Well, Pumpkin loved being at school, you know: playing with new friends, recess, playing games, recess. He actually liked learning too, he just didn't really have a knack for it. We would do homework together but he would get very frustrated with it like he didn't understand it. I tried to explain it in different ways, showed him how to draw pictures or count fingers, anything I could do to help him grasp the idea of the work. The year flew by quickly and over before we knew it. I figured I would really drill him on his reading during the summer to try to get him up to where I thought he should be. He'd be going to a better school next year and I'm sure he'll get the hang of it with a change of scenery and better teachers.
Now we are in first grade - great school, great teacher, great parent involvement; still below grade level. But this year, it is more evident that he doesn't focus in school. He is distracted easily by the birds singing and the wind blowing. He starts to tell me that he can't do his homework because he hears Princess and Peanut playing in the other room. No matter how hard I try to help him with his work, he gets frustrated. My husband and I notice that when he does concentrate he gets the work done and actually very well! Not surprising - we know he is smart and we know he tries hard. Why can't he focus enough to put his name on his paper? Any little noise or a bit of frustration from mom really gets him angry. What should take him 20 minutes is taking him 2 hours, sometimes longer!
Well, that's just the homework part of it. Even though he is a sweet little boy at school and hardly causing a problem, he is quite the instigator at home. He doesn't "remember" when we told him to pick up his toys, he can't brush his teeth by himself, and he is constantly negative about what he has to do. Everything becomes a chore and in his mind, we are out to get him. He starts spireling downhill. Once we discipline him for something, it starts getting out of control. He is not learning from previous consequences and he starts saying very negative and hurtful things to Princess, Peanut, Mom, and Dad. It's almost as if he is a different person once things start going downhill. Where is my sweet little Pumpkin? This is where my husband and I start getting a bit worried. Why does he get so angry? Why can't he just listen? Why is he so negative? Why is he sad a lot?
My heart just breaks for him. We pray, we talk, we pray...what's next? Our pediatrician suggests going to a Play Therapist to help him "play through his anger" and get him to open up and talk. The Therapist helps my husband and I realize that it's not his fault, gives us some tips for ADD children, and talks to us about a specialized diet for kids with ADD. This is where my real research starts! I realize that Pumpkin fits an ADD child to a tee!
Now...this is our story. Our new adventure into a gluten-free, sugar-free diet. A new journey into a highly scheduled homework time. A new way to think, breathe, and live. A new understanding of ADD and eachother. A new hope!
