Diagnoses and acronyms are used so freely these days; every one claims to have something. People sometimes think I'm joking when I say I believe I have ADHD and was never diagnosed as a child. Knowing what I know now and looking back at my educational experiences, I think I'm one of the many people who struggled for years without an answer.
In class, I heard everything- the teacher talking, Johnny turning a page, Sarah sharpening a pencil, the 5th graders on the playground, the birds tweeting. I was impulsive; I remember acting on an impulse even as I heard that little voice in my head say "Wait! Don't do that!" (That still happens sometimes!) I was hyper. Each night after dinner, I would say to my dog "You take the high road and I'll take the low road" and we would set off running in opposite directions. We ran circles around the dining room table until we collapsed.
Children with ADHD are often very bright. In third grade, I was placed in the Talented and Gifted program because my teachers thought I needed to be challenged in order to be more focused and productive at school. Humor is often mistaken for intelligence. Turns out I was just funny. And now, looking back, I probably just needed some modified instruction to meet my needs.
I really liked my high school basketball coach because he was clear in his directions and supportive each step of the way. I was a horrible player but I enjoyed the structure and the routine of the drills and the way he gave clear, constructive feedback to each player, even though he knew I wasn't going to bring him a championship.
My grades through elementary school, high school, and my undergraduate college program were not great. If I had a dollar for every time a teacher asked me what happened and said "But you're a bright girl!" I'd be a rich woman. I lacked the organization and time management skills to complete homework assignments and study productively. I eventually earned a 4.0 in my master's program after I had learned to manage both those skills as an adult.
My grades through elementary school, high school, and my undergraduate college program were not great. If I had a dollar for every time a teacher asked me what happened and said "But you're a bright girl!" I'd be a rich woman. I lacked the organization and time management skills to complete homework assignments and study productively. I eventually earned a 4.0 in my master's program after I had learned to manage both those skills as an adult.
As an adult I have over compensated. I am hyper organized because I got tired of feeling a loss of control. I got tired of the jokes "Jennifer's always late" or "Jennifer's room is a pigsty". It was hurtful because both tasks- time management and organization- were things I struggled with daily. I gradually learned to remove excess items from my home, create categories and spaces for all my belongings, and give myself ample to time to arrive at a destination. I've also closely examined how long tasks truly take so I can better manage my time.
Time management, impulsivity in my words and actions, organization of my thoughts and belongings, focus, and clear communication are all skills I struggle with each day. I work hard at creating a task list for myself each day and following a task through to completion before moving on to the next one. I work hard to only tackle a task when I know I have ample time to complete it. I work hard to organize my thoughts before speaking. I know that I need routine and structure to keep myself together and that I could fall apart if I don't maintain both. I sometimes fail at these tasks but luckily I've also learned to forgive myself and try again.
Time management, impulsivity in my words and actions, organization of my thoughts and belongings, focus, and clear communication are all skills I struggle with each day. I work hard at creating a task list for myself each day and following a task through to completion before moving on to the next one. I work hard to only tackle a task when I know I have ample time to complete it. I work hard to organize my thoughts before speaking. I know that I need routine and structure to keep myself together and that I could fall apart if I don't maintain both. I sometimes fail at these tasks but luckily I've also learned to forgive myself and try again.
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