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.
Mindfulness, and a Teacher’s View of Distance Learning with Stephanie Letourneau, 3rd grade teacher
An ADHD Adult Who Pursued His Childhood Passions to NASA, with Chris, ADHD Adult and NASA Problem-Solver
ADHD & Money with Alicia, ADHD Mom of ADHD Kids
The ADHD Effect on Marriage Relationships with Melissa Orlov, ADHD Expert, Marriage Consultant, and Author
Mindful Over Matter: How to Power Up Your Kid’s Brain, with Alan Brown, the ADD Crusher
COVID Q&A with ADHD Coaches Lollie Weeks and Kyra Todd
Creativity and Confidence Born of Big Passions and Small Wins with Roxanne Jarrett, Educator, Artist, Creativity Coach, and Mom with ADHD.
An Overview of COVID-19 with Dr. Carolyn Lentzsch-Parcells, Pediatrician.
COVID-19 & What to Do When You and Your Kids are Stuck in the House with Dr. Sharon Saline, Clinical Psychologist and ADHD Expert
The Benefits and Pitfalls of Technology and ADHD with Brittany Smith of Devise and Conquer
How to Play with Your Kid with Megan Vandersluys, Play Therapist
Two Good Things One Thing You Would Change If You Could at Disney, with Brendan Mahan Your Traveling Talker
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Finding the Gifts in ADHD with Dr. Carolyn Lentzsch-Parecalls, Pediatrician and Mom with ADHD
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