It’s really easy to observe that there is a need for something in the world and then just talk about that need without doing anything effective about it. I’m a blogger, so I see that tendency alive in my life. I can point out the flaws I see in myself and others until I’m blue in the face, but all that talking often doesn’t (read=pretty much never) make way towards change. The time comes when bootstraps must be pulled and comfort zones vacated.
I googled an image for “pull up your bootstraps” and amidst a sea of nasty boots I found this. And it is amazing. Be this dog, people. Source.
The doers of the world clothe our words by responding to the needs they see. My looooooongtime* blogging friend Janice of Snide Reply is a doer. She saw that there were very few resources for people living with mental health issues who wanted to have an open discussion about how that impacts their lives as parents.
*Seriously, she has “known” me since I didn’t even have to wear maternity clothes to accommodate an impending Wee Cee. We are tight, yo.
So do you know what she did? She didn’t just moan and sigh. She created that resource. This is why I love her. She’s a doer, and that dog doing yoga is her spirit animal.
Crazy Good Parent is an online watering hole for parents who embrace their often unruly minds and are committed to working through their issues and offering support to others. It’s a place where we can talk candidly about our struggles and not feel the urge to apologize for what we are.
I was honored when Janice asked me to write a guest post for Crazy Good Parent because I believe in this project so much. For almost two years, I have had a post about my life with Attention Deficit Disorder sitting in my drafts folder, but for whatever reason it never got finished.
Actually, scratch that. Pretty sure I just answered my own question about why it never got finished.
Come visit me over at Crazy Good Parent today where I talk about my life with ADD and my decision to quit Adderall when I became a parent.
Click here to read Breaking Up With Adderall.
Be sure to press “follow” while you’re there!
The Waiting 
Go Janice! Get your crazy on!
Thanks! With friends like y’all, how can I not?
I love her!
Aw. And I love my spirit animal.
Thank you so very, very, very much, Ms. Emily! I don’t feel there’s anything virtual about our friendship. It’s real, baby, it’s real!
You’re going to wish it wasn’t so real when someday I show up with my entire family on your doorstep expecting you to accommodate us on our family trip to Chicagoland ;)
Bring it!
Reblogged this on Snide Reply and commented:
I have made some pretty fabulous friends through blogging. Emily, of The Waiting, is one of the most fabulous. Read her post on living with ADD on my new blog, Crazy Good Parent.
Hi Em – I prefer to submit my comments re: your Adderall story here on your blog (hope that’s ok – normally I might say tough if it ain’t, but you have the power, right?). Coincidentally, we got our firsthand experience with ADD with our youngest son who is 19 now. We had held him back at 8th grade, pulled him out of the crappy CA public system and placed him in 7th in the Waldorf system which was a fantastic fit for him. ADD was diagnosed a couple of years later during his junior year. No meds – we’ll have to rely on the benefit of hindsight someday to see if that was a wise decision. He never has done “great” in school as he seeks out the C, which is the level he thinks Dad won’t yell at him. Now that he’s in a couple of community college classes he sees that Dad doesn’t even ask anymore. (it’s the ‘it’s your life kid’ strategery). ;) He has wonderful social skills, he’s a good actor, he’s a good looking kid…..and seems to have no desire to leverage any of those attributes which we think he could leverage to his advantage. I keep saying to myself, (and to my wife), ok…someday something’s gonna’ just click for him and we’re going to see a new kid. One who is driven and determined. For now, he’s determined to merely keep in touch with his good HS friends. (sigh) Anyway, reading your story is yet another reinforcement for me as a Crazy Good Dad that a light will one day illuminate itself and things will work out for the best. Thanks for sharing! Your new blogging pal on the West Coast….the Prytania Kid
Hi, Crazy Good Dad. Emily is a gracious guest blogger today. I, Janice,am the publisher, editor and frequent contributor of Crazy Good Parent. I have the same story about my son that you have about yours! He is very bright, talented (musician) and totally a slacker. He’s 18, but we gave up on pushing him about three years ago. He’s perfectly content with the C and loves to do nothing more than play the drums and hang out with friends. He, too, has targeted community college. We, too, hope something clicks. Welcome to Crazy Good Parent. I hope you find us valuable.
Argh. I’m sorry. Somehow I thought this was on my blog as I responded through email. (Embarrassed)
not a problem…embarrassing though, I agree. :) I liked receiving your son’s information though. I’m betting that banging on the drums addresses a need similar to my boy’s desire to do skateboarding tricks out in our cul-de-sac for hours at a time. I will tell you, (in terms of more hope), my wife’s little brother was ADD, was pretty lackluster in HS and then ‘clicked’ about 4 years or so afterwards….he’s now a partner in a home building firm doing quite well! He too still bangs on the drums at home and in his spare time he works sound systems on weekends for bands.
Applause to you and JM.
Schools are currently set up for adult’s convenience – not for best learning/working styles for kids (Boys tend to develop slower anyway)….windowless rooms? Very little recess/ PE and no just run around and get energy out time? Sitting quietly so long? Adults can’t do that. (Boys especially need time to exhaust gross/big motor muscles)
Real learning is loud and there’s lots of motions and excitement. That bothers many teachers. And school districts like kids to progress in lock step – but living organisms don’t do that naturally.
Nothing is wrong with “C’s” in school. Many go on to live happy productive lives with those.
Good parents! Good parents! Hang in there!
You *are* a crazy good dad, Rob. In my not so humble opinion, the best possible thing you can do is allow him to feel his way around and let that light come on on its own. It almost always does.
Sounds like a hoot – headed over
Thanks!
Going to check it out Emily. In the meantime, you need to visit TFTM. My post today includes you, at the bottom, and my last post An Open Letter… is right up your alley! Besides, I miss you. ;-)
I will be over very shortly! Thanks, Dawn! ;D
Can’t wait to check it out. I fall into that category of parents with mental health issues, too. So, yeah. I need her site! :)
Perfection! We/I need you, too. Whatever your issue, come over to Crazy Good Parent and please consider sharing your story, insights and housecleaning tips.
Janice
I love people that are ‘doers’! They are so inspiring-especially when it comes to creating such a personal space. I suppose that you writing about it here makes you a ‘doer’ as well (or at least a close comrade)? Great project.
All of my posts are about focusing better without the use of drugs like Adderall, scroll down to find my articles.