Good evening [you may change this to whatever time of day it happens to be when you are reading this]
So I thought I would create an account because I've been reading various articles/blogs/threads from this website for the last few months.
Most of the items I have read because I've been looking for some answers for my 6 (almost 7!) year old daughter. She has recently been diagnosed with ADHD, she has sensory issues, some communication difficulties (although she talked from a young age) and is well, unique! About two years ago our small family (its me and her) went through a boatload of unexpected events...this brought on some very untypical behaviours and she was asked to leave her daycare. Thinking it was something caused by the multitude of events, and not having any extra money, I put her in public school and larger social groups. The last two years have been... eventful. Our small family has seen a lot of shifts, me shifting for her, her shifting for me, me shifting shifting researching and shifting again and at this time I have to say we are a great little team and I couldn't ask for a more wonderful daughter and I wish everyone could have as special a relationship with their children as I feel I have with mine.
It has not been particularly easy though. I have had to undo some of my parents parenting in me, and look past disapproval of my peers at some of the things I do or put in place. Our last struggle is in the academic environment, but I have started to realize I can advocate for change, and I am learning how to do it. I'd describe the things she does, but you all probably already know.
I am not sure if she gets this from her father - he is long gone and I have no idea where he would be, or from me since I am adopted and have no idea what my biological origins are. It could be from niether I suppose. However when you read books and websites with traits I am beginning to see some aspie things in myself - I have a hard time lying or sometimes i say too much, i can hold peoples eyes for a bit but then I get really uncomfortable, I have a really hard time expressing myself in person and it gets worse the more people there are in the room, as a child I was very, very quiet and I spent a LOT of time daydreaming. I'm a systems analyst, and I have a knack for reading other peoples codes and pointing out where the problems lie, sometimes I don't even know why the problem is there, but I'm frequently right. I'm not a super coder or anything but I attack problems from 800 different angles til they get solved - this is definitely interesting when it comes to trying to figure out your kid. When I go into the books on spectrum differences, parenting, and the techniques I have tried people are a bit, overwhelmed.
I think sometimes I scare people or they are threatened by my abilities and focus, especially at work. I am very nice however, and when people get to know me they know I'm not trying to show them up, I do have a really hard time getting to know people.
So I am here because of my kid, and maybe I will hang around and find some friends to chat with. Please feel free to message me, and if there are other moms and dads out there that are also trying to piece together I'd be happy to learn and share.
24 Aug 2012, 11:18 pm
