Re: 35 and ADD?

[Anonymous]

I am useless at structuring a day. My timing is crap, and motivation is always an issue. I tend to be the sort that plays things by ear. I just make sure I have stuff on hand to do, and then it just happens as it happens. It shouldn’t really matter how you manage things, as long as you can get your priorities straight. If something HAS to be done, then don’t let it slide, but relax more on the other stuff so you can cope. And if you like to plan ahead, then don’t schedule too strictly, as some flexibility works better than none – it’s pointless cutting off an activity the kids are really enjoying just because your “plan” says it’s time to move on to the next item on the agenda.

I have always disliked going out with the kids, so have discovered many “stay at home” activities that my kids enjoy.

As for ideas of what to do – I like to have a few packet baking mixes on hand (cookies, brownies, cakes), as the kids often like to cook. Getting the SLR camera out is always a favourite, as it is more versatile than a pocket digital camera. Painting used to be paper and water colours when the kids were young, but is now canvas and acrylics. Old furniture etc is always fun to paint/decorate too. I used to let my kids have the treat of being able to paint each other with powder paints, or draw on each other (or me) with washable markers. They LOVED doing something a little bit “naughty”. Chalk on the paths/pavement/driveway is good, but you’ve gotta have coloured chalk or it’s not as much fun lol!!

Also….(very much dependent on the age of your kids)….romping under the sprinklers, sliding around on a tarp covered with water and detergent, water balloons, paper mache, gardening (my son loves the hedge clippers!), painting with water on the bricks and cement, blowing bubbles, making “gloop” out of any spare food stuff (flour, cornflour, milk, eggs, food colouring, etc) – or making playdough or slime using a recipe, decorating something with fabric paint, acrylic paint or permanent markers – if you use proper fabric markers or paint, then the result can make a good gift (tablecloth, t-shirt, placemat, table runner, dilly bag, baby bibs, smocks).

My best suggestion is to take note of when you are at your best, and when you are at your worst. Schedule a busy, fast, loud, and exhausting activity for when you have energy and feel awake. Or let them do such an activity by themselves, away from you (if they are old enough). Then the kids should be ready for a relaxing time when you have had enough….or you can use the promise of the fast, fun, loud activity if they allow you some quiet time first (if that’s the order you need).

And keep in mind that brain exercise can be just as exhausting as physical exercise, so if you can’t deal with noise and excitement, then find a game they can play that gets them thinking. We used to play the I Spy games by Scholastic (they come as books, but we used the pc games). It was a big time waster, and kept the kids quiet, but you need some method to stop one child finding all the items first and annoying the others!!

Good luck 😉

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