Princess Caitlin pre trip August '10 costarring dawnbu40

[dawnbu40]

What an accomplishment!!! Wow....there is nothing more thrilling as a parent than seeing your children succeed.....makes me a tad weepy. Congrats Caitlin, that takes dedication and hard work....good for you.....so happy for you!!!!

Thank you! I am really proud of all the success Caitlin has had in college. She takes it seriously and works really hard and it has paid off

She has been at Leadership training camp, sponsored and paid for by the university, all week and she comes home today I've really missed her and can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[MEK]

I just read your post about Caitlin's grades and leadership course. Congratulations to her! What really caught my eye was the comment that she has ADD. My son Brian was just diagnosed with ADD. This is literally his second week of taking medication and so far he seems like a completely different person when I see him in the evenings. He is a junior in high school and for the last couple years I have been suspicious that something was not quite right. If there is anything you can tell me about what strategies Caitlin uses to maintain focus and organization, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[dawnbu40]

I just read your post about Caitlin's grades and leadership course. Congratulations to her! What really caught my eye was the comment that she has ADD. My son Brian was just diagnosed with ADD. This is literally his second week of taking medication and so far he seems like a completely different person when I see him in the evenings. He is a junior in high school and for the last couple years I have been suspicious that something was not quite right. If there is anything you can tell me about what strategies Caitlin uses to maintain focus and organization, I would greatly appreciate it.

When Caitlin was in elementary school every year at parent teacher conferences Dale and I would hear "Caitlin is probably the brightest child in her class but just isn't working up to her potential". It was like a broken record but she was thriving (reading chapter books in 1st grade etc) getting great grades but struggled with things needing fine details. Dale and I and the teachers mostly attributed it to her being very social, a lefty and being the youngest in her grade. (she started kdg at 4 with a Nov bday)

When she got to middle school it was awful! Moving from room to room was awful for her. She would do the work and then leave it in her locker or another class and then the teacher's wouldn't cooperate with her going back for it and she couldn't turn it in late so she was doing miserably. I was substitute teaching at the time and talked to a special ed teacher friend of mine and she suggested the idea of passive ADD. Sure enough after monitoring her and "testing" her that's what she had. (ADD without hyperactivity)

This process started when she was in 8th grade and the summer before she started highschool she was put on Adderall. Her first semester of highschool she had straight A's. A huge improvement and none of her teacher's could believe middle school had been a trial for her. However, after a few months the side effects of Adderall were too much. She couldn't eat and lost a lot of weight and you know she's tiny to begin with. She also couldn't wind down at night to go to sleep. So she had to go off of adderall. Her sophomore year her grades were down without her being on anything so her junior year we met with teachers before school began. I sat down with them and explained her needs (and demanded they form a plan for her success) and she improved and continued to improve her senior year and has done incredible in college.

Her biggest secret for success is organization.
She has to have clear instructions as to when an assignment is due. ( In middle school or highschool those teachers who say "hang onto it we'll check it later this week" were too vague for her and she would lose or forget it)

She finds a planner to be a great tool that really helps. It does take some getting used to but once the habit of writing down due dates or upcoming assignments is formed, it is a lifesaver.

In highschool something else she started doing was carrying everything with her all day long. At times it was hard, but she managed, but that way everything was always with her and never lost or forgotten in the locker. (of course in college you kind of have to do this anyway)

Probably the other big tip would be to always sit in the front of the room. It is harder to be distracted if the teacher/professor is right in front of you.

I know how frustrating ADD is to deal with but I'm sure Brian can overcome the challenge. I hope some of these tips can help him!

 

[WrightFamily06]

When you were 3 or 4 ?! You just made me feel ANCIENT

I'm hoping the Nightastic sticks around but so far the material I've gotten just lists it until the 14th of August. Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens but fingers are crossed for it staying!

Captain EO was at the time a cool short scifi movie with a couple MJ performed songs thrown in. It was the first 4D attraction (3D with lasers and smoke making the 4thD) At the time it seemed really cool and advanced. I'm not so sure it will still be cool 20+ years later but it will be fun to check out!

Sorry Dawn I am only 27 you know

I'm keeping my fingers crossed too cause I would really love to see Nightastic also !

Thanks for the description sounds like a good show but I don't know if I convince DH to do it he has never been an MJ fan

 

[dawnbu40]

Sorry Dawn I am only 27 you know

I'm keeping my fingers crossed too cause I would really love to see Nightastic also !

Thanks for the description sounds like a good show but I don't know if I convince DH to do it he has never been an MJ fan

I know I was kidding with you

I hope the special summer things stick around for both our trips!
I'm also hoping it's not crazy hot or rainy for our trips!!

If your DH is anti-MJ I'm pretty sure he would not enjoy Capt EO since as I recall he's on screen pretty much the whole time. ( But it's not like it's anything that's so great that I'd drag someone who didn't want to go)

 

[dawnbu40]

Happy Birthday to Disney's Hollywood Studios!

The park opened 21 years ago today!

We visited it for the first time in May of 1993 when Caitlin was just 2.5! I miss the backlot tour they used to have with the tv show houses and things and I miss the character meal they used to have in what now houses Playhouse Disney. Those meals were the most fun of any character meals we've ever done. I remember when Caitlin was 5 and we ate there and it was us and one other family! The 2 families had Jasmine, Aladdin, the Genie, Jafar, Gov Ratcliffe and Pocahontas all to ourselves! It was a blast and a dream come true for a 5 year old

Of course you know that I think TSM is the best addition since they opened (but I know a lot of folks would beg to differ)

DHS and thanks for the memories!

 

[MEK]

Thanks for sharing Caitlin's story. I think that is exactly what Brian has - ADD without the hyperactivity. He never had a problem sitting still in most of his classes, but he is terribly disorganized and often misplaces things. He managed to do well in school until this year, but I have always been concerned that his study habits were ineffective. And I became increasingly concerned when I noticed he could not sit still to read anything for more than 5 to 10 minutes. Still, I brushed these symptoms off and thought it was because he "wasn't trying".

What really opened my eyes was how oppositional he was becoming this year and it got worse after he started to drive. His continued disrespect caused me to do some serious investigating and I learned that many kids who are oppositional and defiant have ADD or ADHD. So between that and the slipping grades, he got tested. Surprisingly, the Adderall seems to make him calmer at night and far less oppositional. But I am concerned about the reduced appetite. Brian is not super thin, as many teenagers are, so he can lose a few pounds without a problem, but its still a concern. He seems to be sleeping fine.

I have also learned how important clear instructions are. I am leaving more notes and giving more verbal and text message reminders. He just scored a 93 on a book quiz, which is unheard for Brian. He says its because he loves the book, but I can't help wondering if the Adderall is finally allowing him to read without distraction. I am not crazy about the idea of long term psychostimulants, and I know its not a cure-all, but the improvement I have seen in two weeks is beyond my expectations.

I am a little nervous about not being home next week to monitor the Adderall. I have placed the monday through friday pills in a labeled pill box. I will ask my girlfriend to check with him, but I KNOW these kids give each other psychostimulant medication. In fact, Brian's first dose of Adderall was when a friend gave it to me. I don't want to be responsible for any of this med getting in someone else's hands.

Thank you again for all the tips. Perhaps next year brian will use his organizer and start his senior year off on the right foot.

 

[WrightFamily06]

I know I was kidding with you

I hope the special summer things stick around for both our trips!
I'm also hoping it's not crazy hot or rainy for our trips!!

If your DH is anti-MJ I'm pretty sure he would not enjoy Capt EO since as I recall he's on screen pretty much the whole time. ( But it's not like it's anything that's so great that I'd drag someone who didn't want to go)

Yes, I totally knew you were kidding & so was I

Yes, I 'm also keeping my fingers crossed that we both have the perfect trips w/ Nightastic included and no bad weather !


Happy 21st Birthday DHS !

My first trip to DHS or MGM back then was in March of 1993 but I was 9 at the time , what a small world !

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Hi guys! Finally caught up on this PTR thread! I think it's AWESOME that you got to go to Disney this past March, and when you came home you still had a trip to look forward to! I'm going to start reading the March TR when I get home from work tonight. I tried to go to the D23 anniversary party but I just couldn't get the hours off work. You're very lucky!

And by the way, I am SO jealous that you're staying at Boardwalk!! That's my dream resort, I tried to book it for our coming trip! Can't wait to hear about your stay there!

Consider me on board, can't wait to see how things unfold for you!

 

[dawnbu40]

Hi guys! Finally caught up on this PTR thread! I think it's AWESOME that you got to go to Disney this past March, and when you came home you still had a trip to look forward to! I'm going to start reading the March TR when I get home from work tonight. I tried to go to the D23 anniversary party but I just couldn't get the hours off work. You're very lucky!

And by the way, I am SO jealous that you're staying at Boardwalk!! That's my dream resort, I tried to book it for our coming trip! Can't wait to hear about your stay there!

Consider me on board, can't wait to see how things unfold for you!

Hi there! So glad you've joined us! We were very blessed that we got to take the "extra" trip in March! Waiting all the way until August,when we're used to going in spring, was going to be really hard!

We haven't gotten to the D23 party yet in our TR but I will say it wasn't quite as nice as we expected/hoped but we did have a lot of fun and one of the surpises made it worth the cost!

Sorry you weren't able to get Boardwalk but we'll be sure and take lots of pics so you can enjoy it vicariously

 

[MEK]

Thanks for the pm Dawn! You rock!

 

[dawnbu40]

Thanks for the pm Dawn! You rock!

That's what friends are for!

 

[dizneeat]

I am VERY late to join and I haven't even read it all, but this sounds like a fun trip and we will be there at the same time.

Can't wait to go back and read it all!

 

[dawnbu40]

I am VERY late to join and I haven't even read it all, but this sounds like a fun trip and we will be there at the same time.

Can't wait to go back and read it all!

Hi there! Glad you've joined us! Our plans have changed many times since we started this ptr, including adding the trip we took in March, but we love nothing more than planning Disney trips! (except of course actually going on them )


I see your ticker says 21 nights! How wonderful!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Wow, that's so interesting about Caitlin's ADD and I hope she doesn't mind us all discussing it. She is obviously doing great now! Tessa is SO bright, I can really see her loving school if I can get her in this fall (at age 4). But I do worry about her attention and have prepared myself for some diagnosis or another once she does start school. Do you think starting Caitlin at 5 would have been better, worse or just delayed the inevitable?

 

[dawnbu40]

Wow, that's so interesting about Caitlin's ADD and I hope she doesn't mind us all discussing it. She is obviously doing great now! Tessa is SO bright, I can really see her loving school if I can get her in this fall (at age 4). But I do worry about her attention and have prepared myself for some diagnosis or another once she does start school. Do you think starting Caitlin at 5 would have been better, worse or just delayed the inevitable?

I had asked her if it was ok to discuss and she is fine with it. We both feel when you have some challenge you are able to overcome it is important to share your struggles with others so they can see first of all they aren't alone and secondly that it can be beat.

As far as starting kdg... I can see both sides and I honestly don't know if I could do it all over if I would wait another year. As it was, the year before she started she would watch the other kids walk to school each day and cry that she couldn't go. In kdg she learned to read and by spring of first grade she was reading and comprehending Goosebump (always was a tomboy) books and other chapter books. So she was more then ready to handle the work. Would another year have helped her with the ADD? I don't know. In hindsight I do think she would have been diagnosed earlier if she had been a boy. I think there is some gender bias with ADD.

The biggest challenge was middle school and if she had learned organizational skills earlier and had teacher cooperation of letting her have a cubby or some space in each classroom for her work and supplies it could have made a world of difference.

Sorry I don't have a clearer answer for you!

 

[yinyanggirls]

That's a great answer. Just knowing that starting early isn't a regret gives me a little more peace in trying to get her in. A year ago I was convinced that she needed to (in comparison to her age group) and I still feel it would work out well if she does. She would be three months younger than the youngest kid allowed by the cut-off. She has the alphabet down, all the sounds they make as well as a handful of words she recognizes on sight. (Disney happens to be one of them, even if it's not in the "Disney" script! lol) She doesn't cry, but is always asking about school and the bus, etc. She is so bored at home but when I try to do flashcards or workbooks with her she's not interested. Not sure how else I can keep her interested in "academics" without her actually being in school. So, again, thanks for sharing your experience, both of you!

 

[dawnbu40]

That's a great answer. Just knowing that starting early isn't a regret gives me a little more peace in trying to get her in. A year ago I was convinced that she needed to (in comparison to her age group) and I still feel it would work out well if she does. She would be three months younger than the youngest kid allowed by the cut-off. She has the alphabet down, all the sounds they make as well as a handful of words she recognizes on sight. (Disney happens to be one of them, even if it's not in the "Disney" script! lol) She doesn't cry, but is always asking about school and the bus, etc. She is so bored at home but when I try to do flashcards or workbooks with her she's not interested. Not sure how else I can keep her interested in "academics" without her actually being in school. So, again, thanks for sharing your experience, both of you!

Well it sounds like Tessa is ready! And no problem! Hope we helped a little

 

[LilAnn]

Just poping on the boards to say hi while everyone is still sleeping. Thought I'd say thanks for the advice about hitting up AK evening EMH. We went last night and I was able to walk right on to EE! Fantastic!

 

[dawnbu40]

Just poping on the boards to say hi while everyone is still sleeping. Thought I'd say thanks for the advice about hitting up AK evening EMH. We went last night and I was able to walk right on to EE! Fantastic!

Welcome Home!! We hope you had a wonderful time and we can't wait to see the pics of your adorable little girl enjoying the magic! for walking on EE!