So I Married an ADDer

Registration for the Virtual AD/HD Conference Opens Saturday!

Last year, the Virtual AD/HD Conference™ brought together over 400 people who were eager to get the latest information and strategies for AD/HD management and interact with the top experts in the field -- all while personally connecting with one another from the comfort of home!

We welcomed adults, parents, spouses/partners, doctors, therapists, advocates, coaches, counselors, and many more in the AD/HD community. And we're doing it again this year!

This Saturday, June 27th, we'll be opening the virtual doors for conference registration.

Early birds will save $50 off the registration fee!

And, there will be special bonuses for the first 20 people who register!

Don't miss this rare opportunity to get all the tools you need to succeed from top experts, break out of isolation as you connect with peers who've been or are in your shoes, and save tons of money by attending from the comfort of your own home, participating at your own pace!

We're pleased to present the following experts at this year's event:

• Dr. Edward Hallowell on AD/HD and marriage
• Dr. Daniel Amen on healthy brains
• Dr. Patricia Quinn on women and girls with ADHD
• Dr. Chalres Parker on medication
• Dr. Kenny Handelman on alternative treatment options
• And many more! Check out the full agenda at: http://www.ADHDconference.com/agenda.shtml

The Virtual AD/HD Conference™ is a can't-miss event for everyone affected by AD/HD. But don't take my word for it when you can hear directly from past attendees!

“The Virtual AD/HD Conference™ was phenomenal! I have told countless people about it.

I almost didn’t register because it wasn’t a good time financially. But I am so thankful that I did register, and that I took care of myself by spending the time listening and following the handouts! I learned so many things and now have renewed hope! 

You did a great service to the entire AD/HD community. It had to be a tremendous amount of work because your efforts showed in every aspect of the conference. It was just shy of being flawless. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Suzanne Troll
Zionsville, Indiana

Sign up at http://www.ADHDconference.com to be notified when registration opens this weekend.

You'll save $50 off the registration fee and, if you're one of the first 20 registrants, you'll also receive an extra bonus!

And everyone who signs up will receive conference updates and exclusive podcasts with the experts. So you'll want to get on the conference mailing list to grab these goodies--even if you can't attend.

Last year's event was absolutely fantastic, and I'm really looking forward to this year's Virtual AD/HD Conference™. I hope you'll join us!

 

For Partners of People with AD/HD: Be Prepared

This past Wednesday, we hosted a great webinar called Get Your Career in Gear (if you missed it, we'll be offering downloads soon--make sure you're on our mailing list). One of our speakers, Ari Tuckman (who we love) gave a fantastic presentation on managing stress and anxiety. In it, he offered this piece of advice: "Give yourself less to worry about by being diligent and setting yourself up for success." In other words, "like the Boy Scouts," he said, "be prepared."

I hear from a lot of girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives, and partners who've gotten caught up in the whirlwind of their ADD counterpart's daily lives. The ADDer's habits have eclipsed their own--stuff is everywhere, all decisions are made on the fly, things don't get done until the last minute, everything is an emergency, etc.

They can't take the heat, but they don't see a way out of the kitchen. They don't want to control their partner's every move (and nor should they), but they can't continue to live in what, to them, feels like chaos. I totally get it. And my advice is--be prepared.

I am fortunate that Jen manages her ADD challenges extraordinarily well. I recognize that not everyone's ADD partner has reached the point of managing their daily lives as effectively as Jen does. But successful as she is, Jen does have ADD, and when things get hectic around here (like they have the past few weeks), it can quickly become an ADD household.

What do I mean by ADD household? I mean two things--stuff is in weird places, and nothing is planned for. Where are my shoes? It's anybody's guess. What's for dinner? Oh shit. And then the endless stream of things that need to get done, with no time or energy to do any of them. The house descends into "mayhem and foolishness," like they say on Clean House on the Style network.

No one can live well under those circumstances. So like the Boy Scouts, your best defense is to be prepared. Like Ari said, be diligent. If you come upon a stray sock that the dog has left in the kitchen, don't ignore it. Pick it up and walk it to the laundry bin. If while making your morning coffee you notice there's nothing in the fridge for dinner, don't shrug it off. See if there is something you can defrost. If not, figure out when you can run to the store. If you see dishes are starting to pile up in the sink, don't leave them for later. Take 10 minutes and wash them. You get the idea.

And you have to do it without being resentful. If your ADD husband left a coffee mug in the bedroom, it's not because he was trying to piss you off. Just put the mug back in the kitchen and don't give it a second thought. Remember that your ADD partner isn't necessarily wired for organization, time management, or preparedness in general. So you have to stay one step ahead. Be prepared, be diligent. And take pride in it! I certainly do. It will make your whole family's lives a lot easier.

Do you have any tips for keeping your household from descending into chaos during hectic times? Please feel free to share them in the comments!

 

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to So I Married an ADDer.

Watch the TODAY Show this Sunday!

Just a quick post to let you know that my partner Jen is going to be interviewed on The TODAY Show on NBC this Sunday, June 7th! She'll be speaking about Adult AD/HD. Be sure to check your local listings and set your DVRs and TiVOs!