Moms (& Dads too) of children with ADHD

[Hope.]

Do you ever have days where you have to put yourself in time out?

What kind of things do you do to help yourself relax?


I started crying tonight just because DS kept drifting off and doing his usual thing. I don't want this year to be like last..

Ds doesn't take meds, just because DH and I both personally had bad experiences with the meds. and I am trying different strategies such as art therapy and ways to "get out" all that excess energy. It works, and I know boys are boys.

Okay I'm rambling..


I just had a "I wanna pull my hair out and stick my head under a pillow and say AHHHHHHH!" night.

That is all.

[katt1028]

Yes, parental time outs are very important!!!

Get Ds his own kitchen timer. Keep activities to within his interest areas, and the time he is able to maintain focus on them. Variety is a key as well. Praise and reward for that which he does good... redirect when he is out of control.

Sometimes alot of redirection will be needed. My Ds at one point had to be redirected every 5 minutes.

Allow yourself to cry... it is healthy for you. But don't let it get you down.

Take the moments when he is asleep to do special things for you... maybe you have a candlelit bubble bath with soft jazz in the background. Or you entrust his care to someone you trust for a couple of hours while you go have mommy time to get a massage, have tea/ coffee with a girlfriend, or get a pedicure.

always remember to take care of you... taking care of you helps you to take care of him better.

[SnowCrystal]

time outs are a fabulous thing! (and very necessary for parent of ADHD kids!!!!) Trust me, you're not alone.

I think I need to put myself in time out on a daily basis, but I've got two non ADHD kids and an 18 y/o ds who is ADD, non medicated in addition to the ADHD mds. It's sad. I look forward to Mondays and every night at bedtime now that dh is deployed.

[Cat]

oh you are definitely not alone, but the bad thing is that after today and yesterday I know that my DS has to be on meds. His teacher emailed me to let me know that in the morning he was okay but during the day he started to be disruptive to the class. So he definitely has to be on the meds.

But yes parents do need to give themselves a time out to keep what sanity they have in tact. Yesterday my DS was driving me crazy. He was super hyper after he got home from school.

Feel free to PM me anytime.

[Hope.]

wow... thank you all so much. It just makes me feel better knowing you understand and have BTDT because I feel like I'm treading new grounds somedays. Thanks again, it really does mean a lot to have you all here.

okay I'm done with my moment.

[Cat]

well I needed a time out today big time. Can someone help me with something too. Hope I really feel ya sweetie. I think we should take a time out together. LOL

[leftover]

Have you seen a dietician? And gotten him on a meal plan?

[Hope.]

Originally Posted by leftover Have you seen a dietician? And gotten him on a meal plan?

Honestly I don't even know where to begin to look for a dietician around here.

And he is one of the healthiest eating children I have ever seen. He chooses salad over pizza, loves water, prefers olives and pickles over cookies at Subway, hates fried food, etc... I imagine his teachers think I'm some health food freak because of the snacks he takes but he's the one who picks them out.