[Ferd]

I was diagnosed ADHD/dyslexic in the third grade. back then they didnt call it ADHD, they called it hyperactive (ha!). Not a soul on the planet disagreed with the hyperactive part!

I pretty much failed my way thru kindergarden/first grade/second grade. But when I got to third grade, I had this old wise teacher that told mom and dad that I needed some help.

the jist of it was, I went on ritalin and got to go to "special classes" boy that was fun. Anyway mom decided that I would only take the medicine during school time even though the doctor told her it would calm me down and make her life easier 24/7. She felt my health was more important.

This also meant that by the time I got home from school, the drud had worn off and homework had to be done with no ritalin. Mom figured out my attention span was about 15 minutes. So every single day for 2 years she sat with me to do my homework. 15 minutes of work, then outside to play for 15 minutes, then repeat until homework was done.

we did this for all of the 3rd grade and 4th grade. By the last 6 weeks of 3rd grade, I was on the honor roll, and had gone from the bottom reading group (1st grade level) to the top reading group (5th grade level). I remained on the honor roll (most of the time) until I graduated highschool

By the end of the fourth grade, my mom and I had worked out how to train me to study and by the fith grade I was on my own. I got off the ritalin in the second six weeks of 5th grade, and never looked back.

If it werent for my mom, I would have been in serious trouble. I know guys that I grew up with who had the same issues I did, and by highschool they were real trouble makers, hooked on drugs and ended in jail.

Mom saved me.