When I had my first child, I breastfed him because everyone said that it was better for him and I wanted to make sure I was giving him the best start possible. I learned something from that experience ... breastfeeding is hard. I stuck it out for seven months and then switched him over to formula because that was what worked for both of us at that time. When I had my second child, nearly eleven years later, I knew that I was going to breastfeed again but I also wanted to research the best … [Read more...] about Give your children the best start in life
ADHD
A parenting overhaul… the traffic light method.
I was a single Mom to one child for over ten years. He was well behaved, respectful and I thought it was due to my exceptional parenting. *insert hysterical laughing here* Now that I am married and the mom to not one, but four children...three who are under 9, I realize I was wrong. Not that I don't think I'm a good parent, but I've learned that is only one piece of the puzzle. Having multiple children is so different than raising one. They feed off of one another. They blame one another. They … [Read more...] about A parenting overhaul… the traffic light method.
Would you like some whipped cream with that?
When Kellen started taking medication for his ADHD, we watched his appetite slowly fade away. It started with not wanting snacks as much, then progressed to the point where we had to practically force him to the table. I don't believe in making the dinner table a battle field and have never forced my children to do anything more than taste the meals put in front of them, but as he ate less and less and rarely gained anything, we let our anxiety take over and began fighting with him to eat. It … [Read more...] about Would you like some whipped cream with that?
I found the secret…
After trying for weeks to teach him to swallow a pill last year, and then spending a half hour every morning attempting to teach him this week, I finally found the secret to teaching my son to swallow pills. Here is what we tried: practicing with candy, ice, vitamins, chocolate chips and the medication swallowing it with your head back swallowing with your head forward drinking from a cup, a straw, a water bottle putting the pill in yogurt, jam, bread pointing out how you … [Read more...] about I found the secret…
Medication and ADHD
This mommy gig never gets any easier. When my son was diagnosed with ADHD a little over a year ago, I was upset to know he would have challenges ahead of him for possibly the rest of his life; I was relieved to have a diagnosis so we could move forward and try and make some changes; and I was torn about treatment methods and what we should do for him. We read about our options, looked at his needs and decided to try medication. This is not an easy decision or a quick fix... or the only … [Read more...] about Medication and ADHD
Thinking in Pictures
Last night I had the incredible privilege of attending a lecture by Temple Grandin. Temple Grandin is an amazing American woman who has autism. She is a successful scientist and advocate for animal rights, and she is an author who was written multiple books on animal welfare and autism and aspergers. She wrote "Thinking in Pictures" to describe how her own thought patterns work, something that is demonstrated in the movie about her life where she is portrayed by Claire Danes. Temple said that … [Read more...] about Thinking in Pictures
