Yes! You Will Understand Your Teen With ADHD

 

I highly recommend Yes! You Will Understand Your Teen With ADHD: A Parent's Journey To Find, Learn, and Develop Effective ADHD Tools To Help Her Teen Communicate and Thrive for anyone navigating through the teenage years with a teenager with ADHD. My interest was piqued by the fact that it was written by a mother whose daughter was diagnosed with ADHD in her teens. This is also our story. As soon as I started reading, I couldn't stop. There is a lot of commonality between what we experience now and what is written. There are a few differences. My daughter is homeschooled. It is a blessing that my daughter doesn't deal with any addictions. While some sections in the book did not pertain to our situation, a good majority of the book did. It has been difficult to find ADHD books that are remotely helpful. This isbased on what I have read so far or sifted through. I felt like I had found the GOLDEN TICKET when I found this book!Since I feel reading the book is somewhat of a personal experience, I am not going to share too much about what is in the book. The purpose of this is to allow you to feel, contemplate, cry, find hope, be encouraged, have your own thoughts, and come up with a plan of your own. Here is a list of highlights from the book.

1. Who Are You, Again?

2. What is Executive Function?

3. As a parent you will have dark days when you feel like you cannot even lift yourself up. 

4. ADHD causes chaos in your life. 

5. Four strategies for emotional regulation.

6. Yes! ADHD symptoms extend beyond restlessness.

7. A late onset ADHD diagnosis can be tricky. 

8. There are more symptoms of ADHD than you may think. 

9. Payoffs or rewards.

10. The inability to tolerate life's frustrations.

11. Dopamine

12. Isolation

13. Focus

14. Medications and Therapy

15. Behavior management

By no means does this cover everything found in the book. For me, these are the areas of greatest interest or importance. The search is over. Get this book now! Your decision will not be regrettable. It is a fairly quick read. I read it in one day. Obviously, I'll be referring to it often, so it will get plenty of use. 

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Goodnight Ocean Animals

 

Goodnight Ocean Animals tells a story about twelve ocean animals settling in for the night. Twelve ocean animals will be seen by your child, including a clownfish, a crab, a dolphin, a jellyfish, a red octopus, an orca, a pufferfish, a sea turtle, a seahorse, a seal, a shark, and a whale. An orca enjoys the last rays of light before the sun sets. A watercolor painting depicts a magnificent orca jumping through the air while waves gather around it. The golden light of the sun reflects off its jet black upper body. The orca's white belly blends in with the billowing white tipped waves. Several hues of yellow, orange, red, and blue fill the sky above. There are dark clouds rolling in, possibly signaling an impending storm. The author says: "Majestic orca, black and white, splashes and playes in pure delight. With sharp fins, a call so rare, He sings songs in the ocean air." 

A watercolor painting depicting water crashing against rocks ends the story. The water is calm in the distance. The sky is represented by a full palette of shades, from reds to violets and even black. Incorporating all the colors around the golden setting sun and upward into the heavens is truly stunning. The author ends with these words. "As night falls, Moon's silver embrace, Caresses the sea with a gentle grace. Following tides, waves sing a lullaby: Goodnight Ocean Animals, under the starry sky."

Until next time, goodnight sweet little ones as you curl up under your warm blankets to dream of pufferfish, orcas, and whales. 

I would recommend adding this book to your child's library. 

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Aquatic Alphabets ABC's Under the Sea

Aquatic Alphabets: ABCs Under the Sea takes children on a fun adventure to fascinating places to explore incredible sea life. It is the home of so many interesting creatures, plants, and objects that have been made by man. So come along with us on a journey deep into the sea.

Every letter of the alphabet features a colorful illustration of something from the depths of the sea. It also features somethings found above the sea. F is for Flounder. Fish such as flounders can camouflage themselves on the ocean floor because they are flat. Did you know they were able to do that? There are colorful sea corrals and rocks, as well as sand, and orange fish surrounding the brown and tan flounder. The letter U stands for Urchin. Spiky sea urchins hide in rocky crevices. There's no way I'd want to meet up with one of these! According to the picture, the sea urchin looks like a spiky round ball. There is a considerable length to its spikes. Their long length reminds me of porcupine spikes. This picture shows a sea urchin hidden behind a crevice of rocks. Perhaps it is waiting for an opportunity to strike. Zooplankton is represented by the letter Z. The tiny zooplankton drifting in the water provide food for a number of sea animals. The role they play in our ecosystems is largely overlooked due to their size.

So far, we have only discussed a few of the many letters of the alphabet. Let me share with you all of the fun aquatic animals your child will discover as they work through the alphabet: 

1. A is for Anchor

2. B is for Barracuda

3. C is for Crab

4. D is for Dolphin

5. E is for EEL

6. F is for Flounder

7. G is for Goldfish

8. H is for Hermit Crab

9. I is for Island

10. J is for Jellyfish

11. K is for Kelp

12. L is for Lobster

13. M is for Manatee

14. N is for Net

15. O is for Octopus

16. P is for Penguin

17. Q is for Quahog

18. R is for Ray

19. S is for Seahorse

20. T is for Turtle

21. U is for Urchin

22. V is for Vortex

23. W is for Worm

24. X is for X-ray.

25. Y is for Yellow Fish

26. Z is for Zooplankton

Our Aquatic Adventure has ended. I hope you have enjoyed getting a goggle view of how much fun your child can have learning their ABC's together with you. 

Disclaimer: I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Goodnight Savannah Animals

 

Goodnight Savannah Animals explores all the wild creatures in southern Africa. The children will delight in the fun rhyming poems about the animals. The watercolor painting opposite the two-stanza poem showcases amazing wildlife in their natural setting. In order to make the paintings look realistic, the animals are painted in their natural habitat. The colors in the paintings are vibrant and rich.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the African Savannah. The sun looms on the horizon. From a distance you spot a lone elephant slowly walking through a stream. Red and orange leaves from the trees on either side rain down on the water. The elephant is majestic. "Near a waterhole, calm and wide, Elephant stands in the twilight's tide. Trunk swings slowly, eyelids droop, She dreams of her joyful, playful troop."

Among the animals children will see in Goodnight Savannah Animals are a cheetah, a buffalo, a meerkat family, a lion, an ostrich, a rhinoceros, a leopard, a zebra, a crocodile, a giraffe, and a hippo. All of the watercolor animal paintings are truly captivating. It is the perfect book to read to your child before they close their eyes at night. Already fast asleep under the starry night and moonlight are rhino, crocodile, giraffe, and many other animals. The story ends with a breathtaking watercolor depicting acaidia trees in the plains of Africa and a sky filled with stars! There are shades of yellow, orange, and red in the lower part of the sky. These shades slowly fade into a pale blue until it turns to a deep midnight blue. With its warm white glow, the full moon shines in the night sky dotted with stars and flying birds. The author concludes: "Now the moon shines on Savannah land, Over every creature, quiet and grand. 'Goodnight, Savannah Animals,' so deep, 'till the sunrise, when we finish sleep."

The book is truly a treasure. Adding it to your child's library would be a great purchase.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

A Day at the Dog Park

A Day At The Dog Park is a charming story about all the dogs one may see walking with your four-legged friend. A cute little poodle named Bella is looking for some fun. Dalmatian Dot enjoys showing love. It turns out that Big Bulldog Buster is not what he seems. There is something so endearing about Puggy the Pug's face. Short-legged Corgi zip about. There is no denying the cuteness of Sniffer the Beagle. The Aussie Shepherd Kate herds something very unusual, but you'll need to read the book to discover what it is. Sunny the Retriever, a Saint Bernard, Sparkle the Yorkie, Brave Rottweiler, and German Shepherd round out the pack. The story ends with, "As the sun sets on the colorful park, Each doggy friend has left their mark. 'Till tomorrow, my pals,' they seem to bark, 'When again we'll have fun in the park.'" 

Children will enjoy hearing this book read aloud. The watercolor paintings are incredible, not only of the dogs but of the scenery behind them as well. There is such a lifelike quality to the paintings. Each dog is described in a rhyming two-stanza poem opposite the picture. I would highly recommend this book.  

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Goodnight Farm Animals

My first question is, where should I begin. It's an amazing book! Let's begin with the beautiful watercolor illustrations in Goodnight Farm Animals. The watercolor paintings throughout the book are stunning examples of artistic talent. A sense of realism is evident in the animals. This landscape is breathtaking. This book is filled with many pictures that will delight children. It is the artwork in this book that drew me in as an adult. Each animal has a cute two-paragraph poem. In one of the stanzas there are rhyming words. 

A sleepy calf rests in the barn. Its charcoal black eyes stare at you in a mesmerized manner. Its soft downy hair indicates the calf's young age. As stars above provide some light, it is nestled in hay for the night. The text that accompanies the calf: "As twilight falls on the gentle farm, cow yawns in the barn, safe and warm. Under the loft she'll rest her head, Curled up tight in her straw bed." Despite the text saying cow, I see a calf.

There is a donkey peering out of the stall door in the brilliant watercolor of the donkey. Could it be thinking about its day?Is it tired but trying to stay awake? The chestnut brown eyes of this creature are heavy. Between its ears is a fluffy tuft of fur that stands straight up. There is an abundance of hay surrounding the donkey. It is clear that this donkey is well cared for and loved by its owner. How does the author describe the donkey? "Donkey, his ears long and round, Rests in the stable safe and sound. The stars look down with twinkling eyes, As night sings many lullabies."

Along with the cow and donkey, your child will meet a horse, a pig, a goat, a dog, a sheep, a cat, a chicken, a peacock, a pigeon, and a duck. A unique looking farmhouse welcomes readers at the end of the book. It's not what you'd expect from a typical farmhouse. As I look at this farmhouse, I can't help but think of a forest cottage. A stone path and a stream with rocks surround the farmhouse, which is surrounded by forest land, lush green grass, and red flowers. This watercolor painting is beautiful. It ends: "The stars shine on the peaceful farm, And our friends rest in sleep's arm. 'Goodnight Farm Animals' the Moon sings, Until the morning when the day begins." It is absolutely beautiful not only in pictures but also in the writing. If you have a child, I would highly recommend adding this book to their library. A number of other books are included in the "Goodnight" series by this author. They're definitely worth checking out.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Geography Alphabet

Geography Alphabet: An Introduction to Earth's Features for Kids is a wonderful way to make learning fun. This book is intended for ages 2-6 years. While traveling through the alphabet, your child will learn the five zones of the Earth. They will also learn about the Earth's physical characteristics, geographical terms, and fascinating facts about many animals around the world. Locations and geographic terms are highlighted in the text. 

As we start with the letter Aa, we'll look at Emperor Penguins found in Antarctica. Equator is represented by Ee. Did you know that the Earth's equator is an imaginary line that divides it in half. The northern hemisphere occupies the upper half and the southern hemisphere occupies the lower half. A Kk stands for a Key. A map key can be found in one of the corners, and it helps you locate places on the map. A key can also be referred to as a legend.  Yy is for Yardang. Isn't that a funny word? Yardangs are wind-shaped lands. Softer, sandier parts of rock are blown by the wind to create unusual shapes on the land. They are found in camel-inhabited deserts. It is a very educational book. It will give your child a simple understanding of geography. Bright, eye-catching pictures. It is definitely a book I would recommend. 

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Meet the Feathered Friends

Your children will meet twenty-three feathered friends from around the world in Meet the Feathered Friends. There are small birds such as hummingbirds as well as large birds such as the bald eagle with its impressive wingspan. In this book children will meet a:

• Toucan
• Owl
• Flamingo
• Parrot
• Bald Eagle
• Peacock
• Pelican
• Blue Jay
• Woodpecker
• Albatross
• Raven
• Macaw
• Swan
• Emu
• Falcon
• Kingfisher
• Stork
• Pigeon
• Ostrich
• Hummingbird
• Mallard
• Robin
• Penguin

 Two pages are devoted to each bird. Adorable illustrations/animations of different types of real life birds on the first page is accompanied by information about the bird. A beautiful landscape picture depicts the bird's habitat on the second page. The landscape images were computer generated and mimic watercolor paintings. I will walk you through one of the birds in the following example.The Emu: Stride, Stride! I'm Ethan, the Swift Emu. Stride, Stride. With Long Legs and a Powerful Stride, I navigate the Australian Outback with Resilience and Strength, Enduring Its Arid Environment. On the following page, you will see the picturesque landscape of Australian desert shrub land. The distant sky is dominated by low lying mountains and a beautiful sunrise. Down the middle of the field runs a narrow stream. A rocky, dry landscape is covered in sparsely populated trees. There is something so beautiful about the landscape pictures. The birds can be easily visualized in their natural habitats. There are several graceful storks depicted in the landscape images, some of which dip down into the cool water while others soar just above it. Stunning wildflowers surround the water, which is dotted with lillipads. As the sun rises on the horizon, a brilliant red and orange sky gives way to a new day. 

Meet the Feathered Friends is a book I would recommend as a mom of six and grandmother of two. The beautiful, colorful pictures will captivate children. What a joy to come away from a book having learned about 23 bird species and their basic traits. My hope is that this book will inspire children to learn more about birds and nature. This book is recommended for babies to 10 years.  There are a couple of things I would like to mention. One addition that I would have loved to see in this book is a one or two sentence description of where the artist drew inspiration for his landscape pictures. Provide a general location and habitat description to readers. Additionally, at the beginning of the book, share with readers if the pictures are paintings, computer generated, etc. 

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Executive Functioning Workbook for Kids

 

Having a child with Executive Function Disorder can be extremely challenging for both parents and children. The Executive Functioning Workbook for Kids is an illustrated workbook that helps your child develop self-control, handle their emotions, and manage their time at school and at home. Children who have executive dysfunction often struggle to organize material, regulate emotions, set schedules, and accomplish tasks. A person's executive functioning involves seven major elements: initiating tasks, completing tasks, controlling impulses, focusing, time management, memory, flexibility, understanding and managing emotions, planning, and goal-setting. In total, there are thirty-seven activities for your child to complete. There are five groups of activities: Getting to Know Yourself, At School, At Home/After School, Household Chores, and Activities and Playtime. 

Taking a closer look at myself is the focus of Activity 1. Children are asked to choose their favorite activity or hobby for this activity. What do you enjoy about it? This question is answered by them. In the next step, they are to consider their biggest challenges. It may be controlling their emotions, focusing on school work, or staying organized. Identifying these challenges will allow your child to work on improving them. In the next step, they answer the question of what challenges them most. Activity 1 ends with thinking about your uniqueness and what makes you special. 

As its objective, Activity 7 entitled Affirmations aims to foster a positive outlook. In this example, an important school history test is being feared. Our outlook can be changed to a more positive one using affirmations. A page of affirmations in fun shapes and colors is included. The affirmations can be downloaded using the QR code on page 4 if your child does not wish to cut anything out of their workbook. I will list a few of the affirmations on the page. Mistakes help me learn and grow. I am in charge of my thoughts and emotions. Challenges make me stronger. 

In Activity 16, titled Action Plan, the child learns how to create an action plan and break tasks down into manageable steps. Due to a large project your teacher is teaching you how to create an action plan. They began by listing all the tasks that needed to be completed. Prioritizing them based on urgency and deadline was the next step. As a final step, a timeline was established for the completion of each task. A notebook-style page is then given to the child where they are asked to think of a task they need to complete soon. The students are asked to complete an action plan. This notebook paper comes with an outline your child just needs to complete. A tool like this is so valuable. All of the activities in this workbook are exceptional. Ages 8 and older are recommended for the workbook. Pages with muted colors and some basic drawings are included. A child who is easily distracted by vibrant colors and detailed pictures is definitely going to benefit from this.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts.  

123 Count with Me on Granddad's Farm

123 Count with Me on Granddad's Farm is a charming little book. This book teaches about farm animals, what grows on a farm, and even what some of the animals produce, like mil and eggs. Additionally, children will learn their numbers 1-10. A farmhouse sits on a hill. 

Let's explore granddad's 100-acre farm together.  

Three sisters awaken eager to explore the farm. In his garden, Granddad grows lots of delicious food. Fruits and vegetables in the five baskets include tomatoes, spinach, green beans, potatoes, and peppers. 

Seven cows graze on grass and oats. Cheese and butter are made from milk provided by one of the cows named Bessie. My granddad shows me how to milk a cow. We gather eggs as the nine hens and their baby chick scratch and peck for food. A feast of food from granddad's farm is enjoyed by ten family members and friends at the end of the day. There is nothing better than Grandma's cooking. Colorful pictures adorn the pages of this book. With their eyes, they give little ones a lot to explore. On some pages, there are mostly words with some pictures below the text. Other pages have pictures that extend across both pages. Starting with number one, the book continues to number ten. The book emphasized family, was heartwarming, educational, and fun. A very informative Author's Note, a Discussion Starters page, and a Count with Me to 10! page are included at the end of the book.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Goodnight Forest Animals

I don't even know where to begin. There are no words to describe how amazing this book is! Let's start with the amazing watercolor pictures. I was blown away by the artistic talent behind the watercolor paintings throughout the book. There is a sense of realism about the animals. This landscape is breathtaking. Children will marvel at all the pictures they will see throughout this book. It is the artwork in this book that drew me in as an adult. There is a cute little two-paragraph poem for each animal. Rhyming words appear in one of the stanzas. 

An impressive watercolor depicts a mature male stag with beautiful antlers. In a meadow with flowers next to a stream, a stag stands silently. Throughout the sky, orange hues can be seen. This poem is for the dear. "In a meadow where soft grass grows, Deer settles into dozy repose. His sleek tail lies still at last, As he dreams of days long past." How beautiful is that? A bear, a beaver, an owl, a duck, foxes, a hedgehog, a squirrel, a rabbit, a frog, a raccoon, a wolf, and a hedgehog also appear in Goodnight Forest Animals. 

A beautiful moon shines in the background as the book ends with breathtaking watercolor forest scenery. A beautiful poem closes the book."Now the moon shines on creatures asleep, In dreams, all their secrets they keep. Goodnight, Forest Animals, so sweet, Until the morning, when again we meet." Once again, WOW! There is no doubt that this book is a must-have. If you are a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, caregiver, or friend, you need to get this for the child in your life. I plan on reading this to my 20-month-old grandson tomorrow. The book is recommended for children ages 0-8. There are other Goodnight books in this series. I give this book ★★★★★.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Homeschool PJ Time: A Bedtime STEM Book

Homeschool PJ Time: A Bedtime STEM Book is both an educational and enjoyable book about a week in the life of Nina, a homeschooled child. From Monday through Friday, Nina has many adventures and learns one science STEM rule or activity. There are also rhyming lines in the text.

 "On Tuesday Nina rolls from bed. No bus today, but friends instead. Today she'll sketch, compose, and play, For Tuesdays are her Meet-Up Day." STEM Phases of the Moon "Can you whisper their names? New, crescent, quarter, gibbous, full."

 "On Thursday, Nina sings in bed. No bus today, THE ARTS instead. The words and music fill her mind. They let her leave her world behind. Her eyes are closed, her mind alive.She's humming Ludwig's Number 5. Now painting Monet 'neath the sky...The greens so green, they make her cry." STEM Ways Light is Observed "Turn off the lights & shine a flashlight beam. Can you make the light bounce?" A list of five STEM experiment ideas is provided at the end of the book. Additionally, there is a Weekly STEM Plan that will help you implement this style of learning in your homeschool day. The reader is instructed to write their plans on a sticky note and place them on the page where it says "place a sticky note here." The book comes with a note explaining how to read it.Currently, I am in my twenty-third year of homeschooling. I found this book to be a very useful resource for those just beginning their homeschool journey. For homeschoolers stuck in a rut and looking for something new, this is also a great resource. As a homeschooling parent, I was delighted to find a storybook about homeschooling. It is definitely a book I would recommend to others.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Wattle & Loop

The Slow-Stitched Polar Bear Kit includes:

Background Fabric

Fabric for Bears & Ice

DMC Thread

Embroidery Needle

Needle Threader

Pattern

Full Color Instructions

The skill level for this project is medium to advanced. 

The finished project is approximately 7" by 8.5"

In addition to the materials in the kit you will need:

sharp scissors

fabric glue or a glue stick

fabric pen or pencil

It was my intention to have my 15-year-old daughter complete this project by herself.
When I looked over the instructions and knew how difficult it would be, 

I wasn't sure if she was up for the challenge.
The project completely overwhelmed my daughter when she looked at it. In spite of the fact that she does not have any sewing experience, she is creative.
My daughter suffers from severe ADHD and a reading disorder, 

so I knew this would be challenging.
It was also my hope that, unlike academic work, this project would be a pleasure to complete.
Although I did most of the set-up, she was able to assist with fabric placement.
Maybe I should have pushed her to do more, but I didn't want to 

adversely affect future project endeavours. 

These kits include new, reclaimed, and vintage fabrics from around the world. Wattle&Loop chooses fabrics with holes, stains, tears, imperfections, etc., that may not be considered ideal textiles by other sewers. They believe that this adds magic and character to every piece of art. What a great idea! 

There is something unique and different about each piece of fabric. They tell their own stories. 

Since I have never used a needle threader, I put it aside. 

Using tracing paper to make a copy of the pattern was extremely helpful. 
Step 1 asks you to draw a basic outline of the design on the blue fabric.
Rather than doing this, I simply glued the tracing paper to the blue fabric. 

Using these layers as a starting point, I cut out the bears' base layers using 
the provided fabric pieces. The same was done with the ice.   

Those red lines indicate where the stitches will eventually go.  

Personally, I didn't like the needle included in the kit.
For this project, I chose a needle with a larger eye and a wider diameter. 

In terms of length, it was just about right. 

There wasn't quite enough fabric to complete the ice sculpture.
To complete the layering of ice, I looked through my scrap material to 

find appropriate pieces of fabric. Each Wattle&Loop piece is unique in this way.
The idea of adding old scraps of fabric is even discussed such as 
lace doilies, grandma's hankies, or other special textiles to make the piece your own.

Glue is the primary method of holding down the fabric.
Stitching on your piece is more decorative than functional.
It is the fabric, not the stitches, that should be the focal point of the artwork.
The instructions demonstrate different stitches, such as running, straight, slow, mixed, and French knots. 

Getting the bears' body parts to stand out was by far the most challenging part.
In that sense, I guess the medium to advanced level comes into play. 

Stitching the edges of the ice and bears' body is actually not necessary.
The stitching adds a more complete look to the project.
To improve your sewing skills this is definitely a great practice opportunity to do so.

While the Slow-Stitched Polar Bear Kit gives you detailed step-by-step instructions with photographs, it ultimately allows you to create a unique textile art piece.

This fabric textile project is definitely something I would recommend to others. I love that the fabric used isn't new, but secondhand. I also really like the fact that the result is a piece of artwork that is unique and one-of-a-kind. In the future, I would buy other kits from this vendor to give as gifts or use myself.