Living with ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder can be extremely overwhelming. There is the constant misplacing of essential items, missed appointments, and forgotten bills that can not only be frustrating but expensive when one considers the amount of money paid in missed appointment and late payment charges. At times I would swear there is a giant vortex in our home that eats things and later spits them out in a different place, (my children however are hoping we have adopted a ghost so we can invite TAPS to visit).

I have adopted the motto of “everything has its place and everything in its place” our home. This is a simple process that means everything has its own spot when not in use. The other half of the battle is getting people to put the items back where they belong after using.

Life is easier when one does not have to track down car keys, a purse, or wallet, and a cell phone every time he or she is ready to leave home. I try to put certain items in the same place each time I am done with the items. I hang my keys on a flowered key hook in my kitchen above my refrigerator. My purse goes in the hooks in the bedroom. The cell phone stays in my purse or is plugged into its charger on the bedside table. Now when I am running out the door I do not have to stop and look for my car keys, purse or driver’s license.

This same scenario is successful for my two ADD children. Each one has a place for his or her backpack and shoes. These items are expected to be put away as soon as the kids walk in from school. Homework once completed should be placed inside the back pack or it invariably disappears by morning. I have taught my children to set out their clothes, shoes, and backpacks before going to bed. This prevents those bad mornings where children end up emotionally melting down, mom ends up yelling, or children are late for school.

My 10 year old son is the king of superfluous worksheets. When he cannot find a school assignment in his back pack he will get an additional one from the teacher’s spare worksheet tray. Once he had five of the same worksheet in his backpack, none of them complete and he was complaining that he could not find it. Backpacks and purses are cleaned out on Fridays. Cars are cleaned out daily or it is amazing what finds its way inside and stays.

I have set times for my children to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is an afternoon snack after school and a daily evening snack at 8 pm. My son use to be in the refrigerator every 10 minutes, claiming to be hungry, when in reality he was bored.

Parents may disagree on how to keep an ADD child on track. For instance my 10 year old son’s father would like his teacher to pack his backpack and verify he has all his assignments each day before he comes home from school. I on the other hand feel at 10 years old and in 5th grade, he is capable of packing his own backpack at school, and if he forgets his planner or homework then he faces the consequences.

Ultimately, it is a great disservice to do for your children what they can do for themselves. Teaching children to be responsible is our goal as parents. Children benefit more from learning there are consequences to actions and choices if taught from an early age.

Finally, never should one use or accept Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) as an excuse for not following through and doing what is expected at home, work, or school. If something is not working then something must change unitl we find a way to make it work. ADD is a neurological based disorder that one can learn to live with successfully.