Sterling’s Story
I’d like to share just a little bit of my story so that you’ll know that I understand what you and your child are going through and why I’m trying to help.
As a Child
I was a bright child in many ways, as I’m sure your child is. At the age of five I had learned to read by listening in on my five older siblings. So, equipped with both reading skills and a decent aptitude for math, I embarked on my fateful scholastic career.
Was I ready for first grade? Judge for yourself. Each time Mrs. Butterfield placed a worksheet on my desk, I filled in my name and answered the first couple of questions, and then drifted off into some wild superhero adventure. My ADD brain had come with a vivid imagination. It was more interesting to indulge in my various daydreams than to prove to my teacher that I already understood the material we were studying.
As is often the case, ADD was not the only condition that got in the way of my scholastic success. I also battled a good dose of SAD (Social Anxiety Disorder) and OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). That combination along with a couple of other related conditions made reaching adulthood interesting, to say the least.
As an Adult
My struggles in elementary and secondary education along with multiple miserable failure in college left me with no hint of a career path. Out of desperation I followed a suggestion from my mother-in-law and enrolled in a one year program at a technical school for computer programming. I found myself in a fast-paced, technical curriculum that stimulated every neuron in my brain.
Three months into their twelve-month program, I had devoured the material and completed all the assignments for the first six months and had started in on the material for the second six months. At four months I was tutoring students who were struggling in month ten and was also hired as a lab aid.
I’m not trying to brag, I’m just trying to give you a taste of what your child will experience when they find their superpowers, and their sweet spot, at which point everything will change. Life will start to flow in their direction. Everything will become more enjoyable and more fulfilling.
The only thing that will stand in their way is a lingering lack of self-esteem. After years of beating myself up for all my inexplicable failures, I had developed some fairly inaccurate perceptions of myself. Recovering my self-esteem was a long drawn-out process of learning and practicing. It is the part of my journey your child will have the chance to avoid if you follow certain specific steps.
As a Parent
My wife and I chose to bring six children into this world. We watched with excitement as their unique personalities developed. Some of them struggled in some of the same ways I did as a child. We hurt with their pain and failures and we rejoiced in their successes. Now my wife and I are going through those same emotions watching our children love and care for our grandchildren some of which are similarly affected by ADD and related disorders.
As a scoutmaster, soccer and basketball coach, and even as a parent helping with my children’s field trips and science camps, I always recognized and gravitated toward those kids who were struggling with ADD or some other challenging disorder, and the often lack of self-confidence and self-esteem.
