sanity. Anything that disrupts the normal routine has the potential for magnifying the symptoms of the disorder. When this happens the day can go from enjoyable to a living hell in a matter of minutes. Parents that care spend a lot of thought as to how to structure the ADHD child's free time and still allow it to remain "free". It's always a good idea to sit them down and outline the plan for the day. Always keep in mind that you must take care not to detail too much at one time or you will find yourself repeating constantly. The first 2 letters of the disorder stand for "attention deficit" so you really can't expect too much here. Sometimes though I am amazed at how well they handle plan outlines. I am blessed...well or cursed (matter of opinion!) with having 2 kids that have 2 different types of ADHD. I have one child that is the MOST hyperactive-impulsive type and one that is not as hyperactive but consumed with the inattentive type. Couple that with 2 very different personalities and perhaps you can imagine the work involved in structuring anything. I must first forgo any thoughts I may have had as to my own rest and relaxation. Doing this right (or as close to right as I can get) is a time consuming process. These guys left to their own devices for any extended period of time could have you searching frantically for tranquilizer darts to use on them or yourself!
Teachers may have a difficult time with children of any type but with so many things going on to shift the attention of an ADHD child their problem is mainly in proper focusing. I do not envy their job but on the weekends I become the abused and that makes every precious moment I spend at my "lake" like a vacation!...Love to all...Jeff