
I just finished watching Dora the Explorer. Her trip to Treasure Island was fascinating. Dora, along with her monkey and cow sidekicks, rescued a baby jaguar and sailed off into the sunset.
My girls are calm enough to sit in their chair watch their favorite show, as long as there's no sugar involved. I've been parenting long enough to know, that any type of sugar will cause kids to spiral into a world of hyperactivity. That means more stress for mom and dad and a trip to the pediatrician for answers.
The diagnosis....ADHD. Or at least, that's what the experts say. Now, just between you and me, I know my kids don't have ADHD, and neither do most of the children in America. But, a few grams of sugar later, every child has ADHD and drugs are the only option.
Big Pharma couldn't be happier. Their ADD/ADHD drug sales have reached one zillion dollars.(don't ask for my source on that one) Parents are convinced their child has a disease, and pro-drug websites like this one by Corey Naham validate their concerns.
"If you are a kid with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), you have a hard time sitting still, paying attention or controlling your behavior. You could be the smartest kid in the class but you are always getting into trouble. The teacher is talking about one thing, but your mind is somewhere else."
"Many parents are unsure of whether or not they should give their children medicines to treat their ADD/ADHD. They are not sure why they are opposed to it but they just don't feel it is the right thing to do. Some parents feel that the potential side effects of giving stimulants to kids outweigh the benefits. You need to realize that your child is suffering. These medicines can help dramatically. It is unfair to your child to not at least try the drugs. It is no fun having ADHD. Kids with ADHD know that they are different.They might not understand what exactly is going on, but they know that they are always getting into trouble at school."
"The trouble is that your child may start to believe he is defective because of the friction he is constantly involved in. These feelings can cause a child to become frustrated and angry.
Don't make your child suffer just because you are philosophically opposed to giving them drugs. You should not go into this with your mind already made up. Keep an open mind. Try the drugs for a couple of weeks. If your children get side effects you can always discontinue the drug. But if they work your child's life (and yours too) will run much smoother - less crying, less yelling, less frustration."
I'm sold. He makes a good point. His Jedi mind trick has almost convinced me to start taking these drugs. Or, you could just change their diet. I know that a glass of juice and a banana equals "no nap", and a piece of cake equals chaos. It is that simple.
Instead of drugging your child, replace the cookies with something nutritious, and watch the symptoms disappear. .............Matt