No Wonder ADHD Is On The Rise!

I believe in ADD and ADHD. I also believe that in many people it is a learned behavior. They learn this behavior to help them cope with the stresses of college or life. I developed it and have been able to harness it and allow it to help me. I am getting better and I know what foods to avoid, but I am astounded at the skyrocketing rates of it in our students.

I will say now that I am not sold on the "Baby Einstein" products. I have watched a couple of them and I am wondering if they help teach our children to be ADD. Scoff if you want, but it is something I've wondered. The images flash so fast that I can't even focus and form a thought about one before a new one appears. Now little kids have "learning video games." Video games for 3 year olds? What happened to going out side and playing with the neighbors? A friendly game of kick ball or jailbreak? Seriously. And the television and computer have taken over as babysitters in some houses. Yes, I am guilty of coming home and plopping in front of the tube, but I've begun to change those ways and by doing so, Ayron has too.

Last night we were at Meijer and you can pay to use a cart that has a tv screen in it for your children. There are enough situations going on while in store, why add to it by allowing your child to watch tv while you shop? Why not have your kids count apples as you bag, or start teaching letters, those types of activities.

We are overstimulating ourselves and our kids. Yes, I am able to chat, blog, talk on the phone and grade a math test all at once. Yes, I taught myself how to deal with several stimuli at once, but it's not always a good thing. It does make it really hard for me to focus when I have just one thing to do. Why are we over stimulating our kids? By the time they hit 1st grade they are almost expecting the classroom to be like home with several things going at once and no need to focus on one for a long period of time. No wonder our testing scores are down (although I'm not a fan of the testing either).

I vow to make/teach my children play outside, to make friends with the neighbor kids (if we have any), to read a book instead of watching tv, to use their imaginations to play instead of the video game system. Call me old fashioned, but I think it's the better alternative.