ADHD....What To Do?

I must say after watching these clips I was a little disappointed?  Did anyone see the whole show? We did not see the whole show due to the fact we do not have TV, but my mom saw it and was really disappointed with the treatment of the single, homeschool mom. After watching these clips, I can already see how this interview must have gone. And seeing some of the comments it looks to me that the drug companies have won out! This makes me very sad. I am not against using medication, but I believe there are many alternatives before having to go down that road. My two boys without a fact would have been diagnosed with ADD/ ADHD and then some, but that to me is what makes them unique. Has it been easy? Were there times that I would like to pull my hair out? Absolutely! But who said parenting was easy. Please watch these videos and go on Anderson and comment. Maybe if enough of us speak out there will be more and more people out there wanting to try another way. A pill will not fix everything. Some of us are meant to be different and go about life against the grain!

PROUD.... AND FREE

Cade wrote these poems and many others starting last year. 

When Cade was 7 years old and in school he would consistently stuff all his many worksheets and writing papers into his desk. Because for Cade to actually write was an exhausting task. His math tests were also very low, but when we brought them home to work on them he told me every answer correctly(orally) He of course was reprimanded, called lazy, and had recess taken away many times. The teacher told me he was very bright and always raised his hand in class which is why she felt he was just being lazy. My little boy, full of life, spunk and spirit was slowly "dying" right before my eyes. That was the year I took my kids out of school. I could not sit back and watch an institution take away my kids' "out of the box" ways.

I later found out Cade has what is known as dysgraphia. To think of all the children out there with the same issue and no one has even heard of it. My point is this, I took Cade out of school and was instructed to NOT make him write. Everything to be done orally as much as possible. Of course, it was not easy seeing how bad Cade's handwriting was and at times my own insecurities of people judging him and then me as his teacher would get the better of me. But I knew in my heart that I needed to once again let go and allow Cade to be free in how he was going to get along in this world without having brilliant penmanship and spelling. So I let go. I told Cade to just write, anything and anyway. I was not going to "check" it or tell him to rewrite it. I just wanted him to learn to do basic writing tasks like writing a check, filling out a form etc. He wanted to show me what he had been doing and at first glance it was hard to read or even comprehend, but the content, brilliant. Cade was writing pages of poetry and quotes. Some inspired by different paintings and some inspired by life. It is a joy of his(as long as I do not take over and ruin it)  These writings of his and many more give me such joy. I am so proud of you, Cade. For being true to yourself and being free.

MIDNIGHT SWING

Sitting on my swing going up, up high

Seeing the moon reflecting off the high tide

Worries are gone

Hair pushed in the midnight wind

No hurt 

No pain 

On the midnight swing

Toes wiggling with joy 

Heart thumping like a stampede 

Moving fast 

Moving slow

Never wanting to let go

On my midnight swing

WE’RE HERE

We are just like you

We see the sun go up

We see it go down

We stop

Slow down

And look around 

Hoping for a kind heart to come by

Look at us and help

Rather than shiver and run

We need help

That’s all we ask

Not a huge house

But food and a blanket

But no such luck

As you walk by

We’re more like statues 

With broken eyes.

FREEDOM

You take those first steps onto the stage

Each clap boost your spirit

As the light hits your body

It warms you of happy thoughts

And as you are about to do your craft

You thank God

 For His gift

QUOTES BY CADE

Your imagination can fly if you set it free.

My love is gone and now I see she was not for me.

Money can disappear, but art stays forever.

How did we get here?  Love.

Acquaintances are nice.  Friends are great,  but family is the BEST.

Poems are written by angels.

Love is more powerful than war.

Dance creates hearts.

The sun is made by angels.

Life is a race not a walk.

Movies place you in other worlds.

Water runs the world.

Rainy Day Test Day

A well needed rainy day.

Up early to take KJ to a nearby high school to take his high school exit exam. At 15 he may be officially done with "high school" whatever that means. For KJ it means freedom to start taking college courses of his choice, work as an adult, and basically just get on with it. Completely all his idea and research start to finish. He made it happen. Now we wait to find out the results. If he passes it will be proof positive that sitting at a desk for 6 hours a day, with textbooks,worksheets, following a fixed curriculum  and lecture after lecture for  5 days a week, 9 months a year, and for 12 years is a waste of precious playing, seeing, growing, loving and learning time.

KJ said it was weird being in a school setting again. It has been 6 years since he has had to sit at a desk. The test was 3 1/2 hours long. Sitting for that long was a bit of a challenge. He feels so thankful for his years of "schooling". And even though it has been a bit of a roller coaster for me at times, all in all it is the best gift I could have ever given my boys. The gift of freedom to learn and find their way. Not easy to do as a parent. Sometimes I think my boys have taught me more than I have taught them. This is I know for sure.

Came home. Cade baking "green cookies" in honor of St. Patty's Day. They have a party tonight with some fellow homeschoolers, and it is a potluck, so of course......cookies.

Played the game of Life. Bills, taxes, insurance, buying and selling houses.....I wish I could just spin a dial and get paid $100,000. That would really be the "Life" Of course I won!

Quiet house. I hear the rain pitter pattering against the house. So quiet. Mark away on business. Time to reflect. Take a breath. Life is good. I am blessed.

The Worse BLOGGER!

Okay, it is official. I am the worse blogger. Week after week I think of things to write then I let them slide and soon to be forgotten forever. So my new thing is to Blog more.

Let's hope I can stick to it.

This week:  Boys and I traveled up north to wine country, where Mark is on business, to join him for a few days. The beauty of homeschooling is that we can just up and go whenever we want. So we did. Great time and beautiful day, but KJ and Cade are total city boys now and although they can appreciate a small town, they sure love big cities! We went for a nice walk around the lake, searched for a "hike" which ended up being not so nice but were able to skip a few rocks along the river, see several dead animals, and some old car parts dumped in the river(no comparison to our lush hikes in Dominica) but an experience nonetheless and time spent together is always an "adventure". We then made it to a few thrift stores which we call "treasure shops" and found a pack of coasters and 2 great books for $2 then headed back for The Ellen Show in the hotel(we do not have TV so we love to catch her show when we can) Then pool time where the boys beat the heck out of each other and call it fun????  I had a relaxing moment in the hot tub with my head just below the water so I could block out the dulcet tones of boys wrestling ....AWWWWW.