ADHD and Me

Meet eight-year-old Malory. Malory has a learning difference, but that doesn’t stop her from enjoying her life. Whenever she feels blue, her mother and father remind her of the list of the ones who love her. Ms. Julie, her art teacher, understands how it feels to be a little different. She was born with autism. Ms. Julie encourages Malory to express herself through art. ADHD and Me is a beautiful celebration of neurodiversity through the voice of a child. Inspired by a true story.

SEL, DIS

Did you know?

Statistics show that more than 60% of children who have been diagnosed with ADHD are also treated for other mental disorders. Many people also contend with addictive disorders, engage in self-harm such as cutting or struggle with learning disabilities. There are many areas that ADHD can affect a person’s mental health. Four common areas are:

• Depression
• Social anxiety
• Insomnia
• Low self-esteem

Depression can drain your energy. Social anxiety can make it difficult to make friends or interact in group settings. Insomnia can result in poor mental or physical performance. And low self-esteem can lead to loneliness.

A child should never have to face these things alone!

Parents and teachers are in the PRIME position to help children and students struggling with these emotional needs. So, how can we, as parents and teachers, do this? With providing children with four key things:

• A healthy support system
• Encouragement to boost their self-esteem
• Open communication
• And creative outlets

ADHD and Me is inspired by a true story and told from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl named Malory. Throughout the story, Malory shares observations of others around her in school and at home while also navigating her own feelings.

***RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS***

At the end of the book, there is a learning guide for parents and educators that goes into detail on how to create a healthy support system, boost your child’s self-esteem, open up communication, and provide healthy creative outlets. ADHD and Me also has a FREE coinciding lesson plan designed for ages 5-8, made available for download to educators grades K-3rd grade on my website WWW.CHELSEASWORLDOFBOOKS.COM.

This curriculum includes homework, social experiments, interactive games, and much more! It is designed to help educate and inspire positive emotional stimulation, social engagement, creative thinking, and problem-solving in a classroom setting. Its purpose is to help educate children and motivate an engagement in social interactions.

***SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TEACHERS!!***

A special edition of this book entitled: ADHD and Me: CLASSROOM EDITION is scheduled to be released on December 15th, 2021. This book will be available for purchase through Lulu Online Bookstore. This edition is designed to be used by educators between K-3rd grade. It is equipped with questions, discussion points, and a hands-on guide to help children establish healthy boundaries, boost self-esteem, identify support systems, and discover creative outlets.

Growing up with ADHD was not easy. I spent a lot of my childhood being very misunderstood. I had a lot of feelings and emotions that weren't really seen. I didn't connect well with other children my age, due to my lack of ability to properly focus. I was fortunate enough to have a very loving and supportive family who adored me for who I was. I started writing books right away. The earliest age I remember writing my stories is 5 years old. My family always encouraged me to be true to myself. They never once made me feel like there was anything wrong with me. I did battle with different medications and that was very difficult not just on me, but on my parents as well. They always wanted what was best for me and sometimes as a parent, it is hard to know what the right thing to do is. That is why I wanted to write this book. I feel so strongly for parents and children who face learning disabilities. Whether it is ADHD, Autism, Down Syndrome, Tourettes, Dyslexia, or something else, it is a difficult road, and it can be even harder when you don't have the support or understanding of others. So many mothers, fathers, and children, deal with these things on a daily basis, and sadly, many people don't understand how much these families go through. My goal in sharing the story of "Malory" is to not only to show the ups and downs of how things really can be behind the scenes, but to encourage and inspire children who deal with these challenges, that yes, you are different. That is OKAY! It is a great thing to be different, it just makes you unique, and you are beautiful JUST the way that you are.