+1 although your son is 17 you don’t seem to understand the nature of adhd very well. Symptoms are different for different kids! |
| Room temperature water, FTW. |
Right?! OP is being way too precious here. |
PP you replied to. He has SEVERE ADHD. He was diagnosed at 6, but symptoms were there well before that. He has never lost anything. I can accept this is unusual, but please don't think my kid was diagnosed yesterday. Severe ADHD is apparent very early on, and I thought people knew that - my bad. I mentioned he was 17 now, just to highlight the track record. Of course, I may just have jinxed myself!
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| Stop sending the bottle. He can drink warm water. |
I don’t doubt your son has severe adhd and didn’t think he was just diagnosed. I’m responding to the idea that he doesn’t lose stuff because he cares about his stuff. That’s simply not one of *his* adhd symptoms. My inattentive adhd kid gets excellent grades and has never been in trouble in school (but loses everything, all the time.) He doesn’t sit still/not talk out of turn in class despite adhd because he “cares about his education” (although he does) he simply doesn’t have that hyperactivity as a symptom. |
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Set him up for success. Is he bringing a backpack or bag? Does the water bottle have a handle or strap? That’s helpful for my kids.
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It’s incredibly unusual for any child to have never lost anything. I have a child who is very organized and conscientious and careful with her belongings, but even she came home from Outdoor Ed without her jacket. |
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Try buying the "good" water bottles when you find them at cheap discount, so you have a stockpile. If you can buy them cheaply and always have backups, you'll get less annoyed. I stalk the Thermos "funtainers" because they tend to be less expensive anyway (I think they retail for $15-16) and because you can buy replacement straws pretty cheaply ($5 for a two back) in case those get broken or lost.
Like right now you can get it in green for $12. Not free but not $20+. Buy two and stick them in the cabinet just in case. My kid will complain that the replacements are not her favorite color, which I view as a bonus -- if you want the one in your favorite color or pattern, then I need you to find a way to not leave it everywhere you go. It's a good incentive. |
| Take the cost out of his allowance or make him do chores to pay off. |
| Agree with others to just give up on sending in expensive bottles. One idea: check out thrift stores and stock up on a bunch of cheap secondhand ones. There were a ton of water bottles at the Second Avenue thrift store last time I was there and a lot of them were only $.50 or $.99. There were also plenty of insulated ones for a couple of bucks each. |
OK? I'm going to guess that either your kid has hyperactive ADHD, not the inattentive type, or you are a total helicopter mom, or both. It's very normal for kids to lose things once in a while, and for kids with ADHD combined or inattentive to lose things more often. |
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7 yrs olds aren't known for their due diligence when it comes to water bottles.
They are naturally more focused and thinking about the fun they're having at the pool, with their friends, keeping-up with said friends, being silly, and having a good time. Send with a disposable water- Deer Park or whatever. Also, can you go back and look in the Lost &Found at, say, the pool where your kid left his water bottle behind? |
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Get one of those long kink spiral cords (like the kind for telephones) and tether the water bottle to his bag/beach bag.
The cord should be long enough where he can still easily drink from the water bottle and even be able to tuck the water into the side pocket so it doesn't dangle. |
| Do you lack common sense, OP? Just don’t send expensive bottles with your kid. |