Summer

Greetings friends. It has been a while since I have blogged. We are in the midst of SUMMER! Summer has presented us with it's own new circumstances. As I have previously said in other blog posts, structure can be crucial for one with ADHD/OCD.

Our schedule has changed. We finished school the Friday before Memorial Day. The three of us were very happy to be finished for summer. My concerns of how this change would affect my son were definitely warranted. It has been a bit of a tough time. However, I have learned so much. It's amazing how hard times can give us an abundance of understanding. I have had to work at finding a "new normal" to help my son adjust to his new schedule. There's been some extra hard days/weeks latey, but God has helped me through them.

Although we have had our adjustments, summer can be a wonderful time for one with ADHD. The good weather lends itself to a lot of ACTIVE outdoor play. The key is to provide and keep interesting those outdoor activities. We purchased a pool two weeks ago. It has been one of the best purchases we have ever made!!! My thinking is that if we provide our children with these activities, as they grow older, they will be at HOME enjoying them. I will always know what they are doing and who they are associating with. I do not mean this to be a judgmental statement, so please don't take it to be so. It is just our (my husband and I) preference for our family.

I have also at the encouragement of my husband and others carved out time for me each week. That time comes in the form of working out at the gym and taking time after that work out to read. It has helped in so many ways! I am improving my health by exercising and strengthening my mind by reading. My aunt always tells me... "Take time for yourself, you will be a better Mom." She is so right! Last week was an especially rough week for my son. I went to the gym and I worked out a lot of the frustration I felt on the elliptical machine. Exercise releases those "feel good" endorphines through my body. I believe the same goes for children and especially those with ADHD. Active play helps to relieve their little bodies of the overabundance of energy the possess.

I encourage you to shut OFF the tv and get your little ones moving. For that fact, you can move with them. It is equally beneficial. Some of the greatest times I've had with my two children is having a "game" of basketball in the driveway. Not only are they learning to be active, but they are learning to cheer one another on and feel the happiness of succeeding.

I have more to say, but it will have to wait as we need to get ready to head out to the gym. Get out and get moving!