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.
Building Esteem, Managing ADHD, and Communicating with Your Kids' Support Team, with Dr. Tom Pedigo, co-founder of the Esteem app.
Discussing Differently Wired Kids with Debbie Reber of TiLT Parenting
The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids with ElaineTaylor-Klaus, PCC, CPCC, Author & Parent Coach
Back-to-School Social Skills with Caroline Maguire, PCC, M.Ed., Author and ADHD, Executive Function, & Social Skills Coach
Homeschooling Pods, the Complexity of Public Education, and the Importance of Reading Instruction, with Victoria Crisp, M.Ed, Educational Consultant
Doodling to Learn & Focus with Dani Donovan, ADHD Content Creator & Artist
ADHD & Rejection Sensitivity with David Nowell, PhD., Clinical Neuropsychologist, and ADHD Expert
Values, Decision Making, and the 2020-2021 School Year with Brendan Mahan, Your Values-Driven Visionary
A Prescription Video Game for ADHD? Yup. EndeavorRx with Eddie Martucci, Co-Founder and CEO of Akili Interactive
Revisiting Perfectionism with Brendan Mahan, your Imperfect Impresario
Cutting Out Perfect with Denise Roadman, Middle School Wellness Teacher
Developing Family Resilience During Challenging Times with Juliana Chen, M.D. and Tai Katzenstein, Ph.D.
Building Executive Function Skills During a Summer of Social Distancing with Seth Perler, Executive Function and 2E Coach
Managing Defensiveness and Other Pitfalls in ADHD/Non-ADHD Relationships with Joyce Kubik and Robin Nordmeyer, ADHD Coaches
Discussing ADHD & Autism with Sarah Chayette, MD, Pediatric Neurologist, & Author
Ideas for a Mostly at Home Summer of 2020 with Brendan Mahan, Your Social-Distancing Summer Savant
COVID19, Protests, and Black Lived Experience in Brooklyn, NY with Romanza McAllister, Psychotherapist, ADHD Coach and ADDA Board Member
Becoming Emotional Scientists with Chandler Creedon, Retired School Psychologist and Professor at Framingham State University
The Power of Cooperative Games and Reducing Variables with Bruce Sabian, M.A., LMHC of Academy MetroWest
The ADHD Experience & the African American Experience with Inger Colzie. Social Worker, and ADHD Mom of an ADHD kid
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