May 17

So Easy To Love

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Kelly

Liam is a spirited child, always has been and always will be. I’ve listened to other people who’ve had the responsibility, and what should have been the privilege, of educating and caring for my son voice their complaints about his unruly and uncooperative behavior. At first it felt hurtful to only hear the negatives. I knew how smart he was and how sensitive.

If you couldn’t keep up with him or if your patience was low that day, you were in for a miserable experience. He was full of energy at all times, I think even while he was sleeping! Add him to a group of other little kids and his energy would only increase. By the end of kindergarten, he was extremely frustrated in school. Still, I knew about those small moments of joy when he felt happy or really engaged in constructive learning and playtime.

I read recently somewhere that first born boys end up with two-thirds of the toxins from their mothers in utero. Toxins like lead and mercury that can affect that boy’s behavior later on. A boy like my first born son, Liam. Was this the cause of his hyperactivity, or was it something else, or a combination of a bunch of other things? Was it his diet, inferior social skills, a cry for attention, allergies, bad parenting, asthma, food intolerances, autism, lack of structure at home, sensory issues or ADHD? What else was there? I didn’t know, but I was determined to find out.

Since Liam’s first month at preschool, I have been on a search for answers. I needed information from our pediatrician and advice of friends. I needed support from my husband and family to find ways to help Liam. I scoured books and websites that offered tips, and even researched scientific data for real evidence-based explanations. I don’t have all my answers yet, but I’m learning as I go like all parents! It’s certainly been a roller coaster ride, but sometimes it’s smooth sailing, albeit rarely. I will cherish those rare but rewarding moments because Liam is the kind of kid who’s so easy to love but hard to raise!

Apr 28

Let’s Celebrate! 5000 people can’t be wrong: we are truly NOT alone.

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

Today I taught a class on d.i.y. publishing. While you all probably know that I edited and contributed to Easy to Love but Hard to Raise, you may not know that I published the book through my small publishing company, DRT Press, which I started in 2003. I now have 5 books under my belt (3 successful, one so-so, and one a terrible flop), 2 more to come out this year, and 3 more in the works. So yes, people sometimes come to the workshops I have on how they can publish books of their own.

Anyway, at the workshop I was talking about how many, many hours I’ve put into marketing Easy to Love but Hard to Raise and one of the participants asked me how much money I estimate I’ve made per hour when all was said and done and I QUICKLY said I don’t want to do the math because it would be pennies…but two minutes later I was showing them this blog and the Facebook page and I saw the number 4999 and I REMEMBERED: It’s not the money. It’s the community. Because while yes, of course we created a book to make money, the added, spectacular bonus that has come from the book and the blog is knowing that ALL OF YOU are out there! Every single day someone writes and says ‘thank you for what you do.’ EVERY DAY.

So, in honor of that 4999 turning to 5000 connections, I want to give something back. And what I have to give are books! Yay, books! I will mail out 5! So enter. You’ll probably win!

Here’s how it will work. YOU will comment on this blog post and tell us one great thing that being part of our community has done for you. Include your email address – it’s ok to say adrienne (at) whatever.com if you are worried about spammers but you have to put an email address or I have no way to contact you. To win you also have to be part of our Facebook community – so if you’re coming at this give-away another way, be sure to hop on over there and LIKE us.

And that’s it! I’ll give a book away every day this week, starting tomorrow the 29th.

Love you! ~Adrienne

Yay!

Feb 26

Guest post: Losing a Hero

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

Grief is a great, big monster that jumps out from under the bed and scares the living crap out of you. You don’t see it hiding under there, even if his large, hairy, zombie toe was sticking out just a little. Even if a ghoul straight out of the Thriller movie was in your closet when you opened it up before bed. You ignored it. You’re just not ready, and I am talking about how we adults process and handle grief.

Imagine someone taking your 8 year-old, ADHD world by a string and giving a violent shake and bouncing down the stairs. That’s what happened to our son when my father, his beloved Papa, was diagnosed with stage four glyoblastoma brain cancer and died (what seemed like seconds) 5 weeks later, in November 2011. Continue reading →

Feb 22

Guest post: A Letter to the Future Teacher of My Exceptional Child

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

always_believe

Dear Teacher,

My son will be entering kindergarten this fall. Two years ago, I used to envision myself dropping him off for his first day of school with a tremendous sigh of relief. I would bring him to your classroom, where he would run off and be engaged in any number of different activities, and I would then head over to the Boo Hoo Breakfast, where all the other parents would lament over where the time had gone and I would pretend to be nostalgic but inside just feel relief. This was the fantasy I indulged in until a year ago. I figured I was like a mother giraffe that kicks its calf onto its legs until it staggers into survival. Now I know that when I leave him with you, there will be no great relief. Every day that I send him into the tribe is a day I worry about how he is doing, what he is doing and how you are doing with him. When my phone rings or my inbox has an e-mail, my immediate thought will be, “It’s about him.” Continue reading →

Feb 20

Guest post: Been there, done that, where’s the t-shirt?

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

I fly at least once a month for my job and each time I arrive at the airport, I am met with the announcement of what color Homeland Security has assigned to our potential travel threats. The color red equals a severe threat of attack, while blue offers a “guarded” risk.

Everywhere we drive, colors represent something similar, as well. From the first time we start to drive, we recognize that the color red, whether on a stop sign or light, dictates that we should stop, while yellow guides us to slow down or proceed with caution.

At least once a month, I see someone post something on Facebook about being “dumb enough to wear a red shirt in Target” and after seeing some version of that sentiment for about the tenth time, I started thinking.
…
What if I was able to wear a brightly colored shirt that enabled me to alert those around me that I was in the company of a small child with ADHD? What if I had the luxury of presenting myself with a universally-recognized color garment that told people to “proceed with caution” both in how they regarded my child and how they addressed me? Continue reading →

Feb 19

Guest post: The Shoes that Matter

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

A life long resident of upstate New York, Kristin Osborn lives at the foot of the Adirondack mountains with her husband and two kids, 11 and 4. Kristin is a graduate of the State University of New York’s creative writing program and has been working as a manager in medical sales for 10+ years. Being a mother to a son with ADHD has finally given her the outlet to start writing again, as being able to put her feelings into stories is a therapy that’s hard to match.

I have been following the site for a few months now and it has really helped me to deal with my feelings about being a mom to a four-year-old with ADHD. I know so many people ask questions on here, but for me, it’s helped me to just write down my thoughts about my experiences. It’s even helped me to consider starting a blog, just so I can have an outlet. I bet some people can agree! Here’s something that happened just last week:

Last week a Dora the Explorer fruit snack took an 800-mile trip with me. Through a thirty-minute wait at security and through two flights, that chewy little purple smush hung on tight. I travel a lot for business and so because I have a small child with ADHD, I relish those overnight trips by myself. I get to wear clothes that are clean and that also match and I get to eat in restaurants where the food doesn’t come served exclusively on a red tray. Continue reading →

Feb 08

Guest post: Autism and My Child: Getting Familiar with What I Already Know

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

Mama Bear is the mother of 3 young boys, the oldest suffering from Bipolar 1 Disorder and the youngest diagnosed with depression and possible Aspergers Syndrome. I write a blog to let go of my pain and to help support others by letting them know they’re not alone. Her blog is here: http://mysonhas2brains.blogspot.com/

My recent experience in having my youngest son assessed for autism spectrum disorder has taken me for a bumpy ride. At first, I went through a period of grieving that made it hard to eat and sleep. This was surprising since I never went through this stage with my oldest son when he was diagnosed with a mood disorder. Sure, I was devastated at times, but I didn’t struggle with a feeling of loss so abruptly. I think it was due to my desperate need for my oldest son’s rages to stop and my understanding early on that he had a brain problem. Where with my youngest, I had always believed it was just a stage that he would eventually outgrow. Next, I struggled with my guilt and shame for not seeing my son’s symptoms sooner, I felt like a terrible mother who now had 2 kids cursed with a disorder. As I started getting down to business, preparing for our appointment with the Neurologist, I was forced to face all the unknowns and to explore a world I was unfamiliar with. What followed was a long, slow exhale and a feeling of peace. Continue reading →

Feb 01

Guest blog: Dating & Raising an “Easy to Love” Child

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

Today’s guest blogger is a 35-year-old mom with a 5 year old kiddo with ADHD and ODD. Her child has been on medication since August.

Note: ETL stands for “easy to love,” which is short for the title of the book: Easy to Love but Hard to Raise.

If you asked me to define myself a few years ago, I would use the following words, “failure, divorced, single mother & thirty-one”. At the end of 2009, I asked my ex-husband of seven years, to move out of our home and filed for divorce. He unfortunately got himself heavily into drugs months before his eviction and as a result, he was a danger to me and my child, “M” who was 2 at the time.

M was always a “spirited” child from birth. As 2010 arrived, M was showing more signs of ADHD and M’s behavior was not for the faint of heart. M’s acting out, biting, hitting and uncontrollable anger was exhausting and difficult. As M’s behavior worsened, I felt alone. It was hard for other family members and friends to understand M’s actions and often times; I was looked at as “the problem”. I was emotionally drained. With working full time and dealing with single motherhood and my ETL, I wondered two questions. (1) if I would ever be able to get myself out there and (2) who would want to be a part of my madness? For those that are single mothers and raising ETL kiddos, there is hope.

I decided to take a tiny leap and took the dating world on slowly. I tried EHarmony and went on a series of many bad dates. Either the chemistry was not correct, date did not take hygiene seriously or moved too fast (wanting to meet kids after first date). I actually had one person that wanted to do a “family” date after two dates. That may work for other women, but not me. Not only were the dates bad, but what single working mom really has the time to date, especially a mom of an ETL kiddo? I came to a fast realization that (1) I barely even have time to shave my legs in the shower without M knocking down the door (2) makeup and trying to look cute are overrated (3) Babysitters are few and far between (4) uninterrupted sleep may outweigh a date (5) having thirty minutes to myself definitely outranks a date.

I admit, I had a negative outlook on the whole dating thing and it was not until I crossed paths with someone special that I realized dating might be okay. I ran into someone I knew a long time ago and for me, there was instant chemistry. Even though there was chemistry, our paths would not cross again for five months and when they did, I knew that this person, “B” was special. We took things very slow and did not involve M for many months.

Once M was involved, things got interesting at times. There were times that M had massive tantrums and many therapeutic holds ensued in front of B, who never judged me. Throughout 2010 and 2012, M’s behavior was a see-saw of ups and downs and when there were downs, it was not fun. It took a few years and a therapist to get M evaluated and on medication. Even with M’s medication, M had shares of tantrums and moods. There are two evenings in particular that stand out. One evening, M was in a mood and I had to give M the emergency meds for the first time. M was angry and having a massive tantrum that involved hitting and biting and a therapeutic hold. Once the meds started working, M calmed down but it was about 30 minutes of “fun”. While this was going on, B did not judge me, intervene and most importantly, did not leave. When all was calm, B was outside and I stepped outside to tell him it was safe to come back in and B gave me a hug. I was in emotionally drained and in tears and B told me I was a good mom.

Another time, B came over for dinner. While I was trying to finish dinner and set the table, M started to get in a funky mood. It escalated at dinner and I had to remove M from the table and put M in time out. I had to hold M’s door shut and M had a big one. M destroyed the room, screamed bloody murder and was throwing objects at the door. B asked me if I needed help and I told him I have it handled and to enjoy his dinner. Even though I did not find it funny at the time, I find it comical now, as this is my life at times with M.

Even though it took some time, I was able to find someone that does not judge me or M. B is good to M and provides a positive male role model for M, which I am grateful for.

Raising ETL kiddos is hard, draining and emotionally exhausting but there is hope! Through my story, I want to leave you with the following: 1) Single ETL mommies can date and have a successful relationship 2) your ETL kiddo will be able to handle someone new in their life 3) take things slow and take your time introducing kiddos in the mix 4) try to take time for yourself whether it is gym time, nap or relaxing 4) Humor can make the worst day a better one 5) Things may not be perfect but you can be happy.

Nov 21

Holiday fun! Relatives who don’t get your ETL child…

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

I posted this almost a year ago today and it’s still pretty relevant. Thanksgiving and the holidays are really stressful for kids like ours, and unforgiving family doesn’t help matters at all. I’m hoping this year’s holiday will be okay, but I have a contingency plan if anything goes wrong – pay attention to my child and leave as soon as things go awry.

Let’s get one thing straight from the get-go: I have a really great family. My parents, my in-laws, my sisters, their husbands and my nieces – all have been really understanding and forgiving when it comes to dealing with Little J.

Yes, there have been moments, like when my (very tired) mother-in-law was seated next to LittleJ for a 4-hour car ride and he talked non-stop from the maple syrup capital in northern Vermont all the way to their home in western Massachusetts , forcing her to eventually put her hands over her ears to try to drown him out, or the time he called my mom a Big Butt and my step-dad picked him up and turned him upside down to “teach” him not to do that, or the very first time he met his same-age, heretofore peaceful female cousin and within 5 minutes had goaded her into punching him in the head…oh, the list is really endless. But all in all, our immediate family has been very understanding and kind and generous in helping with Little J. Many times much more than I’ve managed to do so, frankly. And I really appreciate it.

Continue reading →

Nov 17

The Village (You are NOT alone)

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of people who are involved in my child’s life. At the same time I think it’s really easy to feel isolated as the parent of a child with the type of special needs that my son, Little J, has. His over-arching diagnosis is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD, which includes behaviors similar to ADHD and mood disorders – what some people, including me, consider to be “invisible” disabilities.

If you are parenting a child with an “invisible” disability, like I am, and you go out in public and your child has a tantrum or an outburst or rages or otherwise acts up, you are instantly judged as a bad parent. People just don’t understand a child who looks perfectly “normal”, yet whose brain-based disabilities impact behavior and emotional regulation. I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve been told that I just need to spank my child – by perfect strangers and acquaintances alike. Family and friends don’t get it, and although they may care about you and your child they can also be quick to judge – based on assumptions they’re making about your parenting, or about witnessing isolated incidents, or through caring for your child for a couple of hours when he was “perfectly fine for me.” Professionals – even those whose profession is helping a child like yours – need to be educated about your child. And support is hard to find. Add that to the exhaustion and unrelenting stress of trying to find answers to your child’s problems as well as the day-to-day management of your lives and it’s easy to become a hermit. A lonely, stressed-out hermit. Continue reading →