Listen, I understand that genetics are complicated and sometimes recessive genes do funky things and all of that, but I’ve recently made a horrifying discovery about my offspring. I’m not the tidiest person in the world, not by a long shot—I tend to have tidy areas of the house and then a few small dumping grounds (see also: my desk, my bathroom counter). It’s been a lifelong (their lives, not mine) struggle to be okay with a certain amount of mess in my kids’ rooms, because that’s their own space and there’s a line between “my standards” and “health hazard” and they have to both avoid Ebola and learn for themselves. I get all of that.
And when it became clear that Chickadee never pairs her socks, I kind of gave her a pass on account of the mixing-and-matching she tends to do with said socks. Also, she’s a slob, so no surprise there. But Monkey is much less of a slob and I have only recently discovered that he also no longer pairs his socks. SOCK DRAWERS GONE WILD. Honestly, why wouldn’t you pair your socks?? I do not understand. This is beyond the pale.
(I feel better, now that I’ve shared that with you.)
Other than lecturing my children about their sock habits, not all that much is happening here. BUT I did write some stuff over at Alpha Mom for you recently, so feel free to check it out. First, if you’re not tired of hearing me gush about how exciting it is to have finally get diagnosed with and treated for ADHD, I have a few more things to say about that. And second, if you—like me, and lots of other folks—are starting to plan for a college launch, you’re likely wondering how to pick the right meal plan for your freshman. But please do not ask me how to get your college student to pair their socks, because I clearly have no idea.
So is it fair to say that if three drops of caffeine make me wired and crazy and shaking and upset my stomach…I can’t be adult ADHD? Because the rest of what you describe is me entirely. But at 53. So, um, yeah. Laser focused by so so scattered and forgetting stuff with a frightening frequency these days. Is there an online tool to get a feel for whether it’s something to even consider?
… no… caffeine and ADHD meds are not the same other than they have some stimulation effect… but where they effect you are two different things… it’s like comparing caffeine and an epi pen… both “stimulants” but different reasons and mechanisms. You might be a slow metabolizer of caffeine though.
I am also ADHD (but the combined type) and have tried medication and am considering another trial. The level of activity/stress in life combined with age is different now than it was 5 years ago …
Heather’s correct, there’s stuff in caffeine that can make you physically shaky and that has no bearing on whether or not you have ADHD (or would respond well to stimulant meds, if so). If you’re curious, start here.
I think the mismatched socks is just a lazy kid thing. My 16 year old niece hasn’t worn matching socks in years (and I think her little brothers have figured out her tricks now, too).
We employ the ‘Sock Basket’ method. It’s not so much a basket as a Rubbermaid bin. Not the really big one. That would be crazy ;). It contains all the socks for my family of 5. It lives in the tv room. When one needs socks one digs through it. (My socks are matched and put away)
I don’t match my socks. I buy 1 kind of white socks. If they quit making that kind and I need more, I throw them all away and start over. They all match. I HATE having to match up socks every laundry day. So I refuse.
I make a pairing exception if all your socks are the same. But if they’re different and non-pairing means digging through the sock drawer every morning, I do not understand.
My nine-year-old granddaughter PURPOSELY wears mix-matched socks. OMG. Now to know it will continue into college …