Raph’s Tale, A Fable About Neurodiversity
Text by Dan Shapiro, MD; illustrations by John Watkins-Chow* Hawk soared high over the river. Down below, he saw a little boat with a funny-looking bird. It was drifting downstream, toward Great Falls. Hawk flew down and perched on the boat. Hawk screeched, “You’re going to kill yourself staying in that tiny tub! Fly away, you…
Read MoreGetting What I Need
The Factors That Changed My Life Dear Reader: The point of this story is to share that sometimes the weird, unexpected things in our lives come together to be greater than the sum of their parts. Or, perhaps the simpler way of putting it is this: if my life thus far had a song, it…
Read MorePay ADDention™! I’m a Teen Expert on ADD
I am a seventeen-year-old senior in high school, and I’ve had ADD—ADHD without hyperactivity—my whole life. I’d like to share my story with you, which is a story of challenges and setbacks as well as success and hope. My parents noticed signs of trouble when I was just fourteen months old. I wasn’t making the…
Read MoreOvercoming Shame—Providing Perspective Through My ADHD Story Ask The Expert
Double Trouble: Navigating Life as a Gifted Kid with ADHD
I make jokes all the time about how being an adult is a scam. It’s funny how we long for the day when we become the masters of our own destinies, only to discover that being the master of your own destiny is NOT as fun as it looks from the outside. Being a grownup…
Read MoreA Tale of Rabbitry… and ADHD
We are an enthusiastic family with several children who have ADHD. Our experience with rabbitry began a few years ago with a sweet brown bunny named Thumper. He lived in a large hutch in our backyard that was handmade with much TLC and an engineer’s precision. John spent hours with each of our kids measuring,…
Read MoreTeaching in a Pandemic: Upheavals, Adjustments, and Moving Forward
When COVID-19 first closed our schools in March, many teachers asked, “Now what?!” Teaching special education is immensely rewarding, but oftentimes challenging even under normal circumstances. It takes a deep understanding of how the mind works along with patience and perseverance to adapt lessons, content, and tasks for multiple individuals daily. Then, we were forced…
Read MoreWhat Do Students with Attention Challenges Really Think About Remote Learning?
When schools were closed this past March, most of us thought the closures would be short-lived. Surely some remedy for COVID-19 would be discovered within a few months! Teachers and students stepped off into the great unknown, laptops in hand, plucking up courage, with little training, and no preparation. As time passed, and teachers attempted…
Read MoreAre You a Hotline Hothead?
How to Call Customer Service You have a customer service issue that you need to resolve by calling the company’s 800 number. This has been difficult for you in the past, as you struggle to regulate your emotions. Your friends and family may refer to you as “reactive” or possibly even a “hothead.” You are…
Read MoreHelpful Lessons for Raising Challenging Kids
Each of my three children was diagnosed with ADHD at different ages, with my middle child being diagnosed first, then my oldest and finally my youngest. I can honestly say that I am still struggling with how to support each of them as they learn to become productive adults. My desire is to help them…
Read MoreIs it Time to Evaluate Your Relationship with Alcohol?
In 2019, I inadvertently joined a movement I didn’t even know existed. Within hours of researching information on reducing my alcohol consumption, I was introduced to new phrases like sober curious, Dry January, sober sprint, plus Quit Lit (publications devoted to decreasing alcohol intake). I discovered resources like This Naked Mind, Club Soda, and Alcohol…
Read MoreCalling All “Brains”: How to ADHD
Today, unlike in years past, there’s a growing list of online resources that provide updated information on ADHD. Few, however, enjoy the popularity of How to ADHD, the brainchild of Jessica McCabe. How to ADHD has attracted more than 10,000,000 visitors to its website and boasts more than 200,000 YouTube subscribers. Currently, “Failing at Normal,”…
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