Now suddenly you realize that the hard work of moving to a new community is harder than you've ever expected. If the thought of relocating your kids and family to a whole new school system is producing too much anxiety for your children and family then I have some advise to help you and your family cope..
Right now you're probably at a place in this process of getting a great moving quote for the move, decided to move yourself with portable storage containers and you also arranged to have your car transported and relocated. Believe it or not in the scheme of things that's the easy part. Moving away from friends, familiar surroundings and being introduced to a new school is always a difficult situation and are probably new feelings small children aren't accustomed to feeling. So how do you deal with all this?
Well, the first thing is to not panic. The cause of stress can vary according to the age of the children. Younger children who are in the process of exploring their independence from their parents may regress to returning to a dependent relationship with their parents. Older children have more difficulty leaving close friends and peers and may repeatedly protest the move. Try to pay close attention to what your children have to say about the move and talk to them about their concerns, fears and issues.
Sometimes I found that if you are moving to a nearby city and if you have the ability to follow the moving van that is helpful to children to know that all their belongings won't be lost in the process and that their toys will be going with them. As a precautionary measure make you get proper moving insurance and liability coverage just in case there is an accident along the way.
Keep to your child's daily routines as closely as possible. I find that this is probably the most important tip or suggestion I cam make, talk openly with your children well before the move takes place. By explaining all of the details of the move and why the move must take place helps to put the move into perspective.
Once you have arrived in your new community, visit your child's school to speak with his or her counselor about orienting your child to the new school and school programs. Advise the counselor of any special interests of the child and ask for recommended clubs or programs.
When you are at your new home have your children create a pen-pal system for your children and their special friends with addressed, pre-stamped envelopes, stickers and markers. For older children, e-mail is a great way to keep in touch.
Discuss advantages of the new location with your children according to their interests, such as nearby amusement parks, museums, and zoos. Discuss decorating ideas for your child's new room including a memory door. Compile favorite photographs from family and friends from the location you are leaving and plan to decorate a door in your child's room with the photos.
Some of these tips may be helpful to you to make the relocation process easier for your children and family. Get information on your new town or city, including schools and children's programs, and discuss them with your children. If possible, take your children on a tour of your new town or city and home before the move to acquaint them with their new surroundings.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the newest name that has been given to a group of disorders of the central nervous system. With the long list of names this disorder has been given over the years, it is often confusing as to which criteria are for a diagnosis of ADHD or ADD. It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children in the United States have ADHD, meaning that at least one child in a classroom of twenty-five to thirty children will have ADHD. There are three times as many boys diagnosed with ADHD, but the condition is increasingly being diagnosed in girls as well.
Although ADHD was primarily thought of as a childhood disorder, it can be found in adults as well. Experts have estimated that as many as 8 million adults may be affected, but 80 percent of them do not realize it. Some studies show that there is significant decline in ADHD symptoms as a person ages, while others estimate that between 30 and 70 percent of children with ADHD will carry some symptoms into adulthood. ADHD is a more complex disorder in adults, but it manifests itself into a problem with self-regulation. Without this self-control, an adult's ability to do tasks is impaired. This condition can lead to marital conflicts, substance abuse, and financial problems. Infidelity is common because ADHD adults easily become bored with things, including spouses.
Factors that have been linked to the development of ADHD include heredity, anxiety, allergies, smoking during pregnancy, hyperinsulinemia, oxygen deprivation at birth, environmental stress or pollutants, artificial food additives, injury, infection, lead poisoning, and prenatal trauma. More emphasis has been placed on the role of diet in ADHD in recent years. Many people with these conditions react to certain preservatives, dyes, and salicylates in foods. These problems can cause the balance of chemistry in the brain to be thrown off, which produces undesirable changes in behavior. A low-protein diet may also be a contributing factor. Although a hotly debated topic for decades, studies have definitely shown that food additives do play a major role in hyperactivity.
Many researchers feel that ADHD is being over-diagnosed nowadays. It is difficult to accurately diagnose this condition because many of the symptoms appear in the normal, healthy children at many times during childhood. In fact, more than 60 percent of parents suspect that their child has ADHD at some point in their upbringing. What may merely be creativity or a high energy level can be diagnosed as ADHD. A diagnosis of ADHD should be made by a team of specialists who are experts in the disorder and it is wise to get a second opinion.
One should considered nutritional deficiencies and dietary measures for treating ADHD. The following nutrients are recommended: calcium, magnesium, GABA, a multivitamin and mineral complex, Omega-3 fish oil, Pycnogenol, Quercetin, SAMe, acetylcholine, DMAE, l-cysteine, phosphatidyl serine, vitamin C with bioflavonoids, and zinc. Additionally, the following herbs may be beneficial: ginkgo biloba, ginseng, mullein oil, valerian root, catnip, chamomile, gotu kola, hops, kava kava, lemon balm, licorice, lobelia, oats, passionflower, skullcap, St. John's wort, thyme, and wood betony.
Creating a nutritionally sound diet for children and adults can go a long way to controlling ADHD and ADD in general. Reducing sugar intake and adding good quality food that hasn't been over processed which removes the needed vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients we all need to live healthy lives. The above vitamins, minerals and herbs are suggested to be helpful for those suffering as well as those who aren't, but always consult your health care provider before adding dietary supplements to ones diet while on prescription drugs. Quality vitamins can be found at your local or internet health food store.
*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Vitamins, minerals, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.
Both Laura Buckley & Darrell Miller are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.