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.
Rough Cut! Reflections from Day 1 of the International Conference on ADHD 2021
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Middle School Matters with Phyllis Fagell, Author and School Counselor
Brain Performance and the Eyes with Trent McEntire of Fire Up You Brain
From the Vault: An Overview of School Testing with Leanne Kaplan, School Psychologist
Technology and Education with Anthony Amitrano, M.Ed., M.A, Instructional Technology Specialist, and founder of EduPowerTools
Your Brain’s Not Broken with Tamara Rosier, PhD, Author, ADHD coach, and Neurodiverse Mom
Helping Kids Solve Their Own Problems with Aimee Buckley, CEO and Chief Academic Officer of Study Help Inc., Teacher, and Mom
A Free Sample of the ADHD Essentials Parent Groups with Ashleigh, ADHD Mom and Past Group Member
EPISODE 200: Reflecting on the Past and Looking Ahead to the Future of the Show with Cameron Gott, ADHD Coach and Host of the Translating ADHD podcast
ADHD, Integrative Health, and the Mind/Body Connection with Dr. Nicole Beurkins, Child Psychologist
9 Thoughts on Cleaning a Room with Brendan Mahan, your Decluttering (Not-So) Dynamo!
From the Vault: Going All in with the ADHD Population with Gail Oakerman, Counselor, College Professor, and Educational Consultant
Meeting the Sensory Needs of Our Kids and Ourselves with Keri Wilmot Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Toy Consultant, and Author.
Changing the World One Brain at a Time with Jessica McCabe, Creator and Host of How to ADHD
Lessons Learned During the Pandemic with Brendan Mahan Your Reflective Speaker
Focus at Will with Will Henshall, inventor, tech entrepreneur, and music producer with ADHD.
Burnout as it Relates to Parenting with Dr. B, Clinical Director at TakeThis.org.
Effective Communication in a Neurodiverse World with Joe Butler Author and Autism / Neurodiverse Communication Consultant.
Integrating ADHD, Computer Science, and Patterns of Human Interaction with Andrea Goulet, Empathy Driven Software Developer and ADHD Mom
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