OMG! Exams are almost here! It’s the final sprint to the finish. Just a few more tests, projects, and papers: the last chances to bring up that GPA. And then, before you know it, it’s exam week! 

Here's a great article by Jami Ingledue at the Huffington Post: "10 Things Parents of "Normal" Kids Should Know."  Maybe you’re reading this because your kid has ADHD. Or maybe you were once a kid with ADHD. Parenting can be oh so hard at times. You are not alone, my friend. 

Not everyone who struggles with executive function skills has ADHD. And not everyone who has ADHD chooses to take medication. My personal experience is that the right medications can work wonders, but should only change you as much as eyeglasses.

Understanding the roots of negative behavior, and the neurological changes that cause it, are crucial to putting together a collaborative plan to address said behavior.

As you all know, the mind has the power to make you or break you. Having the skills to quiet the internal criticism, the doubts and the self flagellation is crucial to success.

ADDitude Magazine has offered up a cute little solution to "To-Do List Shame," with an article on creating a “Ta-Da” list. For just a little while, forget your to-do list—you know, the one that just keeps getting longer and longer, the one that makes you feel bad. Instead, jot down a ta-da list.

Here’s another article for those of you that like brain research like I do: "Effects of gratitude meditation on neural network functional connectivity and brain-heart coupling." Practicing gratitude meditation on a regular basis makes you feel better.

Mindfulness for empowerment? Yes! Take 5 minutes now or 5 later, but try this today. In the excitement of work, family and life, I have to consciously make time for self-care. There are times when I find it difficult to believe that I deserve to be so happy and am not as open as I should be to receive love. This is human, yet something I can work on.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about mindfulness and how we should all be practicing it. I found the article "What Does Mindfulness Mediation to For Your Brain?" at the Scientific American that explains the biology behind it in an easy way.

What would it be like to be your keys? Would you have a nice cozy place to call home? Or would you be a nomad, wandering and hiding in all sorts of interesting places? Here are some tips to help you stay organized and save time. My favorite tip? Invest in a trash can (or recycling bin) and use it mercilessly!

"ADHD's Common Denominators: 11 Hidden Truths That Unlock Treatment Success" over at ADDitude Magazine is a superb summary of how to approach treatment for ADHD or executive function disorder. My favorite:

Sometimes in life we need an accountability partner. This person can be a professional coach, but it can also be a friend, a family member or even an online community. Say you want to train for the Crescent City Classic. You have the perfect training schedule to finish that 10k, but how will you ever get the motivation to follow it?

Maybe some of you have given up alcohol for Lent. Maybe some of you thought about giving up alcohol for Lent. Maybe some of you have a great intention. In any case, I came across this inspiring letter written by someone who struggled with both ADHD and alcoholism: quite a typical co-morbid pair. 

When I first became aware that my son might have ADHD, I realized I needed help. I needed to to put together a support team—not just for him, but for myself and for my family’s sanity. I will forever be indebted to the learning specialist at his school who gave me pep talks and told me who to call and where to go.

We all know the importance of sleep for your body and your brain. Especially to improve working memory, the brain has to rest and process all of the information it’s been fed all day. Ideally, remove all technology from the bedroom at least an hour before sleep. Blue light disrupts melatonin production. That melatonin suffuses the brain and tells it to shut down and go to sleep. So bring it on, melatonin!

You are what you eat. Forget bikini season, think Beautiful Brain Lifestyle! Luckily, we don’t need any special diets or supplements for a happy, high-functioning mind. Eating a variety of fresh and colorful natural foods, as suggested in the article "9 Foods to Supercharge Your Brain," will do the trick. Pretty on your plate and you can think straight!

When you’re a mom with ADHD, parenting can be even harder, as this article, "Never Good Enough: The Emotional Toll of Motherhood," explains. So forget super mom! All you have to be is super You.

The article "Is Your Child a Phone Addict?" from The New York Times demonstrates how parents can have difficulty distinguishing phone abuse from appropriate use.I recommend the apps Moment and Forest so that you become aware of your habits and use your phone mindfully. Working with a coach like Mind Coach NOLA can also help you or your family members!

Yesterday, I received an Instagram message from @Mrs.SuperDuper, a.k.a. Coach Rachel Sirwatka, who shared with me her video, "You Are Never Getting Your Pencil Back." And I couldn't wait to share it with you! Coach Rachel is a science teacher who makes videos (like this one) for her students. Not only is she hilarious and spunky, she has the right idea about how magical an ADD or ADHD diagnosis is.

I remember when I got the official diagnosis that my son has ADHD. His teachers had been patient and wonderful, as were the learning specialist and the counselor at his school. I already knew it was coming but my husband was in denial and a small part of me just wanted it all to go away. “Maybe it’s just a phase that he will outgrow,” I told myself. And when the psychologist explained to us he was a “classic textbook case,” I was both relieved and devastated.