I’ve been reading over some information about Alberta Special Education. I have two children coded 54 (learning disabilities) my 13 year old (who was diagnosed with AD/HD) was also diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder – although he has been very very good the last few months. My 8 year old also has a code 58 – which is medical disability. This was caused from her contracting Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome when she was 14 months old.
2 of my other children have attention issues. They have not been diagnosed with anything but I am prepared for the possibility. I know these types of issues are highly genetic – and also highly learned. My husband has ADD. I have bipolar. It is probable that either my children either have ADD because they have inherited it – OR – they have traits because they are being raised by parents who fall short in some areas.
I have two other children who are gifted. One of them can get hyper – but I highly doubt it is AD/HD related. However, she does have a very different type of personality. Her social skills are lacking. She certainly looks at life differently than most people do. I want to say "she started an anime club" as an example of her "differentness" but that isn’t so different for kids these days. She’s quirky. She has a very difficult time talking to people in a normal tone of voice. She just turned 15. My 4 year old will likely be reading before he enters kindergarten. I don’t think he is advanced – but he is certainly not behind. He is a little fact machine. He thinks all the time. All my other children – including my 15 year old – struggled with reading. So it leads me to wonder – do 5 of them have an inherited issues – or did one of them manage to learn in spite of my husband and I having difficulties?
Whatever the case, I know a few things:
1. there was no homework time growing up for either my husband or I
2. I struggled in school my whole life and felt stupid and incompetent
3. My husband struggled in school and felt stupid and incompetent
4. We were both high school drop outs (although I did go back and do two years of college)
5. We have had financial struggles our entire married life and I DON’T want our children to be like us
6. Both of us still have self esteem issues from our childhoods – and lack of education – and I don’t want our children to be like us
Therefor – I have to be educated on the issues – and I have to do something about them. I have to break cycles.
