Massive Impact

ADHD.
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

My daughter has this disorder. She was diagnosed two years ago.

KBug literally does this every morning when she gets to school.

KBug has taken medication for her ADHD since February of 2011. And it has made a massive difference in her life.

Being the parent of a child with ADHD is not easy. Spending time thinking back on your child's life and wondering if there was anything you could have done differently to change it. Spending time regretting the times you raised your voice to your child for something they simply couldn't help. Spending time wishing that you felt better equipped to handle everything this disorder throws at you.

All of that is a waste of time, but I've been there. I've done all of that. And there are still days when I waste my time thinking about those things.

But I've gotten better at it. I don't think about it so much anymore. Because I know there is nothing I could have done. And I know that I can't take back raising my voice. And I know that whether I feel equipped or not, KBug and I are strong and we will make it through.

Do I like to be the parent who medicates their child every day? No.
But do I understand the profound impact it has on her every day life? Yes.

KBug is a bright young girl. She is reading a full grade level above where she is expected to be. Her language skills, written and oral, are absolutely amazing. Sometimes it's outright scary because it seems as though I am speaking to a mini adult instead of a child during our conversations. The way she views the world is beautiful and I love listening to her talk about her dreams and I love watching her play and use her wonderful imagination. It's truly inspiring.

But she can't demonstrate any of those abilities without her medication. And KBug deserves to be the best child she can be. And in order to be that child, she takes her medicine willingly because she doesn't want to be in trouble all the time.

KBug has also recently started on a second medication which is changing her life drastically. This medication is taken once a day and addresses the behavioral issues in the mornings and afternoons before her typical daily medication kicks in and after it wears off. And it has made such a difference.

These behavioral issues have been characterized as ODD.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

On this medication she is able to come home and do her homework. She is able to come home and play quietly. KBug is able to come home and be a functioning member of this family.

She is also more willing to help when asked, especially in the mornings. KBug isn't arguing at every turn. KBug isn't crying at the drop of a hat or yelling for the smallest of reasons.

Does she still get upset at times? Absolutely.
But is she getting upset every day when she gets home from school? No.

And part of that, I think, has much to do with the fact that I have finally reached through to her teacher about how bullied she was. And her teacher has finally been able to see what I mean and address it within the classroom. That has made a huge difference in our home life.

It was awful to have my six-year-old come home from school and sit on my lap and cry because her classmates were being mean to her. It was horrible to listen to her recall the names they were addressing her with and the things they had been saying to her. I never want her to experience that again. And I'm hoping that we have finally put an end to it in the classroom.

She has been a much happier child since my meeting with her teacher. It really made a difference, and I am so thankful.

I am also incredibly proud of her, because no matter how awful her classmates at school were to her, she was strong enough to just walk away. She never said an unkind word back to anyone. She never lashed out at anyone in any way. She just kept it to herself and made it through the school day and let it all out when she got home. While it may not be best to bottle her emotions, I am proud that she didn't retaliate at her classmates and become a bully herself. She decided to be her own kind of strong.

ADHD. ODD. Bullying.

All of these things have a deep impact on my daughter's life.

But I know that KBug is strong. And I know that I am strong.

So I know that we will make it through the hard times and that she will grow into an amazing young woman. And I can't wait to watch her grow and change over the years.