ADD

Today I am having a BIG ADD day.  I decided to write about it because I think that anyone dealing with a child with ADD needs to hear this.  Normally, I am extremely calm and focused, I always complete any task I begin.  So, I am facinated by how I feel on days like this.  Here is how today is going.

I planned on doing a lot of cleaning today (I do like to clean).  But then I saw the crochet project that I started yesterday and I wanted to do that for a little bit.  To my credit, I did finish it.  But while I was doing it, all these great ideas for other projects came to mind.  So, I had to start another project.  Did I finish it?  No.  I stopped, started the laundry, then went back to it.  All the while, time is passing I keep forgetting to eat lunch (even though I am thin, I never forget to eat).  Then I stopped to do more laundry and said to myself-you must eat now.  While eating I was distracted by a Halloween magazine that I had bought.  So now I am eating and reading about all these great Halloween ideas.  But I don't even read through everything because it so laborous in this state!  Now I needed to go to the computer to look for Halloween costumes for my God daughter, Hailey.  I start this task, only to be overwhelmed by the number of costume websites and choices (again not at all like me).  The more overwhelmed I become, the faster I try to go and I can't keep up with my mind which is now racing.  As a matter of fact, my fingers are having a hard time keeping up with my mind right now which makes it hard to type.  So, I abort this project because I'm just not getting a good feeling from it.  I went back a did a little more crocheting, went back to the computer, did more laundry, and took a shower.  Now I am ready to go to 5:30 mass and I am just wondering how I will be able to calm myself and sit trough it.  But I am an adult, I know the rules, so I will behave!

My point is this:  Imagine being a child with a mind that is racing around.  The adults around you are trying to make you complete tasks and it feels like torture to you.  You can't keep up with your thoughts and you are overwhelmed.  I am lucky because if I didn't get to mycleaning today, so what?  It will be there tomorrow, no pressure.  When you are dealing with kids with ADD, you have to give them short tasks and change it up for them often.  That's it for now.