After the Diagnosis
My son was 7 when he was diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, OCD. As a parent who had been opposed to medication this was a humbling, eye-opening experience.
My son was 7 when he was diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, OCD. As a parent who had been opposed to medication this was a humbling, eye-opening experience.
People ask “Does it get easier?” That’s a tough question to answer. Physically? Without a doubt. Mentally? Emotionally? I think it becomes much more difficult.
What can I reasonably, realistically expect of a 12.5-year-old babysitter?
What I hadn’t realized then was that was the easy part, discussing the cut and dry mechanics of sex. I hadn’t realized that it was just the beginning of an ongoing conversation where I would have to push past my own embarrassment and get over my own hang ups.
A parents first inclination is save our children when something goes wrong in their lives. Truth is we all learn better through making our own mistakes.Â
We have the illusion of control and the peace of mind that comes with technology. But are we better parents or the same parents with more to feel guilty about?
Mistakes, I’ve made more than a few.
What has happened for me as parent is redefining what actually matters, not getting as caught up in the small things, and choosing my battles wisely. Â
I was worried about what my kids would think of the things I wrote about them, turns out I should have worried about what they would write about ME.
What happens when you leave your tween son’s punishment in the hands of his siblings? Hilarity, that’s what.
What no one tell you is that while you are longing for some space, one day the roles will reverse. You will be the needy one in the relationship.
I always hear people complain that their family members can’t seem to change the roll of toilet paper when it runs out. I don’t have that problem. It was solved the one time my head spun around in a full circle and pea soup spewed from my mouth, frightening my children into submission. I do have a different toilet paper problem, one for which I can’t manage to muster as much outrage. See for yourself…
I’ve been thinking about the qualities that people most often comment about in my children and how they learned those things.
Teen boys are wearing bracelets with the message I Love Boobies. Do these bracelets really raise awareness for breast cancer or are they promoting sexism?
Lying is a necessary part of parenting. Any parent that tells me they never lie to their kids, well, I think they are lying.
Maybe the question isn’t why some kids are bullies, but rather why the rest of the kids are not stepping up to stop it.
I have been asked how I am talking to my young children about the shootings in Arizona. My answer is, I’m not.
I’m sure there isn’t a parent out there who doesn’t want to give their child a better life than what they had. But at what cost does giving “everything” come?
One of the most difficult things I have found about being a mother surprised me. It wasn’t the sleepless nights or the tantrums. It’s the “letting go.”
If you’re looking to find the balance between helping too much and teaching them to be successful on their own, this list of homework rules is for you.