It is an interesting read if for no other reason than he repeats the same thing many other authors do: boys need disclipline not drugs. While I agree completely that boys need disclipline and I also agree that ADD/ADHD is obviously overdiagnosed and the various stimulants over prescribed, however those who chant the Boys Need Disclipline line don't seem to have an answer for those of us who do disclipline our boys yet they still have difficulty with impulsiveness, concentration, constant figityness, sleeplessness, etc.
When appropriate, my boys get spanked. When appropriate they have toys and activities withheld. When appropriate they must sit and watch their friends play rather than joining them. They come from a stable two-parent home; their mom stays at home and homeschools them -- they are not forced to sit at a desk and listen to boring lectures; they eat precious little sugar; they get plenty of exercise; they watch a very small amount of carefully selected TV; they don't have a playstation/gameboy/etc; they play very few computer games and only ones which I deem to have an educational value; their father comes home each evening and spends time with them; their diet contains very few (if any) artificial colors, preservatives, etc; they live a reasonably structured life where they are expected to make their beds and clean their rooms and do other age-appropriate chores. Do you get my drift? All of the seemingly obvious, simple fixes regularly touted are a natural part of my son's life and have been since he was born. Still, there's a problem.
Keep in mind that prior to having children, I was hook, line and sinker convinced that ADD was a sham. I could tell you what was wrong with all of the children around me who were diagnosed. I was a youth group leader and knew a handful of diagnosed ADD/ADHD children (boys and girls) and their parents. Frankly, I still do think some of those children were drugged for convenience, but now that I've had to live with my son and see the challenge that faces him and those around him, I can understand those who choose to use medications. We have not chosen that path at this time, but I certainly can't say we never will.
I guess the long and short of it comes down to this: if you've never experienced having a child with ADD/ADHD, it can be hard to believe, but that doesn't mean that the whole thing is simply the result of poor parenting.
I have a question for you. Since you homeschool, I think you are the best person to ask.
I know someone whose parents put him on Ritalin after his private Christian school thought he was ADHD. The school was having a hard time teaching him.
Now, my first thoughts were they should try another school where another program might work better.
I personally think my 8 year old son has attention problems. He is "gifted", so it's hard to say if it is that he is bored or if he has attention problems. He also has a tic disorder, and attention problems are usually associated with tic disorders.
I'm having a horrible time getting him to do any written homework in the evenings. He's a very slow writer, and he hates it. He does okay with any kind of homework if he doesn't have to write much. He's okay with multiple choice questions, math work, etc. He just has a hard time writing sentences, paragraphs, and reports.
I don't want to put him on drugs because he does okay in school. Also, he should never be put on Ritalin because it would make his tics worse.
I'm now seriously considering homeschooling. He'd still have to write, but he could do that in the morning when he is fresher. He wouldn't have to do writing work when he is tired after a full day of school. He's also the type of kid that gets a lot out of field trips and hands-on learning.
I just don't know if I could make him concentrate at home to get his writing and other "boring" work done.