Disposing of Unused Medication Responsibly

Lately I've been reading suggestions by several professional organizers on how to dispose of unused medications. If you flush them, they end up in our water. If you trash them, they end up in landfills even if they are diluted or crushed. Or they may be eaten by animals. Here are what I consider to be the top three choices:

1. Costco, CVS and other pharmacies will take your unused medications and dispose of them properly. Check with your local stores, though, because it seems to be a store-by-store choice.

2. Some police stations offer the same service. Again, check with your local station.

3. And my favorite: donate them to an organization who can use them third world countries. Even though this suggestion was brought up several times, I couldn't find such an organization when I searched.

Do you know an organization that takes donations of unused medications? If you receive this blog by email, please go to this link to comment.

A Dozen Tips for a Less-Stressed Wedding

Good morning! Hope you had a great weekend. Ours was busy with activities with the girls - painting t-shirts, painting wooden crafts, participating as slaves in a simulated underground railroad, a movie, church, homework, and nursing a sick one. I'm glad it's Monday so I can get some rest! :)

I wrote the following article for For Bride and Baby, a fabulous website to help you plan for your wedding or baby. If you can't use the tips for planning a wedding, feel free to pass them on to someone who might be able to use them. Add your own tips, as well! (My article appears on their blog.) It's a bit long ...


A Dozen Tips for Planning a Low-Stress Wedding

A wedding is a breeding ground for stress, one reason being that there are so many details to manage. There's not much you can do about Aunt Martha and Cousin Joe not wanting to speak to each other, but you can organize and manage details so there are as few surprises as possible.

There will always be those things that pop up at the last minute, but if you have done a good job of organizing, they are usually either out of your control or are minor. The following tips will help ease your mind as your plan your wedding:

1. Start early. As soon as you know you’re getting married, start planning. My daughter and I had almost a year to plan her wedding and we used it all! Her wedding was very large and we did much of it ourselves. If you don’t think you need that much time, it never hurts to be ahead of schedule, even if your wedding is intimate and simple.

Even if you’re not engaged yet, there are several things you can start looking at: wedding dresses, bridal party attire, invitations, etc. Don’t scare off your boyfriend, though, by jumping the gun!

2. Keep the communication lines open and healthy with your fiancé and your family during the wedding-planning process. Your relationships are more important than your ceremony. Your ceremony will take place on one day ... your relationships will continue for the rest of your life. Work on finding win-win solutions to problems and be open to their ideas.

You will spend the rest of your life finding solutions to problems. To help you perfect this skill, avail yourself of pre-marriage counseling. I highly recommend the Myers-Briggs personality type inventory. And make good choices, the most important one in my opinion: don't be selfish. It's impossible for a marriage to flourish if one or both partners are self-absorbed.

3. Determine your budget and the size of your wedding. Your budget will likely determine the size of your wedding. If your parents are paying for your wedding, get a clear picture of what they are willing to spend. You can decide to stick within that budget or contribute some yourself. Or you may be footing the entire bill yourself.

Whatever the case, I suggest living within your budget. Insisting on a lavish affair is not worth the stress that debt puts on your relationship with your parents and/or your fiancé and later on your marriage.

Do your homework as you estimate the cost of the various components of your wedding. Costs add up quickly, and being realistic about them avoids last minute sticker-shock and its ensuing stress. Overestimate your costs so that if things turns out to be higher than you anticipated, you have a little padding.

4. Get a wedding organization book and live by it! This wonderful tool provides checklists, timelines, and deadlines. It also supplies you with etiquette rules and other such valuable information. Remember, though, that just because something is suggested in your wedding organization book, if it’s not you, don’t do it! This is your wedding, and it should reflect you! If you can afford a wedding planner, she will do much of this for you.

5. Secure a venue for your wedding and reception. Some locations are booked a year or more in advance, so don’t procrastinate on this one if your location is a popular one! To avoid this hassle, some couples are deciding to marry on less typical days: Friday evening or Sunday afternoon, for example. By thinking outside the box, you may discover creative solutions to this search.

6. Decide on a wedding dress and wedding party attire. This may take a while, so give yourself enough time to find what you want. The internet makes this overwhelming task much easier! Look online to find styles you like and narrow down your search this way.

Give yourself enough time for altering, re-ordering correct sizes, etc. If you are having dresses made, allow adequate time for measuring, sewing, try-ons, and alterations. We had the bridesmaids’ dresses made by a friend. To cut costs, we used a 50% off coupon at Jo-Ann’s when we purchased the material.

7. Plan your wedding ceremony with your fiancé. Don’t just include everything you’ve seen in others’ wedding – make it meaningful to you. We actually attended a wedding ceremony that seemed like it included everything ever done in a wedding ceremony – it was eternal!!

Make your ceremony reflective of you! Sit down with the minister or person who is going to perform your wedding, and express your desires. Any wedding ceremony can be adapted to fit your values and wishes.

Our daughter and son-in-law have a very strong faith. Her engagement ring was a triangle. She and her fiance were represented by the bottom two corners, and God was represented by the top corner. They wanted their relationship to become closer as they became closer to God. The triangle shape reoccurred throughout the wedding and reception.

Our daughter didn’t want a wedding cake – she wanted cheesecake instead. We found already-sliced Cheesecake Factory cheesecake at Sam’s. They chose to eliminate the cake-cutting, obviously.

A friend of ours was into the two-step, so he and his groomsmen wore cowboy boots and it was a two-step reception. Another friend got married in his Chucks, his signature footwear! Don't be afraid to be different!

8. Keep a binder or file or box containing wedding paraphernalia – contracts with those providing services, sketches, ideas, final products, etc., so you can locate colors, samples, etc. at a moment’s notice.

9. Determine what help you need – both paid and volunteer. If you have friends who are willing to help with various aspects of your wedding, accept that help if you like their work. A friend might be able to design your invitation and/or program. Or help you address wedding invitations. Ask friends for recommendation for wedding cake bakers, caterers, etc. If people offer to help, consider saying yes!

10. Hire a wedding coordinator at least for your wedding day. Then you, your mom, your family, and your wedding party can enjoy the day and revel in your celebration. She can take care of those little details and make sure that everyone is where they need to be.

11. Prepare an emergency kit for those last minute snafus: safety pins, masking tape, cellophane tape, a stapler, bobby pins, hair spray, needle and thread, extra pantyhose, extra make-up, scissors, etc. Ask a friend to be on stand-by to run errands if necessary.

12. Relax and enjoy your day! Determine not to be stressed even if everything doesn’t go exactly as you planned. Someone may faint or goof up, but the important thing is that you're getting married!! Don't let small things spoil your celebration. And ... live happily ever after!

Any tips for reducing the stress of planning a wedding? If you receive this by email, use this link to comment.

Getting a Good Night's Sleep Despite Daylight Savings

Daylight Savings is a mixed blessing in the spring - we lose an hour of sleep, but it stays light longer. If you're like me, I look forward to December 21st each year because I know the days will start getting longer after that. Darkness at 4:30 pm is so claustrophobic!

With Daylight Savings coming this weekend, don't let your sleep suffer - even for an hour! I try to turn our clocks ahead early on Saturday evening so we are operating on the new time before we go to bed. That way we won't be fooled into losing an hour's sleep. Who cares, you say?

Sleep is one of the most important ingredients to functioning well. If anything suffers in my life, I try not to make it my sleep! I just can't function well without it. Sleep deprivation has adverse effects on our driving, blood pressure, heart, weight, decision-making, temper, and moods! So here are some tips for sleeping well:

1. Sleep in the quietest and least busy part of your house. If you sleep in a high-traffic area of your home, you'll be woken up by it.

2. Don't have computers or TVs in your bedroom. They produce "electromagnetic fields and positive ions that induce agitation," according to Dr. Mao.

3. Light keeps you awake, so start dimming the lights 30 minutes before bedtime and don't sleep with lights on. If you take melatonin, make sure all the lights are off when you take it to make it work faster. Use darkening shades/blinds or a mask.

4. Don't exercise for at least two hours before bedtime, as exercise is a stimulant. But do exercise. Exercise helps get rid of tensions and excess energy, and allows you to relax for sleep.

5. Try drinking some chamomile tea before bedtime - a natural sleep inducer.

6. Don't sleep with your pets. Their ups and downs during the night prevent a continuous night's sleep.

7. Keep pen and paper by your bed. If something pops into your mind, you can write it down so it doesn't impede your sleep. Or journal before bedtime as a way to process your day, rather than when you lie down to sleep.

8. Listen to your body - if you are tired and sleepy, go to bed if at all possible! Your body keeps track of the sleep you have lost and you may need to catch up.

9. Have a regular waking time. When you have a regular routine, your body will tell you when it needs sleep. Each person is different. I need about 6 1/2 to 7 hours of sleep each night while my husband functions best on 9.

10. If you are sleep deprived, take a nap. You can tell you are sleep deprived if you tend to fall asleep when you are sitting quietly.

How do you insure a good night's sleep for yourself, your family? If you receive this blog via email and would like to comment, use this link.


Additional blogs on sleep:

Sleep is Non-negotiable!

Insuring Peak Performance: Sleep 101

Organizing Laundry

It's so nice to be home! We loved being with Sara and visiting with friends and family, but we're happy to be home.

I was greeted by a fun phone message upon our arrival. Channel 3 News in Cleveland wants me to be on their morning news show to talk about meal prep. I believe it's next Thursday, March 12, but I'll keep you posted as I find out more details!

It is connected with Cleveland Moms Like Me. Go to www.MomsLikeMe.com to find one near you!

But in the meantime, back to real life ... laundry (mounds of it!).

Organizing Laundry

For years we have organized our laundry by sorting it as we take it off. When we lived in Maryland, I bought four plastic laundry bag holders to hold darks, lights, whites, and towels. Bob and I would drop our clothes in the appropriate bag and when a bag was full, we'd remove the bag and take it downstairs to the washing machine.

The plastic laundry bag holders were a little flimsy and Bob ended up gluing them together, as they would come apart frequently. You could even color code the laundry bags if you wish.

These days our laundry room is next to our bedroom, so we decided to use regular tall laundry hampers for sorting, since we don't have to move them anywhere. It sure is nice not to have clothes all spread out on the floor as you sort!

You could have a set of hampers/bags in a central location or a set in each person's room. They do take up a bit of room, but it makes laundry so much easier in my opinion!

What do you do to make laundry easier? If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, use this link.


More blogs on similar topics:

Laundry tip - color-coded laundry bags

Decluttering in 5 - 20 Decluttering Tasks You Can Do In Five Minutes or Less

Restorative Moments and Margins

We are heading home as I write. We drove to Maryland on Friday and met our daughter Sara there. Over the weekend we visited with friends. On Sunday afternoon we headed up to Pennsylvania to visit with Bob parents and more friends, just missing the snow storm. Yesterday we drove Sara from Pennsylvania to Indiana where she’ll stay for most of her remaining time in the States.

So today we woke up tired! We chose to return to Ohio on a road we’ve never tried before. Instead of driving on a two-lane road for a while and I-70 through Columbus, we opted for US 30, a four-lane road from middle Indiana to middle Ohio. Even though it seemed a bit out of the way, it will take us about the same time.

The restorative part is that there is very little traffic and it goes through wide open spaces. It has been so nice just to drive through farmland and not have to weave in and out of a bunch of trucks.

Even though the scenery is pretty brown, it’s nature all the same. Nature has such restorative powers. When we lived in Maryland during a more stressful time in our lives, we would escape frequently to what we called our own private lake. It was a rather secluded little park where we could put our blankets down, play games, have dinner, sleep, read books - whatever we felt like doing at the moment. Just one hour at our lake had unbelievable restorative powers - even for our children!

We’ll arrive home in the early afternoon and receive a house of girls on Friday. Whenever we travel, we try to build in margins so as to allow ourselves some recovery time between one event and another. I’ve found that by allowing some room for margins creates less chaos and clutter. I want to be efficient, but I don’t want to pack things so tightly that I have no time to transition. The same is true for less time-consuming events as well.

Have you discovered some places that provide you with restorative moments? What about margins - do you give yourself ample margins to create some breathing room between events? If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, use this link.

Organizing "Messy" Toys

I saw a clever idea on Happy Mama's blog the other day. She stores her kids' "messy" toys (those that have a jillion pieces) in clear plastic tubs in the top of her child's closet. Then her child created a catalog of each tub - a laminated picture of each category held together by an o-ring. You could also label or put pictures on each container as well.

The best part - her child must have all other toys put away before being allowed to get out a "messy" toy container. Because they are stored in the top of the closet, her child must have help to get them down, so mom can inspect. Obviously, as the child gets older, "messy" toys can be put at a reachable level.

I think this system would work with our toys, too - craft items, collections, etc.

Wasn't that a clever idea? If you receive this blog by email and would like to comment, this link will take you to my blog.


Blogs on similar topics:

Get Organized Month 2009 - Family Five Minute Challenge,

Downsizing Toys before Christmas,

The Ultimate in Toy Decluttering!!

Need some help organizing your child's room? Three simple steps: Three Steps to Organizing Your Child's Room.

The Latest in Organizing - Home Parties

Want to spend a fun evening with your friends and get your closet organized at the same time? Host an Organizing Home Party!

Your friends pay a minimal fee ($20 or so), there are games, giveaways, and your favorite professional organizer demonstrates how to organize a closet, pantry, or other small area. It's a couple of hours of fun with your friends plus you all walk away with some new skills and motivation!

Your organizer will meet with you ahead of time to plan out the evening and look over the area to be organized. You may even go through a practice decluttering process ahead of time.

You can find a professional organizer near you at Faithful Organizers (Christian organizers) or The National Association of Professional Organizers.

Does an Organizing Home Party sound interesting to you? If you receive this blog via email and want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.

Corrected Link for Bags on the Run

Sorry - I messed up the link for Bags on the Run. I have corrected yesterday's blog or you can use the link above.

Five Tips on Being Eco-Friendly and Saving Money at the Same Time

Just thought you’d like to know that I’m writing to you this morning on my new mac! My own personal geek (actually two of them!) came yesterday and transferred everything from my pc to my mac. I’m still learning and trying to figure things out - like what happened to this blog I wrote and thought I saved last night!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! We’re going to spend it with our daughter Sara and some friends.


Five Tips on Being Eco-Friendly and Saving Money at the Same Time

Being green doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, Nick over at Go Green and Save the World, suggests some ways that actually save us money! Here they are:

“Turn things off - Sounds so simple, yet rarely done. You can save energy by simply flipping a switch. Try this for 30 days, start turning off appliances, lights, etc. when not in use and develop a new energy saving habit.

Take Shorter Showers - When showering, particularly log showers you are using several gallons of water. Obviously shorter showers use less than log luxurious showers. Even baths in a shallow tub is more efficient because you’re using a fixed amount of water.

Clean your Refrigerator Coils - If your refrigerator has coils on the back, once or twice a year you’ll need to turn your refrigerator off and to clean those coils. Cleaning those coils enables your refrigerator to operate more efficiently.

Put On a Sweater - Finding an optimal temperature is a challenge in itself, but reducing the thermostat a few degrees can reduce use as well as raising your temperature when cooling.

Wash Full Loads of Clothes in Cold Water - Most detergents work well with cold water have have specific detergents designed to work in cold water. Even if you wash with warm water, you’re saving more energy then if you were washing in hot water.

So there you have it, these few tips for environmentally friendly living can be done by anyone that wants to make a positive change for the environment. These small changes can make a big impact on the environment and impact the environment greatly.”

You might also want to check out their environmentally friendly shopping bags, which you can use for personal use or have printed for your business.

Speaking of going green Kare4Dogs commented on a green product for removing pet hair. " I recommend a Fur-Zoff. It is a "green" product as oppposed to the Pledge Fabric Sweeper. It also lasts forever and only costs $9.99. You can get one at http://www.furzoff.net"


What are you doing to be green? If you want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.


Blogs on similar topics:

Earth Day Energy Tips

More Eco-Friendly Recycling

Getting Rid of Stuff While Saving the Environment

Can Your Loved Ones Find Your Important Documents?

Good Morning! I'm waiting on my own personal geek this morning. I got so tired of my pc shutting down and creating numerous problems, that I've bought a mac. My children have macs and have raved about how wonderful they are - no viruses, no waiting, excellent customer service, etc.

So our geek will come this morning and transfer everything over from one system to another - well worth the money, in my opinion! I imagine we could do it, but why not let someone do it who knows what he's doing? I'll keep you posted.

Now on to our topic of the day - it's really not that morbid!


Can Your Loved Ones Find Your Important Documents?

I came across a chart put out by PBS under the topic of Caring for Your Parents which listed numerous important documents and items that you should be able to locate as you care for them.

I got to thinking that each of us should have such a list in the event of our untimely death - even if young. I've heard horror stories of a person's sudden death and relatives not being able to find a will, life insurance policies, safe deposit keys, etc.
We talked about this during National Preparedness Month, but it's worth another look.

So here's the list that PBS gave, which I feel is pretty comprehensive:

Health Insurance Policies
Primary Health Insurance
Supplemental Medical Insurance
Medicare Card
Long-term Care Insurance
Disability Insurance
Life Insurance (Agent, Beneficiaries)
Funeral Insurance Policy
Financial Accounts and Valuables
Safety Deposit Box and Keys
Checking and Savings Accounts
Brokerage Accounts
Stocks and Bonds
Jewelry/Coins
Appraisals and Inventory Lists
Retirement and Benefit Plans
401k Plans
Profit Sharing/Pension Plans
IRA Accounts
Military Benefits/Records
Social Security Records
Debt
Credit Cards
Outstanding Bills/Loans
Taxes
Annual Income Tax Records
Property Tax Records

PBS's chart included a place to list items under each area as well as where they could be found, if necessary. Use their chart or make your own, but it's a wonderful thing to have in place... just in case.


Thoughts or comments? (If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.)


Blogs on similar topics:
Taxes - What Documents To Keep and How Long?
National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #8 - Emergency Documents

The Best Time of Day to Clean the House

Good Morning! I'm getting ready to go to my arthritis aquatics class, but wanted to get this off to you first...

The Best Time of Day to Clean the House: 4 p.m.

Here's the scoop from Real Simple Magazine:

"You're more likely to whistle while you window wash (and not kick over the bucket) if you do it in the late afternoon. That's when hand-eye coordination is at its peak and mood levels are high, says Michael Smolensky, a professor of environmental physiology at the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston and author of The Body Clock Guide to Better Health (Owl Books, $11, www.amazon.com).

If anyone in the house has allergies or asthma, avoid insomnia-hour and morning cleaning sprees (nasal-allergy symptoms are most severe between 6 a.m. and noon, asthma attacks more likely between midnight and 6 a.m.), and finish well before that person walks in the door. "It takes about an hour for allergens and dust to settle after you clean," says Martha White, M.D., director of research at the Institute for Asthma and Allergy, in Wheaton, Maryland."

What do you think? (If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.)


Blogs on similar topics:
Capturing Usable Moments
Decluttering in 5 - 20 Decluttering Tasks You Can Do In Five Minutes or Less
How to Clean the House

Your Child's School Disorganization May Be Caused by Something Else

Good Morning! It's been an interesting morning already. We discovered that our second car had been sitting with a couple of windows partially open during several inches of snow. We have one of those key remotes that opens the windows automatically if you press the unlock button three times. I remember us using the wrong remote on our other car yesterday, but didn't think anything more about it.

After warming up the car for a long time (it was 5 degrees) and wiggling/jiggling the windows, they finally got warmed up and loosened up enough to close!! Since I had extra time this morning, it is somewhat amusing. If I had not, I think it would have been a different story! Or a very cold ride. :)


Your Child's School Disorganization Might Be Caused by Something Else

If your child begins forgetting things and becoming more disorganized, it might be caused by something other than being disorganized.

When one of our daughters was in third grade, she started forgetting to bring books home, forgetting what her assignments were, etc. It took a while, but we finally discovered that her teacher was going through a divorce and her anger was directed at the kids in her class.

Our daughter is a very gentle person and is of the personality type that if there is disharmony, it is very difficult for her to function. Or if she felt that one of her teachers didn't like her, it was hard for her to learn. (Yes, this is a valid personality type and should be valued. It's easy for those of us who have stronger personality types to tell these gentle souls to just suck it up and get on with life.)

After hearing similar experiences from other moms of children in the class, I eventually started putting two and two together and it started making sense. I met with the teacher, which is when I found out she was getting a divorce. I did point out to her that she was the adult in the situation, and she needed to manage her anger.

The situation got better, but we threw out our family rule of not returning to school for forgotten items. We did set up a new system for helping our daughter write down and remember books and assignments. I was prepared to have my daugter switched to another class, but she didn't want to!?! Figure that one out!

If you have a gentle child who has become more disorganized, there may be another issue: bullying, ridicule, angry teachers, etc. It may take a while for you to figure it out, but it's worth the journey!

What have you done in similar situations? (If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.)


Blogs on similar topics:
Getting Organized for School - Learning Style
Organizing for School - Papers
Getting Organized for School - Backpack Checklist

Jewelry Organizer from I'm an Organizing Junkie

I saw this blog over on I'm an Organizing Junkie, and Laura gave me permission to pass it along to you. I thought it was such a clever idea for organizing your jewelry!

Inexpensive jewelry organizer

"I love fashion necklaces but trying to find the one I wanted in my jewelry case was getting to be more and more difficult. I only had five hooks they all hung on so if I wanted one in the back all the ones in the front had to come off first and then they got all tangled and ugly. It irritated me and I like to avoid irritated at all costs cause when momma’s irritated ain’t nobody happy. I knew it was time to do something about it but I couldn’t find what I had in mind for how I wanted to organize them.

I knew I wanted them to be out in the open so it had to be pretty and I knew I didn’t want it to cost a lot of $$. I decided to make something of my own. I walked around Walmart until inspiration hit and it did when I saw the lovely ribbon memo boards similar to this one below. Mine is 18×21 inches.

Twill French Memo Board - Ivory (17×20″)

I purchased it along with about 30 mini screw hooks and set to work. Word of warning if you are going to try and screw in that many little hooks though…WEAR GLOVES….I’m just saying. Talk about painful!

I’m so excited by how it turned out. It took me no more than an hour to assemble and in total cost about $20.00 to make. I love that I can use the ribbon to hook earrings onto to keep them organized as well if I want.

Another option I had considered was using an old picture frame, taking out the glass and inserting a piece of corkboard covered in a pretty fabric. I think that would have cost me more though and taken longer so I was really happy to come up with this instead.

So long irritation, you're outta here!!"

Great idea, huh? Thanks, Laura! (If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.)

The "Why Plan Ahead?" Awards - Too Funny!

Just thought you might enjoy some organizing humor. The following nominees are tributes to the benefits of planning ahead! Thanks to my daughter, Sara, for passing these along. :)

And the winner is:

More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

Happy Friday! I enjoyed the pleasure of being with the PTA for Brunswick, OH Preschool last night. They asked me to share about organizing their toddlers' rooms, toys, paper, and artwork. Seems like a very active and involved group!

Today I'm getting myself and our house organized to receive our last foster house. Have a great weekend!


More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

Lauren Davidson, a professional organizer and mom of an add child offers the following tips to organizers dealing with parents of ADD children. Just thought you might like to eavesdrop:

"For individuals with ADD/ADHD, it takes a holistic approach to help them stay focused. Sleep, nutrition, exercise and attitude can go a long way towards reducing stress-related difficulties with distraction.

Some things that are usually helpful:

Build in routines - homework in the same place, at same time every day.
Verbalize the process ("Now we are doing math, after we can take a break")

Break tasks down to make them more manageable. EX. 15 minutes of reading, then take a NON-TV/VIDEO break. Chat, do a few stretches or yoga poses, draw a picture together - just a mental break.

Make sure the environment is conducive to staying focused - quiet or with white noise, no TV, clutter or extra people around. Gross motor play, a nutritious snack and go to the bathroom before settling down to a task.

Let the child fidget with something while they work. Silly putty, a squeeze ball, "hair ball", pen clicker are all good options.

These are just a few tips. ADHD is an impairment of the executive function of the brain, so even in an organized environment the child is liable to be distracted, impulsive and fidgety.

Individuals with ADHD learn visually. It can help the child to have a visual schedule of the day. As he completes a task, he can see the next item (should be fun/rewarding) as a picture, which is more real than a word.

Above all, the parent should arm his/herself with patience and a lot of love, and be ready to sit next to the child to help him stay on track. It will be a lifetime process for the child to learn how to compensate for the challenges and leverage the strengths (of which there are many with ADHD).

www.adda.org is a great resource for more tips.

I guess the real golden nugget is to refer your client to someone who specializes in ADD/ADHD organizing or a pediatric ADD coach.

If the parents make it their Mission to learn everything they can get their hands on regarding ADHD, in order to help their son succeed in a neuro-typical world, they will not regret it.

Raising children with neurological differences (it's not just a learning difference!) can be frustrating and sometimes (frankly) depressing, but it can also be the most rewarding experience of your life. I speak from personal experience :)

Hooray, differences!"

What do you find that works with your ADD child? (If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.)