[murphya]

I have a 6 1/2 year old who doesn't listen. He thinks everyone hates him. His selfesteam is really low. He is diagnosed with ADD, and ADHD. I have tried everything. Counseling, pills, taking things away when he is not listening. Is there any advice for me. I am almost to the point of giving him up to his dad and step mom. If I didn't live him as much I would have already done it. Am I a bad mom for saying that , I feel like it?

[N0help4u]

You have to be consistent. The one thing that really makes it worse is when you keep switching 'methods' it just confuses him and makes him not know what to think.
My one son was even violent and I often had to restrain him for hours.

Give him vitamin B complex and omega fatty acid
If he is not taking meds you can try this
Hyperactive Children - Homeopathic Remedy for Hyperactivity

Try reading
The Crazymakers by Carol Simontachhi
And Brain Allergies by Dr Philpott

[ldyastrid]

When you are talking with him, if there's anything else going on (TV, radio, other people talking or moving around, etc) he can't concentrate on your words...

Picture yourself in a room with loud music going on and children running around in front of you screaming and playing... and you are reading... do you think you could concentrate on whatever you are reading? I doubt it. Well... that's what your son is dealing with ALL the time - any distraction is huge, so concentration is almost non-existant.

Screaming at him isn't going to make him hear you any better, it's just contributing to all the other distractions.

When you want to get something across to him, bring him somewhere with no other distractions, make eye contact and then talk with him (not "to" him... "with" him) ask him to repeat what you said so you are sure that he understood what you said. Ask him if there is anything you can do to help him with this (aside from doing it for him! <smile>)

Hug him and tell him you love him and what a wonderful person he is... OFTEN.

Kids really do want to please their parents and teachers... kids with ADD / ADHD don't want to misbehave and they really can't tell you why they are doing what they are doing, things are out of control, because they feel out of control... they are over stimuated because of everything that is going on around them - something we can ignore, they can't.

Good luck! It takes a LOT of patience working with kids with ADD/ADHD - but in the long run, it's worth it!