With all of the issues I had in traditional school I’m sure I have some kind of ADHD or something. But for now I only have PTSD diagnosed. I recommend chickens to anyone dealing with PTSD.
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Vietnam was my war.
I like watching fish, but I can see caring for chickens being therapeutic.
Where did you encounter that idea?
My wife was a city girl born to be a country girl. Chickens/fish, similar simplicity
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@soldiercoleman and @printolaser,
Have you seen the article “What Does a Parrot Know About PTSD?” It’s a fascinating read, if you’re interested. It’s about vets and parrots taking care of each other. Parrots are amazing beings. I am sure chickens are too.
Vietnam was my father’s war (3 tours). He was a SeaWolf. He didn’t have chickens, he had 3 daughters. I think we had an opposite effect of chickens. The man was a saint!
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I hadn’t seen that. Interesting read. The chickens are great but I would have to give the most credit to my Wife for helping me become who I want to be.
I have two daughters, your father is a brave man lol.
Single tour, Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom.
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Thank you for that link!
I’m quite sure watching his daughters grow into young women was very gratifying. My daughter and grand daughters are a source of joy.
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ADD for me. My husband has turned dyslexia into strength: his code is triple-checked and dead accurate. Our kids are ADD, ADHD, ADHD, and 3 years old.
We are trying to teach the kiddos that these superpowers may be a bit awkward in public school; but will serve them well in life if they are wielded as powers rather than limitations.
We’re basically X-men and demigods.
Chickens and fish probably wouldn’t be safe with me, but I’m glad they have a safe home with you fellows. I’m more for squirrels, myself.
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My yougest son has high functioning aspergers and crazy smart, my middle child, son, non diagnosed with mild OCD and not sure about my oldest, daughter…who is an electrical engineer. I suspect my husband is high functioning aspergers. As for myself…no idea…lol creative yet highly logical…and a jack of many trades. But it all works out…we are very close and we can drive each other crazy but all my kids are very social and loving…
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I was just talking to my wife about labels. It seems to me that labeling all of these different things as “deficits” and “disorders” is somewhat inaccurate or possibly just damaging.
My field is early childhood education. Children are “damaged” this way all the time. What I came to understand a big part of my job to be was trying to get children to think. That doesn’t mean to think like I WANT them to think, but to just use their brain in meaningful ways. Research tells us that what’s big is creating neuropathways in the brain. We also know that the brain has found so many different ways to work.
“Autism” is currently labeled as a disorder because some of the behaviors associated with it don’t fit into our social norms. That doesn’t always have to do with how well we think. I do wish we could just fit some of these “deficits” into personality categories or something, like type A personalities. I can think of some traits of “Type A” personalities that I, personally, would count as undesirable and classify as a disorder, but they are the same things that propel some of those people into great places.
I think the “neurodiversity” part of the thread title is a good umbrella to use, even if the labels we’ve been given to share under it are inaccurate at best.
Aaaaand laser. -----------
Because here… there must always be a laser.
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I totally agree on you about the labeling…the only reason we had my youngest son actually evaluated was because we were told of services that could help him while in kindergarten. Unfortunately the schools grossly lacked the drive to help and it was a constant battle so I eventually pulled him out in 3rd grade and homeschooled.
Knowing he has aspergers has helped me know how to help him navigate the world around him. He is aware that he can process things differently than others and that its not a bad thing.
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Interesting how personalities develop.
Most often when I meet someone who particularly excels in some aspect like math or programming, there seems to be a corresponding deficit in other areas like social skills.
A big influence seems to be how we wire ourselves in our development, focusing on particular interests while little attention is directed to others.
Personally, I think cultivating imagination is very important. Creativity lives there.
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Exactly
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@scatterbrains - I agree. ADD, and ADHD are complete misnomers. I don’t think there is a deficit of attention; but rather a surplus. Hyperfocus… just not always focus and attention where “they” [teacher, school, society, the rest of the group] think the focus and attention should be.
It makes school hard; but like I say, not a limitation so much as an unwieldy superpower.
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