Day 93 — Sick Day? Nope, Mental Health Day

OK before I ever acknowledged I have ADHD, I raised a daughter and then a son who is severely ADHD. He was diagnosed at 3 years old. I am a so called bad Mom who medicated him to survive in school. He is so brilliant. Having a new puppy is similar to a baby LOL !!!! Animals are part of the family, and they are a lot of work. My ADHD son still tries to bring me animals . He knows I love them, but the last one he brought home was a teacup toothless Pomeranian who was attacked by the brilliant owners decision to get 2 Great Danes. My Mom died 5 years ago and his dog helped me through it.He is sweet and said I could keep his Pomeranian. So he brought home my little terror for himself, during one of his temporary adult stays. I saw him walking out the door with the toothless dog and he said he is way too needy. I was like NO. The dog was kept in a crate in a room with the doors closed. So needless to say I have a golden and a toothless Pomeranian. Sometimes a dog can exhaust you.Plus you have all of this other stuff on your mind. A break is ok. He will be trained:)

Lisa Focus

...This is incredible. I smell a new video idea...

Madalen Jade Wallaker

Actually wait — there IS this! <a href="http://www.chadd.org/Understanding-ADHD/The-National-Resource-Center-on-ADHD-Helpline.aspx" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.chadd.org/Understanding-ADHD/The-National-Resource-Center-on-ADHD-Helpline.aspx</a>

How to ADHD

No it’s the AKG hotline for questions about raising puppies but OMG WHY DOES AN ADHD HOTLINE NOT EXIST?? That’s brilliant! I bet SO many parents would happily pay $80 to be able to call a hotline and get suggestions for how to handle x situation with their mini brains!

How to ADHD

Did you just say there's an ADHD HOTLINE?!

Madalen Jade Wallaker

Yes, when you have over a thousand, or was it two thousand views in the first hour of posting your latest YouTube video, you can breathe...word is out about how awesome you are and what you have to offer...yep, I know that dogs aren't children but there are very real parallels...what a blessing to help you experience the challenges of parenting before you hav children...I believe God is using that so that you are even MORE helpful than you have been before you had Chloe... speaking of...nudge, nudge...the email &amp; my blog post bit.ly/tabtblog have adorable pictures of Chloe &amp; Tyler.

Nancy Wilson

In a way it was interesting. You would have a list of things that would work. Each day you would go through them until one worked. If nothing worked, you tired something new. We had a backpack type thing I could put her in and would walk the dog with her she loved that and a lot of times feel asleep. I understand about wanting to get things done and just mentally not being able or wanting to do them. As far as I am concerned, sick days are for both physical and mental days.

Well kind of... it was their work place that was causing the anxiety and depression in the first place. But that's in the past, and my current job is much better, staff and managers treat each other with respect and look out for each other :)

Carsten Bauer

Thanks a lot &lt;3

Skizuki

Oh wow, that’s really cool of them! And love the black dog reference, such a great explanation of depression.

How to ADHD

Hahaha yep sounds like you got yourself a human puppy there 😂 Trade you!

How to ADHD

Oof yeah I was colicky too, my mom had SUCH a hard time with me as a baby! I also wouldn’t sleep in my crib, I needed movement so they ended up just letting me sleep in my bouncer thingy (that hangs from the doorway) or my dad would drive me around til I fell asleep 😂 And yeah you’re right, it’s not that you want to take a day off, I was actually kind of upset cause I really wanted to work on this script, but life happens.

How to ADHD

Aww that’s super sweet!!! ❤️ Thank you!

How to ADHD

There is one! I think it’s pinned in the daily vlog Discord but just in case, here it is for youuu :) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt4B-EXs2py3US1g4ws1xuIx8OPqOQL15" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt4B-EXs2py3US1g4ws1xuIx8OPqOQL15</a>

How to ADHD

At my last job, I had a quota of 10 sick days per year, but my bosses didn't enforce it if I needed a day off. It was when I was going through my black dog period. I was going through depression anxiety and had just been diagnosed with ADHD so everything was at once.

Carsten Bauer

Hmmmmm...OK, to me, this is preparing you for the parenting episode better than you could ever have believed :P ALL THE SUPPORT, and yes... ADHD kids require parents learning a much different skill-set than most of us were ever prepared for...not that much in my life prepared me for parenting at all :/ My son is brilliant, argumentative, opinionated, forgetful, makes plans for everyone, and is so easily crushed by adversity it breaks my heart...because he's going to face a lot of it. Of course, he's also very resilient, and gets back to making plans two heart beats later :P He's also VERY physical, VERY needy, VERY desperate for interaction and attention, and has gnawed on me a time or two. Much like a puppy :P

LadyGrndr(Lacey S)

A lot of my sick days at places were days that I jus could not take anymore. This was usually after a long period of stressful long periods. I was not mentally sick, but mentally I could not handle it anymore. You are correct we get to a point that we need the break. I called it a mental health day too. I finally worked with my doctor to get 3 to 4 days per month covered by FMLA. This way I could not be affected by taking too many sick days. Having a dog is a precursor to having children. My first child was colicky. Never in my life would I even wish that on my worst enemy. I survived it but when I saw my cousins baby and all it did was sleep, eat and cry (a little) I was amazed of the difference. My second child was not colicky so life was good. Do you want to take a day off no, but sometimes you do. Things will get better, and you actually accomplished something from what you said.

I'm glad you're taking a day! Just knowing you need one is a big win. But remember, you don't need to promote the podcasts your doing all by yourself. You have a whole tribe, I bet you, willing to help get the word out if you ask. You aren't alone.

Rachel B Royer

Could you make a unlisted playlist of the vlogs or something like that? Catching up with my smartphone is not very pleasant :/

Skizuki

yeah i hope it helps. it is good how you are doing variety of training since that dog breed i am pretty sure had good memory (or that dog in particular).

A Arctic fox

Not all at once, total throughout the day. Usually only 5-10 minutes at a time. And not all of it is active training, some of it is play, walking, etc. — she’s getting really good but it’s exhausting. Her puppy class requires a commitment of 45 mins-1 hour for training alone. I’m hoping the new routine will help ☺️

How to ADHD

When i have a mental health day (is that what we call it?) i usually force myself to stay on schedule except i zone out a lot more and stuff like that which is annoying, but when i get home i usually let myself chill.

A Arctic fox

you train her for a couple hours a day? that is most likely to much, all dogs have a point where it is better to just stop. my dog can only handle about five mins a day

A Arctic fox