Why Do I Cry So Easily? Experts Break Down the Reasons Behind Your Tears

According to Dr. Sharon Saline, the effort it may take you to ward off sadness, anxiety, bad news, or something that disturbs you could be compromised when you’re stressed. “When the body is dealing with these strong feelings, the feeling brain takes over the thinking brain and rules the day, allowing tears to flow more readily,” Dr. Saline says.

Bring Humor to Challenging Situations

Having a sense of humor when raising kids is an essential tool for any parent. Children can expand your heart and push your buttons like no one else. Being able to laugh at what happens, at your reactions and sometimes at life itself helps ease the journey. Everybody does things they’re proud of as a parent and things that they wish they hadn’t. Having compassion for yourself when you stumble enables you to giggle at your foibles without bombarding yourself with shame. Self-blame or criticism of others often intensifies small incidents into full-blown explosions. Maintaining a sense of humor reduces the chances of a conflagration.

As the parent, you need to set the example for your kids by using a tone that brings humor, boundaries and self-expression to challenging situations.  For example, when kids speak to you in a disrespectful tone, you have a choice. You can angrily tell them “You’re not allowed to speak to me that way. Go to your room.” Or, you can say: “Fresh is for vegetables, not speaking to me like that.” The first option throws fuel on the fire; the second one, dampens the flames. If you your teenage son gets into your car, plugs in his phone and listens to rap music that he knows you hate, you could tell him that he’s being selfish and entitled and unplug his phone. Or, you could learn some of the lyrics to his favorite songs and sing along. That will certainly change the dynamic in the car and likely make you both smile. You’re managing your own reaction with humor and not responding negatively. Using self-control and creativity to look at yourself and your reactions differently, you shift conversations and situations away from annoyance or aggravation by injecting some levity. You’re not only modeling this for your kids as an effective coping tool, you’ll feel better and they will too.

Busting Myths about ADHD Once and For All

Are you tired of defending ADHD to skeptics? Despite the fact that one in ten children in the United States is diagnosed with ADHD, I am frequently asked about the ‘reality’ of ADHD. Parents tell me that they face questions about its legitimacy with teachers, friends and athletic coaches. What can you do differently when someone questions ADHD and your child’s very real challenges? GET THE FACTS! When facing common myths about ADHD, it’s best to respond with the information about the diagnosis.

MYTH #1: ADHD is not real and is a recent psychiatric invention. FACT:  ADHD is a very real, biologically-based condition. Kids with ADHD are wired differently. Hyperactivity, impulsivity and distraction seriously and persistently interfere with daily living. ADHD is not a fad. It’s been documented in the medical literature since the early 1900’s. MYTH #2: ADHD is a lack of willpower; kids could focus if they really wanted to. FACT: Living with ADHD means living with a broad range of executive functioning challenges related to impulse control, planning, motivation, organization, working memory and emotional regulation among others. Lower levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain make it much more difficult to muster up the energy and concentration for things that seem uninteresting or unfulfilling.

MYTH #3: ADHD is over-diagnosed and medication is over-prescribed. FACT: There’s definitely been an increase in the diagnosis of ADHD over the years. On the one hand, we understand it much better and know how to assess for it more skillfully than in the past. On the other hand, when people are not given a thorough assessment, they may be misdiagnosed with ADHD without properly ruling out other possible conditions with similar symptoms. That’s why a proper, detailed assessment is so important. MYTH #4 Only boys have ADHD. FACT: Boys are diagnosed twice as often as girls. Why? This occurs because boys tend to be more hyperactive and girls tend to be more inattentive. Her type is less obvious and therefore more difficult to diagnose. If children are doing well enough at school or getting by without significant academic or social challenges, their ADHD may go unnoticed longer. This situation happens often for many girls. By the time kids get to middle school where the organizational demands and personal responsibilities increase, their executive functioning challenges emerge and the possibility of ADHD becomes clearer.

As parents of kids living with ADHD, you are their best advocates. Your experience and understanding of ADHD pave the way for their acceptance and self-advocacy in the face of skepticism. Stay armed with these facts and share them with your son or daughter too!

Distraction with Dr. Ned Hallowell featuring Dr. Sharon Saline on 5 Daily Habits to Help Your Child Succeed

Dr. Hallowell talks to celebrated psychologist, Dr. Sharon Saline about the key components she believes will help parents to raise empowered and confident children with ADHD. This is a powerful episode with insights for the entire family.

The New Year is a Good Time to Check in on Goals

The new year is a good time to check in on the goals for the school year with your child or teen that you made in September. Most ADHD kids will benefit from a re-evaluation at this time of year. First, find the document with the hopes and plans for this year. Second, BEFORE you comment about whatever progress or setbacks have occurred, ask your son or daughter for their opinion. Then, repeat what you heard them say and ask them for any possible modifications. Finally, now you can make A FEW suggestions, remembering to stay as positive as possible. If goals have been met, praise-praise-praise those achievements and talk about how to maintain such great progress. Again, write these new ideas down, so you can refer to them at some time in the future.

Your Guide for Calmer, Fun Holiday Vacation

Aah, the thrill of family vacations! Everyone piles in the car, bus or plane for a fun-filled week of togetherness and Hollywood happily-ever after endings, right? Maybe not. Too often, these trips are fraught with struggles that you'd like to avoid but don't know how. Collaboration and consistency the keys for a 'no-drama' holiday week. When you work with your kids to include their ideas for the travel experience and the vacation activities, they more eagerly buy into the holiday plans and help you make them a success. When you stick with your agreements and follow through on them, they'll feel more secure and cooperate to make the trip run more smoothly. Here are some sure-fire tips for a great holiday week: 

• Before your start the trip, meet together as a family and review the itinerary. Kids with ADHD like to know what's coming down the pike because it helps them prepare for transitions and adjust their expectations. Go over the scheduled activities, talk about any possibilities and make a list of what people would like to do. Discuss the difference between "have-to" events and "want to" options. Add one desired activity from each person to the vacation plan.

• Consider your child’s capacity for self-entertainment while you're in transit. Be realistic about what your child or teen can actually tolerate in terms of travel. Budget enough bathroom and body breaks. Create a do-able list  of acceptable games and activities. Bring the supplies you need and throw in a few surprises to keep your kids on their toes. If you are using technology as entertainment, I encourage you to save it for the later part of the trip when the other activities have lost their appeal. 

• Create a strategy (in advance) of issues and behavior that trigger folks so you are prepared if they happen. By planning for these potential upsets, you can rely on similar past incidents to give you strategies for responding more effectively if they occur on this trip.  This way, you'll have the tools you need to deal with such challenges successfully. Make sure you also talk with your family about how you can slow things down when temperatures rise and tempers start flaring. 

• Decide how much technology your kids can have, when and where. Clearly explain the limits around technology before you leave. If you want to use technology for rewards or relaxation time, make sure you outline the conditions when these will occur. If you decide to give them bonus screen time, name it as such and talk about why. It's no fun to spend your vacation negotiating tech time so set the boundaries before you go. 

• Stay positive. A sense of humor is your best traveling companion on family trips. Don't sweat the small stuff. If your son is fresh to you, say "Fresh is for vegetables not car rides." If your kids are yelling at each other and you can't hear yourself think, put on one of your favorite tunes, roll down the window and sing out loud. They'll be distracted and complain about the cold. Try to see the silver lining. A bad traffic jam may be the perfect time to break out the secret snack and delight everyone.

May you travel safely, have fun with family and friends and enjoy the warmth of this holiday season!

22 News Mass Appeal: Tips to help your kids avoid getting overwhelmed during the holidays

Our brains can only process so much information at one time and it’s especially hard for kids with or without ADHD to manage themselves with holiday activities. In fact, it’s often tough for adults who have their own triggers and family issues to deal with. How can families cope effectively? Clinical psychologist Dr. Sharon Saline shares some tips for families.

ADHD Families’ Guide to Holiday Joy

Stress, stress, stress! The calendar images of December should be a scene of a crazy person running through the mall instead of the winter tranquil scene, right?! Do you have a long list of gifts to buy and wait until the last minute to do your shopping? Do you schedule back-to-back social plans and celebrate with gusto? Do you dislike the holidays altogether and prefer to hide in bed under the covers until January? If you have ADHD, this frantic pace can create overwhelm you and your family. STOP! Create an experience that is fun, rewarding and calmer for you, your family and your ADHD child or teen. Start with a mindset of “SIMPLIFY, not COMPLEX-IFY”. Holiday overwhelm comes from two main sources:

• leaving things until the last minute
• trying to do too much.

Let’s face it—everything takes longer than we think it does. If you start planning your tasks with that mentality and give yourself more time to do things, the process will go more smoothly. Last-minute planning suggestions:

1. Make a master list - then break it down into shorter ones, with no more than 3-4 different places in one outing. Map out where you need to go and group places together than are near each other. Teach your ADHD kids to do this too by explaining what, why and how you are doing things when you go out together to run errands.

2. Schedule breaks - hot chocolate or tea can break up the trip.
3. Cross things off your lists - do this yourself or ask your kids to assist you. It’s easier to see your accomplishments this way.

“Squeeze it all in” suggestions:

1. Discuss the calendar with your family - Sit down with your family and decide how many things in a day people really can handle during the holiday season.
2. Figure out what constitutes “down time” - be sure to include something that is settling rather than stimulating. Limit individual technology use and encourage quiet activities including playing games, reading, listening to music, or watching a family movie. Write down these ideas and post them on the refrigerator so people can refer to them when they are most needed.

Do you have other suggestions? Please share them with me. Good luck and Happy Holidays to All!

Romper.com: The AAP’s Advice For Choosing The Best Toys For Your Kids: Go Old-School

Dr. Sharon Saline, Psy.D., clinical psychologist, previously explained to Romper that “while electronic toys can be compelling and educational with their lights, sounds, letters, numbers, and moving images, they don’t foster two important aspects of play for young children: imagination and connection.”

One37pm: The Worrier’s Guide to Success

Often “worrier” has a negative connotation. And because of that, many entrepreneurs may see themselves not as worriers but as strategizers or problem solvers, says Sharon Saline, Psy.D., psychologist and author of What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew.

Psychology Today: Do the Holidays Make You Nervous? How to reduce social anxiety in teens and young adults with ADHD

How can you make it through this holiday season with more ease and less anxiety? Sharon Saline, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice, is a top expert in how ADHD, learning disabilities and mental health issues affect children, teens and families. She discusses how to reduce social anxiety in teens and young adults with ADHD.

Great Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids with ADHD

Do you struggle with what to give your son or daughter with ADHD that doesn't involve the latest version of Fortnight or the newest smartphone? You are not alone. Thinking of good gifts, buying them in time for the holidays and keeping them out of sight challenges most parents. This year, I'm sharing some of my favorite gift items that foster fun, family connections and pique kids' interest while simultaneously improving executive functioning skills. To make things easy, there are links to each item on Amazon but I also encourage you to check out stores near you and support your local economy. https://drsharonsaline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/iStock-875268918.jpg Gifts to help moving hands and fidgeting bodies: Kids (and adults) with ADHD like to keep their hands active as a way to focus their attention. When the hands are busy, the background buzzing in the mind quiets down so people can concentrate. In my office, these are beloved: entire families will be using them from the time they enter the session until it's over.

1. The Infinity Cube:  https://amzn.to/2Q628cE 
2. Neliblu Tracks Snap and Click Fidget toys: https://amzn.to/2Qthk2A

Games that the whole family can enjoy: Who doesn't enjoy a good laugh and some good clean fun? No matter their age, most kids like to play games, even if they struggle with losing. Whether card games, board games or puzzles, these activities offer your family a chance to play together while helping your son or daughter with anything from reading social cues, using visual-spatial skills and even applying math. Don't be discouraged by adolescent negativity: even teens like to participate in something amusing.

1. CARD GAMES: Uno https://amzn.to/2TUY0dp, Rat-A-Tat-Cat https://amzn.to/2QoYQ3d  and Monopoly Deal https://amzn.to/2Azk2JW .
2. BOARD GAMES: Yahtzee https://amzn.to/2RkOO0s, Headbanz  https://amzn.to/2Sk4wsW  and Sorry https://amzn.to/2RmgkKS
3. MAKING THINGS: Jenga https://amzn.to/2KHQnTE, Ravensburger puzzles are sturdy and colorful https://amzn.to/2RiF7Q0 (work on these, take a break and come back to finish them later), Coloring books with good pencils and, of course, Legos.

https://drsharonsaline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/iStock-845636024-e1543461205594.jpg Practical and Fun Gifts : Time Timers https://amzn.to/2DN9ASx, Watchminders (fun way to to help kids and adults with reminders and schedules without buying an expensive Apple watch) http://www.watchminder.com/, and FiveHome Alarm Clocks (for that extra alarm across the room so kids actually get out of bed) https://amzn.to/2PazMZ8 Any reading material: Whether kids like to read or listen to them, books, including comic books and graphic novels or magazines are a great gift to feed the imagination without electronics. Go with topics or authors they already like to further their interest.  Good luck on your holiday shopping. Help yourself stay organized by making a list on your phone where you can't lose it and enjoy crossing things off as you take care of them. Be sure to reward yourself along the way with a steaming cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream or a double cappuccino. You've earned it!

How to Reject Someone In The Nicest Way Possible

Dr. Sharon Saline, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist, told INSIDER, “The main thing is to be able to say what you need to say clearly without blame or judgment or insults and talk about yourself.”

Helping Kids with ADHD get more ZZZZ's

If your son or daughter has trouble going to sleep, you are not alone. There are several issues that complicate going to sleep for kids with ADHD. Some kids are sensitive to the medication they take and it can negatively impact their ability to drift into slumber. If they take a booster after-school to help with doing homework, this can be especially true. Perhaps your child is not be that physically tired. Vigorous, regular exercise could help them nod off more easily. Many kids today (those with and without ADHD) also tend to spend too much time on their screens too close to bedtime. Most physicians (and many sleep studies) recommend turning off screens at least one hour prior to bed. If you have an teen in your midst, the onset of adolescence and its hormonal and psychological changes can further prevent getting some good shut-eye.   Here are a few steps that you can take to help your child or teen get a good night’s rest: Start with making an appointment with whoever prescribes his medication. It’s very important that they know what is going on so they can make any appropriate changes or suggestions about his sleep challenges. Reflect on your family's evening routine. Is there adequate time built-in for chilling out before turning off the light? What have you (or your partner) observed that has helped your son or daughter in the past? Jot down these ideas. In a calm moment, perhaps after dinner, talk with your child or teen about the issue of going to sleep. The goal is to collaborate on sleep solutions, not get into a blame game or an argument. If you find yourself getting agitated or they starts to become defensive, pause and take some deep breaths together. Begin by asking about falling asleep. Is he tired? Is she frustrated? What would they like to see that’s different from what’s going on now? Talk about why you also want a better routine.  Discuss the skill of self-regulation--the ability for kids with ADHD to manage themselves--and how it relates to sleep challenges. What do they notice on those nights when sleep comes easily? What is or isn’t happening at those times compared to the nights when it’s tougher? Review the nightly routine and share your observations too. Should you replace pre-sleep stimulation like playing computer games, using social media or surfing the net with quieter brain activities? If they report worrying a lot before bed, consider seeking counseling. Brainstorm ways to create a routine that integrates what has helped them in the past with what could be useful now. Just like you’ve developed ways to get yourself to sleep, your child or teen needs to learn this same skill. Set up a new plan for the hour before bed. Listening to music, riding a stationary bike, watching a regular TV show or working on a big puzzle or fun project with a parent can all be good  substitutions for computer games and social media time. Once they are under the covers, if they are willing to read anything--the sports page, a graphic novel or a mystery, establish an endpoint for that. If reading is not an option,  maybe listening aloud to a podcast, an audio book, a relaxation exercise or quiet music could work. Be clear and specific. The time before sleep is often when kids want to chat about their lives. They seem more open to confide in you and ask for your advice. Prop your own eyelids open and to sit down for a few minutes. The connection will be worth it!

22 News Mass Appeal: The psychology of procrastination

Dr. Sharon Saline, clinical psychologist at DrSharonSaline.com , broke down the psychology of procrastination – and what we can do to combat it.

TADD 2018- Overcoming anxiety so you live more confidently

Sharon Saline, Psy.D., clinical psychologist and author of What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life, specializes in working with kids, young adults and families living with ADHD, learning disabilities and mental health issues. Her unique perspective – as a sibling in an ADHD home, combined with decades of experience as a clinical psychologist and educator/clinician consultant – assists her in guiding families and adults towards effective communication and closer connections. She lectures and facilitates workshops internationally on topics such as understanding ADHD, executive functioning, different kinds of learners and the teen brain.

Transforming the ‘Witching’ Hour to the ‘Working’ Hour

Does your family struggle with the ‘witching hour’–the time of day when your son or daughter with ADHD transitions off their medication? Several things combine to make this a challenging situation for everyone. Your child or teen, like many kids with ADHD, works hard all day to hold it together in an academic and social environment they may or may not like. Perhaps they eat lunch but maybe not. After arriving home, it’s almost as if a switch flips and they let it all go. Without the medication’s positive effect on their brains, they simply can’t handle emotions or behavior as effectively.

The good news is that most kids feel some kind of remorse when their outbursts are over.Nobody feels good after they ‘lose it.’ If they could do something else when they’re upset, they would. How they handle this remorse—often with self-deprecation or isolation–can be problematic. We want to work with their desire to behave differently in those moments, even though they can’t imagine any alternatives in the rush of emotions. Underneath the anger they’re showing you, they likely feel guilty and ashamed.  I’m sure you both agree that behavior like being mean or throwing chairs are not acceptable family behaviors. Any awareness your son or daughter offers about their behavior gives you a golden opportunity to collaborate on figuring out a predictable plan that empowers everyone.

Collaboration, meaningful incentives and making amends are the most effective ways to create lasting change with ADHD kids. Collaboration increases their buy-in to any problem-solving process; incentives provide the motivational push they often need; making amends gives them a chance to do something nice for someone they’ve hurt. In this situation, collaboration means discussing neutrally what occurs before, during and after their eruptions and brainstorming alternatives together. Incentives for things they like to do will assist them in sticking with the plan. You teach them necessary coping skills and accountability while they work towards something desirable.Making amends happens after they’ve cooled down from an incident. Everyone wins.

Try these tips for dealing with the ‘witching hour:’

1. Start by discussing the physiology of what’s happening in his body so he can stop putting himself down for a biological process. Explain that when the medication wears off, his brain lacks the support it needs to control his behavior as effectively. It’s not his fault but he has to make different choices when this occurs. As a family, you’re going to work together and find better solutions.
2. Next, look at the hunger factor. Is he eating when he gets home from school? I’ve found that if teen has a protein-rich snack when they get home, the transition off medication goes more smoothly. Whether it’s a bagel with cream cheese or a peanut butter sandwich getting him some healthy calories will really help.
3. Figure out what signals his body sends when his medication is wearing off. Most kids sense when this happening but may not have identified the signs specifically. Ask him what behaviors are okay and what are unacceptable during this transition and then share your opinions. Write these ideas down.
4. Reflect on a time when he handled this transition well and what made that successful. Offer some suggestions based on your observations. Discuss what might be helpful during those initial moments when he notices changes. Maybe create a codeword like ‘volcano’ or ‘T-Rex’ for him to use when it’s happening. Write all of this down.
5. Make a list of activities that matter to him to use as incentives for following the plan. Make a list of things he can do for others when he’s not able to.
6. Now, create your plan. When he comes home from school, what does he do and in what order? Perhaps he snacks immediately and then does homework, earning extra screen time when it’s finished. Perhaps he does his homework followed by an early dinner, a game or tv show with you. Maybe he goes to his room to decompress for a limited amount of time before homework and earns computer minutes if there’s no arguing. If he can’t follow through, then he makes amends. While there’s mutual input, you, as the parent, have the final say. The key is making sure he feels like he is part of the solution, not just the problem. Post your agreement in the kitchen where everyone can refer to it.

When kids with ADHD understand that their biology fundamentally affects their behavior and when they perceive that you want to work with them to make different choices, they will try alternative solutions. Notice their efforts and encourage them along the way.

Settling in for a successful fall semester: Overcoming 3 common challenges for college students with ADHD

Now that the rush of moving into dorms, finalizing schedules and purchasing books and supplies has waned, the real work of being in college begins. For students with ADHD, this usually means settling down to business: figuring out how to manage your workload, stay up-to date with assignments and  use your time effectively. If you add seeing your friends, extracurricular activities, eating, sleeping and doing laundry, it all seem daunting. The trick is creating systems that make sense to you and help you overcome the temptations that lead to procrastination, avoidance and exhaustion. Many of the college students I speak with struggle most with the ‘When, Where, What and How’ of budgeting their time, especially about studying. Questions such as “When to do assignments? Where should I study? What need to be prioritized? and How long can I really work?” can be so daunting that folks will avoid doing anything and opt for surfing the net or hanging out with friends. Unfortunately, procrastination often leads to panic, all-nighters, exhaustion and further procrastination. What else can you do? To get yourself going, you’ll need a doable plan: one that involves making lists, using calendars and breaking things down into chunks. There’s no other way around these things. Yes, they’re tough--tough for everyone I’ve ever met with ADHD because of the executive functioning challenges that come with this diagnosis. Developing these skills requires time, practice and, above all, compassion. Accepting your ADHD brain and making lasting changes for academic and life success begins with having compassion for yourself. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses--things we like about ourselves and things we want to change. If you can shift your mindset from criticism and negativity (“What’s wrong with me?” and “Why can’t I be more like so-and-so?”) to one of curiosity and openness (“What could I do differently here?” and “Who might be able to help me?”), you’ve made a giant step in the right direction. Here are 5 common challenges for college students and practical steps for overcoming them: creating your path to success this semester: PROBLEM 1: Lack of motivation to do your work:  It's easy to do something you like and MUCH harder to do something that you don't. When a task feels big and is fundamentally unrewarding, no matter how important, and you avoid doing it, you lack internal motivation. Even if you like a subject, doing the reading or problem sets might be uninteresting sometimes. When a task doesn't have meaningful deadlines or immediate consequences to get us started, it lacks external motivation. In both cases, we have to find something to get us going. Procrastination occurs when tasks are both unrewarding and daunting. Solution: Break things down and use incentives: You’ll need to take two important steps. First, create meaningful incentives to get yourself going. These will be your rewards for finishing something that is difficult to do. Make a list of things you enjoy doing and attach them to things you have to do but don’t love. For example, if you turn in a statistics assignment on time, you go for a run or treat yourself to a cappuccino at your favorite cafe. Secondly, it’s hard to begin something that seems unpleasant when the task seems very large. Create chunks of time to study smaller amounts of work. You want to finish things so you feel a sense of completion and success. Decide on your overall work period and how long you want your breaks to be. Let’s say you can work for 45 minutes, break for 10 and work for another 45 before you call it quits. Set your timer on your phone for your work periods and your break. If you’re studying with or near friends and need some help, ask. They want you to do well and will probably be more than happy to assist you.  PROBLEM 2: Overwhelmed by too many responsibilities: College is a time filled with many demands on your time. You likely have multiple deadlines for different classes, a campus job, extracurricular activities, social events: it’s a lot to keep track of. Things can easily slip through the cracks, causing difficulties with professors, employers and friends. Solution: Create a visual map of your life: People with ADHD respond well to visual cues so laying things out in a way that’s easy for you to check on what’s happening and what’s due is essential. Whether you do this on your computer or the old-fashioned way with a planner or calendar is up to you. Sometimes a combination works best. One of my clients likes to put her academic assignments on a paper calendar so she can look at a month and see what she has to do but puts all of her social and medical appointments and shifts at her job in her phone with alerts. Another student created an Excel spreadsheet while a third uses Google calendar for everything. Take some to reflect on what makes the most sense to you. Write down everything: the big picture of when classes, your job and non-academic activities occur and the due dates of assignments, papers and tests. Make sure you schedule study blocks and meals too. This map will help you navigate your days more smoothly. PROBLEM 3: Losing things and disorganization: If you have trouble keeping track of your stuff or making sure the clean laundry doesn’t mingle with the dirty stuff, you are not alone. Losing keys, your identification card or a favorite jacket seems to happen to many college students. It can be frustrating and embarrassing, not to mention costly. Solution: Make sure everything has a place: Whether it’s a designated shelf for your phone or purse or a particular file for returned assignments and tests, you’ll perform better when you know where things should go. The trick is developing a habit of putting them. Think about what’s helped you in the past and what seems natural to you. Could this be useful now or do you need a new option? Create a routine where you come into your room and drop your stuff immediately in its special place. If you try a system and it’s not working, regroup and try something else. It’s not a big deal; it’s just information about what’s most useful. Sometimes it’s tough to do these steps on your own. If you think outside support would be helpful, seek it out.  Whether it’s another student, a learning specialist, an ADHD coach or a therapist, you may well benefit from teaming up with someone. Remember, everyone needs assistance sometimes. There is no reward for struggling on your own.

CoreBrain Journal: What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew

[Dr. Sharon Saline’s] unique perspective – as a sibling in an ADHD home, combined with decades of experience as a clinical psychologist and educator/clinician consultant – assists her in guiding families and adults towards effective communication and closer connections.

The Inquirer, Daily News, Philly: How can I help my child with ADHD have a successful school year?

Start the school off right. Helpful recommendations to get students with ADHD – and their parents – organized and focused. continue reading…