Distracted, Yet On Task

By Stacy Johnson

I am aware that I have ADD tendencies. I am easily distracted and flutter from project to project, finding it difficult to finish anything. I am working on strategies to overcome.

The hard thing is that I am noticing it in my children. I know it isn’t my fault completely, but I’m a spaz and I know it, I teach it by example. We have regular conversations about it and are very good at recognizing it and making a plan to overcome. Yes, we will overcome this trial.

On a good note, we try to use our ADD tendencies (we have never been diagnosed and do not intend to) to our advantage. I won’t elaborate on myself, but will dote on #4, my third boy. He is in charge of rinsing and loading the dirty dishes this month. He is not good at it and I accept that. (He is only 11, I’m not looking for perfection.)  Anyway, he has a spiral binder that he keeps with him at all times. He colors in it while watching t.v., takes notes while listening to music, and yes, he writes in it while doing the dishes. He keeps it on the counter and as he works, he sings to himself. If he comes up with a great line, he turns around and writes it down. Does he sometimes forget to go back to the dishes? Yes, but we are working on that.

Recently, we went to visit Grandpa for his birthday with my whole family. The book accidently got left. My baby sister and her fiancé found the book and began to read his rap songs. The next day when it was returned, they asked him if he would please write a rap song for their upcoming wedding reception. Boy, did that make his day. I would share it with you, but he gave her his copy of the words as a wedding gift. Isn’t that so sweet?  He needed that self esteem boost more than they could have imagined. 

My point is that we all have weaknesses. Sometimes we need to find out of the ordinary ways to work around them to achieve what we want. Do I want him to be a rapper when he grows up? Well, no, but I also don’t want him to lose his desire to write creatively, even if it is rap songs for now. Last year it was super hero stories, next year it may be poetry. Who knows, maybe someday he will help me write my parenting book, adding his unique perspective. Today, I will just pray he learns to finish the dishes as fast as he can finish his next rap song.