October is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) awareness month. If you, like me, were in school in the ‘90s you may think of ADHD, or its predecessor Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) as primarily appearing in unruly young boys who couldn’t sit still. Growing up, I was probably the opposite of that, an academically-inclined girl who would rather curl up with a book than play outside. Still, in my late 20s I was diagnosed with ADHD and I had to re-evaluate many assumptions I had.
We all hope to help our children turn into adults who can not only take care of themselves but also have the ability and empathy to take care of others. One way to start is by having very young children help with the household. In early childhood education we use the philosophy that “we set children up for success.” We do this in the classroom in many ways, by having furniture their size, having self-correcting or open ended materials, and by keeping a schedule to name a few. But you can also use this premise for your home.
The Children's School, established in 1965, is a non-profit preschool in Green Lake, Seattle.
