Anonymous wrote:NP.

Fwiw we've historically never been able to take DS off meds. His hyperactivity was so severe that he had to go on meds at age 4 if he was going to attend preschool and K. The ONE TIME i forgot to give him his meds in 1st grade, he lasted to about 10am before we got a call from the office to pick him up. Literally could not attend school or camp or a social function without medication. You can find my posts on here from 8 years ago wondering if and when a kid would ever outgrow this intensity, because the ADHD resources/journal articles all say it should lessen "in adolescence" but without any further detail. And DH and I were desperate for things to get easier but were in disbelief that it would ever happen to DS.

Anyhow, he's 13 now and completely off meds this summer - but for day camp days, we are still putting him on the lowest dose of concerta available. And he is AWESOME! He was off meds a lot of last summer and the summer before too, and it was mostly fine. But at 13, he basically sits around and doesn't do anything because he is a lazy teenager. And i love it. He eats a ton, burns a ton of calories, is polite enough (for a 13 year old boy). I never thought we'd get here. We like to keep him off meds because his personality is more fun and open off meds. He's indifferent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t do meds on weekends or summers. Kids need to grow mentally as well and learning to use natural techniques to address impulsivity is a life skill we want to foster, even if it is more difficult. We dig in a bit on his therapist, though! That helps.

This attitude drives me nuts. Because you're basically saying medication is a cheat or unnecessary if you only tried harder and put in the work. I think it underlies the support our kids need. And doesn't honor the struggle most of our kids have had to find medication that helps them be where they are. If your child needs medication to focus and be their best no amount of "using natural techniques" matters. It can't be both.

If you were to say "we stop meds and deal with the consequences" for whatever reason, be it food, growth, sleep, travel, logistics, then that is your choice. And I get that and have made that choice at times too. But when I do I acknowledge "my kid is struggling because their medication isnt available right now"

But framing it like stopping medication equals growth mindset is just condescending and ill informed. I would think your kid picks up on the fact that you think less of them because they need meds.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Those are all great pieces of advice. I will talk to his psych about non-stim meds and also embrace alternative eating times or consider just medicating anyway. I know the snacking at night drives my husband bonkers. He grew up in a "kitchen is closed" kinda house so doesn't like when the kids start snacking so soon after dinner.

How do you handle the snacking with the other kids? If my son is eating/snacking later at night, Icecream, yogurt, cheese, chips, etc. My other 3 kids are also going to want to eat at that time too even though they are not hungry nor do they need to eat then. I don't want to cause weird food struggles and also don't want to seem like I'm playing *favorites* which is inevitably what my young kids will think ("he gets to eat Icecream every night that's not fair"). I can see it now!

If he skips a meal then leave his portion in the fridge, that’s what he eats after dinner. Or he can eat an apple. Filling up on fake foods and sugar are the opposite of what he needs. With that diagnosis it should be 100% natural, nothing fake, nothing highly processed, mostly homemade diet.

I would talk to your child's doctor, OP. I don't think this is good advice for all kids. Our DS was low on the growth charts, so literally eating anything with fat was recommended.

That can be nachos with guacamole, banana with peanut butter, bagel with cream cheese. It doesn't need to involve neccessary sugar. Most of us aren't feeding our adhd kids ice cream at 9pm.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but literally everything you listed is a sugar bomb. Banana with peanut butter is super sugary, same with a starchy white bagel and cream cheese.

Also, ADHD has nothing to do with diet for almost all kids. You've been posting for years, and need to get off it. You sound like a tiktok RFK mom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Those are all great pieces of advice. I will talk to his psych about non-stim meds and also embrace alternative eating times or consider just medicating anyway. I know the snacking at night drives my husband bonkers. He grew up in a "kitchen is closed" kinda house so doesn't like when the kids start snacking so soon after dinner.

How do you handle the snacking with the other kids? If my son is eating/snacking later at night, Icecream, yogurt, cheese, chips, etc. My other 3 kids are also going to want to eat at that time too even though they are not hungry nor do they need to eat then. I don't want to cause weird food struggles and also don't want to seem like I'm playing *favorites* which is inevitably what my young kids will think ("he gets to eat Icecream every night that's not fair"). I can see it now!

If he skips a meal then leave his portion in the fridge, that’s what he eats after dinner. Or he can eat an apple. Filling up on fake foods and sugar are the opposite of what he needs. With that diagnosis it should be 100% natural, nothing fake, nothing highly processed, mostly homemade diet.

I would talk to your child's doctor, OP. I don't think this is good advice for all kids. Our DS was low on the growth charts, so literally eating anything with fat was recommended.

That can be nachos with guacamole, banana with peanut butter, bagel with cream cheese. It doesn't need to involve neccessary sugar. Most of us aren't feeding our adhd kids ice cream at 9pm.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but literally everything you listed is a sugar bomb. Banana with peanut butter is super sugary, same with a starchy white bagel and cream cheese.

Also, ADHD has nothing to do with diet for almost all kids. You've been posting for years, and need to get off it. You sound like a tiktok RFK mom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Those are all great pieces of advice. I will talk to his psych about non-stim meds and also embrace alternative eating times or consider just medicating anyway. I know the snacking at night drives my husband bonkers. He grew up in a "kitchen is closed" kinda house so doesn't like when the kids start snacking so soon after dinner.

How do you handle the snacking with the other kids? If my son is eating/snacking later at night, Icecream, yogurt, cheese, chips, etc. My other 3 kids are also going to want to eat at that time too even though they are not hungry nor do they need to eat then. I don't want to cause weird food struggles and also don't want to seem like I'm playing *favorites* which is inevitably what my young kids will think ("he gets to eat Icecream every night that's not fair"). I can see it now!

If he skips a meal then leave his portion in the fridge, that’s what he eats after dinner. Or he can eat an apple. Filling up on fake foods and sugar are the opposite of what he needs. With that diagnosis it should be 100% natural, nothing fake, nothing highly processed, mostly homemade diet.

I would talk to your child's doctor, OP. I don't think this is good advice for all kids. Our DS was low on the growth charts, so literally eating anything with fat was recommended.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Those are all great pieces of advice. I will talk to his psych about non-stim meds and also embrace alternative eating times or consider just medicating anyway. I know the snacking at night drives my husband bonkers. He grew up in a "kitchen is closed" kinda house so doesn't like when the kids start snacking so soon after dinner.

How do you handle the snacking with the other kids? If my son is eating/snacking later at night, Icecream, yogurt, cheese, chips, etc. My other 3 kids are also going to want to eat at that time too even though they are not hungry nor do they need to eat then. I don't want to cause weird food struggles and also don't want to seem like I'm playing *favorites* which is inevitably what my young kids will think ("he gets to eat Icecream every night that's not fair"). I can see it now!

If he skips a meal then leave his portion in the fridge, that’s what he eats after dinner. Or he can eat an apple. Filling up on fake foods and sugar are the opposite of what he needs. With that diagnosis it should be 100% natural, nothing fake, nothing highly processed, mostly homemade diet.

I would talk to your child's doctor, OP. I don't think this is good advice for all kids. Our DS was low on the growth charts, so literally eating anything with fat was recommended.

That can be nachos with guacamole, banana with peanut butter, bagel with cream cheese. It doesn't need to involve neccessary sugar. Most of us aren't feeding our adhd kids ice cream at 9pm.