Figure Out the Clean-up Tuesday

[Harmony]

Kathryn, you've reminded me of why I love the library so much. There is very little noise there. Specifically no telephones ringing. I always jump straight up and my insides / stomach gives a little lurch every time the phone rings. It's usually a problem, something DH wants me to do that will be difficult, or a new person which is also hard for me. I think I could manage all this stress much better if I could just do away with the phone.

Those of you who have no phobias are very blessed! I'm not one of them.

Enuf of that nonsense....

I'm trying to do a clean-up here. I stopped all regular stuff to shovel out the house on Friday, but now the desk is piled up. I have some of it sorted, email sent. I have laundry spinning. I've just eaten breakfast.

DH is having a particularly trying day with too-many helpers to manage, and multiple trucks involved... and he came looking for a lost key which I had to help with. Never did find the key, because he is so very disorganized and this is an old reocuring problem with him. He will not change his routine way of dealing with things and it is so frustrating to me I'm about in tears...When he does have time to just do nothing, he could use that time to organize loose ends, but that is so far off his radar, he never even considers it. He has very definite AD tendencies also. Very hard to work with.

Speaking of that, I have one DGS in that category, although he is not medicated, and he has always been a challenge. He's all over the place constantly. Because he manages somehow in school, he hasn't been put on medicine. This weekend he told me how it affects him. He described his distractions. His Mother has always been afraid of drug side-effects. And he's really skinny and never slept well. Sigh...if only we were all made perfect..

[blessedw2]

wow we are on page 3 already! back from "beauty" shop - that always makes me laugh - so hair is officially one color again... no more gray for 2 more weeks Ill read how you are all doing and will be back!

kitchen... here I come - taking chair and whip as I get back in there... back dishes back...

[Ramblinrose]

Kathryn and Harmony...

Nosie distractions is a good indicator of ADD. Kathryn, what you describe with the ticking of the clock is a very good example.

With my ADD and ADHD students I find they fall into two very disticnt catagories. One...some students can only study in complete silents...thats me...my brain needs quiet to focus. The other students need blaring loud music to concentrate. For them the loud nosies let their brains relax and then they can focus. That concept is so foreign to me. The good new is now, at least in some of my schools, the students can listen to their music while working on school work.

Here's a great example of how each student is differnt and why knowing your personal learning style is so important.

Yesterday I was in a general classroom and the kids were about to take a test. Studies have indicated, plus its my person experience, some students do better when a test is read to them. So I asked the class if they wanted me to read it out loud. Most of the class did, but several begged me not to do so because they said it was too distracting.

When I was co-teaching, meaning there were two teachers in the class, and we were about to give a test, I would ask who wanted to have their test read to them. This classroom had several LD, ADD and ADHD kids in it...some diagnosed and some not...as well as many gen ed kids. I would take whoever raised their hands into a different classroom or area and read it to them....many gen ed kids were included by the way, and some of the sped kids wanted to stay behind.

The results were very interesting....ALL of the class test scores increased. I kept documentation on the entire class for every test they took. I was not surprised by the results, but I can tell you the gen ed teacher was.

And in the past for those students who have ADHD, physical activity BEFORE difficult classes that need to be focused on was a great way to calm their brains down. If is was possible, I would always try to schedule PE early in the morning so my students brains would slow down enough that they could concentrate on their lessons.

I tell my parents and students...the brain can on absorb as much as the hinny can withstand.

[lucylee]

Quick post -- must get ready for travel to college town.

So far, ta-das --
5-min exercise
weighed and recorded
straightened the bed
ate breakfast
done Bible reading
washed pan that has sat in the sink (since Sunday! -- for no reason, nothing needed soaking, no reason at all... )
called tax man
called metal recycling place

Very interested in the ADD talk. Dmom is certain that ddad was ADHD... and I agree. Sooo many signs. I fear I may have it too. My MIND is my main distraction. I can often tune out noises -- dh's radio programs, etc. -- but I can't tune out my own brain. When Kathryn said PRAYER was difficult, I thought, "YES. YES." My mind just wanders off into crazy tangents all the time. My best prayer time is when I am out walking, or driving alone. I absolutely HAVE TO write down anything I need to remember. This is why I love lists so much. Wish I could take some meds that would decrease my appetite. * sigh * But seriously, I do hope LO does well, LadyM!

Must s2s and get busy.

Skippable rant... I am still silently sooo aggravated at dh! Last night I wanted to go out and take dmom's trash can to the road, and he just about had a come-apart thinking he was going to have to go with me. Dmom said no need for us to come out (she didn't know he was being such a pain in the ...) that her neighbors would be glad to put it out for her. But I'm still stewing this morning. After all the time I spent at HIS mother's... and he can't make one trip to put out garbage when it's sleeting??? Grrrrr...

[Harriet]

I was thinking they would rotate through varied music, Kathryn, but wonder why they stuck on one over and over now... ...hmmm. If one piece of saran wrap helps, would a second help more? Does dh have any headphones?

I don't know why it seems so extremely cold. It has been in the 20s all day, but seems so much colder, as if it were our record-breaking days a week or more ago. Maybe something to do with the snow blanket, or it's mental, seeing the snow? That doesn't seem right.

Have been on the phone with school secretaries. No decision yet on the AP meeting I was supposed to attend tonight. No decision yet on after school clubs. Only athletic and practices have been cancelled. Dd emails that she hears rumors all will be cancelled. If they move AP to tomorrow night they will have conflicts. Even dd's youth group has a small-group meeting.

Oh, I had a moment with HRH last night, too, lucylee. I was working on LR screen on computer when he came downstairs and he glanced at it with me (taking the chair, of course). When HE finished, he saved and went over to netflix! I was standing RIGHT THERE. I told him men are self-absorbed. There was a whole decision-making person he had overlooked.

I don't hear anything particular, but am amazed at my absent-mindedness, my tangents and rabbit trails.

[Twins' Mom]

I can be quite sensitive to noise - when I worked I was especially edgy if there was a lot of noise around me, but listening to some very quiet music or white noise usually helped me block some of the other stuff out. I had been known to remind some of the audit staff that we (tax staff) still had deadlines and stress even tho things may have been not so busy for them. And dh's TV makes me crazy when it's just a little too loud.

Regrouping from this morning:
OMM for today:
[ x ] transfer $$ online for temple
[ x ] ck on dmom's meds ordered last week
{ ] desk day - Must do!
{ ] declutter session in bonus room upstairs - my crafty room, and look for reinkers for my stamp pads
{ ] temple work, and religious school work
{ x] get list going for errand day tomorrow
{ ] online webinar this evening from 8 to 9:30 genealogy
{ ] make hotel reservation for genealogy conference in May
-what else?

I have managed to hold dMacs off from his walk so we'll do that next, I promise.
-walk the dogs
-upstairs declutter
-fold laundry and put away
-make the bed
-straighten up MBR

[Lady Maverick]

I find the ADHD/ADD discussion extremely interesting and informative.

the brain can on absorb as much as the hinny can withstand.

LOVE IT!!!

LO's Pediatrician and the psychologist that did LO evaluation are both convinced that exercise will help. They both recommended it strongly. The psychologist recommended taking Martial arts for both the exercise & self discipline/control. He was happy to hear LO was already taking Karate. LO doctor said that when he was going to grade school, it was normal for most kids to walk to school. They got a good bit of exercise in before sitting down to study. Now most kids are driving to school or ride the bus. He said they also used to have two full hours of recess each day but that has been replaced with more time in the classroom.

LO told me yesterday and this morning that "my brain talks to me all the time. " This morning he told me "I have a hard time remembering what to do because my brain won't be quiet". I don't remember him saying anything like this before, so I quizzed him on where he heard it. I thought maybe one of his friends said it or he saw something on TV. He said no one told him to say it.

[Ramblinrose]

Although these videos and site are not what I originally wanted, they do give parents, and us, good insite to ADHD.

This is a short but very good explanation of ADHD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u82nzTzL7To

This video will give you insite to how a person's brain functions with ADHD. Bet some of you will identify with it...I know I do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfo1tZ95Ypk

And if you page down to "Find a behavior plan that works" on this site, there is some excellent information to help a student and his/her parents design a ...hate this title...behavior plan for kids with ADD/ADHD.

Often these plans are based on "rewarding" your child for working appropriately... wheather it is in the classroom or at home. There are some excellent examples of what rewards can be. I have used many of these charts with my students with great success. Plus I also designed one for my own son when he was having a difficult time during his 6-8th grade years, both at home and at school.

The key to success is to be consistant and to make the consequences both appropriate and important to your own child. In my own life when my own son did NOT earn his rewards....going to the skating rink on the weekend was his biggy....it meant I had to stay home as well. If you tell a child ... no TV, Computer, Phone...fill in the blank, you need to be there to make sure it happens. I would tell my son an unhappy mama is an unhappy home..by punishing you, you are punishing me.

Never design/give a consequence that YOU can't live with and always follow through no matter what. Thats why...you're grounded for the next month... usually doesn't work. You need to explain what you mean by "grounded...no phone, have to come home right after school, no computer time...etc and make it for a week. Then you can reevaluate the situation and decided whether to continue the consequence or not. Can't tell you how many times kids come to school laughing because they got in trouble, knowing their parents will give in before the month is over. And that teaches them their parents don't ..say what they do, and do what they say. Kids are really smart

I always posted "our" contract on the refrigerator so there could be no arguements. In fact I never needed to raise my voice. If my son didn't fulfill his required "duties" then he didn't earn his rewards. I'd point to our contract and say...sorry for you, better luck next time...and walk away. After a month or so my son truly understood his rewards and consequenses and life became a much more happier place at home.

Know as Norma reads this she's thinking...I can't ever imagine RR's son giving her a difficult time

I taught all my classes the same way and had very very few behavior problems.

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-a ... school.htm

LadyM... I'm so happy LO can communicate what is going on in his head. Most kids know if you ask them. I like your dr's too, they seem to be very wise. I was going to mention that it is so great to have LO involved in his sports...especially Karate. It will help to teach him discipline and self-control. Plus, it should help him wind down before sleeping.

[Ramblinrose]

Quick and easy quiz to determine your learning style. Have fun.

http://www.educationplanner.org/student ... yles.shtml

I am a visual learner.... no surprise

[blessedw2]

sorry I have been out again... I ended up having to run 4 errands I hadn't planned on.

Before I can get started again I will have to list my spending before it leaves my head so me. done