What's Up Team!?!
There are a lot of different ideas in my head. Lots of topics to address. My skill set, professional experience, and educational background make me uniquely qualified to handle some of the problems we’re facing right now in the shadow of COVID-19. Obviously, I’m not a doctor, but the challenges around maintaining our mental health, homeschooling, working from home and parenting during this time? Those I can handle.
I think the most important place to start, though, is to remind all of us (me included) that self-care matters. Take the time to care for yourself and your family. That matters more than school, or work, or cleaning out your closets.
Also, set healthy boundaries around your social media and news consumption. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the information available to us. Especially because we’re at home, with easy access to it, and little pressure to avoid the rabbit holes.
And speaking of boundaries, set some for you expectations of yourself and your kids, too. Your kids are just as anxious as you are, if not more so. That means they’re going to make mistakes, and get frustrated and sad, and angry. Don’t take it personally, but help them bounce back. And frame social distancing so they know it’s not a time to be scared. Social distancing right now is like looking both ways before you cross the street. We don’t do it because we’re scared, we do it because it’s a strategy to keep us safe.
As for yourself, set reasonable expectations. You’re not going to do all the things you think you’re going to do.
You don’t need to be all things to all people. You don’t have to be a great spouse, and a great friend, and a great parent, and a great homeschool teacher, and a great housekeeper. Allow yourself to be thoroughly ok at some of them, the important ones, and crappy at the rest. Support those who need it if you can, but pace yourself to keep some gas in your tank.
If I’m honest, this is a lesson I’ve had to learn over the last few days. Because I know ways to navigate this situation, I feel very much like I should be helping everyone else. And because it feels urgent, I want to help everyone RIGHT NOW! I want to post a podcast episode every day, and start a YouTube channel to share tips and strategies that I know will help. But to do that, I would have to ignore my own family. I just can’t drop the ball on my kids to help everyone else with theirs, and then claim I know how to be a good parent. I have to prioritize the important over the urgent.
So, here’s how I’m going to do that. I’m wrapping this episode here. But I will post at least twice next week – somewhere in the middle of the week, I will post a COVID-19 tip show for those who want the help. And on Friday, I will post an interview episode like usual for those that want a break from all this.
If you’re anything like many of the folks I’ve been in contact with, you probably fall into both of those groups. If there’s anything specific about maintaining our mental health, homeschooling, working from home, or parenting during this time you want me to address, send an email to Brendan@ADHDessentials.com, and I’ll address your concern on the mid-week show.
That said, this is going to pass. Things will be okay. Take care of yourselves, and each other. And give yourselves and each other the grace to make mistakes, feel uncertain, and be not-quite-good enough. That’s where ADHD lives, after all. Our comfort in that space might just help us navigate this uncertain time more effectively than others.
Again, email me at Brendan@ADHDessentials.com if you have any questions you want me to address in the mid-week show. I’m here to help. I love you all, I believe in you. We can handle this. Together.
49: Talking Organization with Cindy Jobs, Professional Organizer & ADHD Coach
48: An ADHD View from Down Under with Jon Hassall of Connect ADHD
47: The History of ADHD at School with Richard Kelley, Veteran Educator for Over Four Decades
46: This ADHD Life with Keith Griffin, ADHD Coach
45: Done is Better than Perfect at the International Conference on ADHD 2018
44: Parenting as Leadership with Tamara Rosier, PHD, BCC, ADHD Mom, and President of the ADHD Coaches Organization
43: Managing Self-Sabotaging Thoughts, Positive Psychology, and Upward Spirals of Emotion with Mindy Katz, ADHD Coach, Social Worker, and Parent with ADHD of Adult Kids with ADHD
42: Still the Kid Avoiding Her Homework with Rene Brooks of Black Girl, Lost Keys
41: ADHD and Unmet Needs in School with Mr. Kayerrook, High School English Teacher
40: Three Views on Awareness for ADHD Awareness Month, with Brendan Mahan, M.Ed., M.S. Your Awesomely Aware Audio Artist
39: Taking a Break, Intervening Early, and The Importance of Thinking Twice with Robbin Miller, LMHC, mother with ADHD of an adopted child with ADHD
38: The Calm Passion of Adam Wilson, founder of Calmer Con, and Father of a son on the Spectrum
"What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew" with Dr. Sharon Saline, Clinical Psychologist, ADHD Expert, and Author
36: Comics & ADHD with Dav Pilkey, Creator of Captain Underpants, and adult with ADHD (with special guest co-hosts: Nathan & Gavin Mahan)
35: Going on a Dopamine Hunt with Brendan Mahan, M.Ed., M.S., Your Happy Hunting Party Host
34: Unraveling ADHD from the 50s & 60s to Today, with Joyce Kubik, ADHD Coach, Parent with ADHD of kids with ADHD (and grandkids with ADHD)
33: ADHD Parents Palooza with Linda Roggli and Diane Dempster
32: What is a Special Education Advocate? with Melissa Carriveau, Special Education Advocate
31: Living the Modern History of ADHD, With Diann Wingert, LCSW, ADHD Coach, and mother with ADHD of children with ADHD
30: "Talk to the Teacher" with Meg Flanagan, Author and Founder of MilKids Education Consulting
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