The Power of Books

As a child, I loved nothing better than going down the street with my best friend to our favorite tall, shady bush. We’d pick out a cozy spot underneath the branches, take out the books we’d brought, and read for hours. In the years to come, books would be my way to understand and gain perspective about the world. They were my solace through difficult times and my favorite form of relaxation.

When my child, Lee, was diagnosed with ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and anxiety, I turned to books. My shelves started to fill up with memoirs, books with parenting help, and ones that gave me facts on ADHD, as well as its impact on society.

As you can see from the photo accompanying this blog, I ended up with a full collection and thought I’d share some of my favorites. For a full list of the titles and authors, you can go to my ADDitude page.

A big fan of memoirs, I loved “Raising Will; Surviving the Brilliance and Blues of ADHD.” Katherine Quie’s journey to help her son reminded me so much of my own and the many challenges Lee and I faced. From Quie’s struggles to help Will at home and in the classroom, to the moments when she sees his extraordinary talent as a musician shine, this book is a must for parents raising a child with ADHD.

Another book that resonated with me was “The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids with ADHD, Anxiety, and More,” by Elaine Taylor-Klaus. As an ex-teacher, I appreciated her strategies to help kids in the classroom, stressing individual steps over the outcome. As the mother of a complex child, I welcomed the invitation to step into acceptance and create a new perspective. Elaine not only acknowledged the difficulty parents faced, she empowered them to believe in themselves and see the possibilities, instead of the obstacles.

At a conference that focused on ADHD and autism, I met Stephen P. Hinshaw, one of the authors of “The ADHD Explosion; Myths, Medication, Money, and Today’s Push for Performance.” His lecture cited many statistics and facts from the book, written with Richard M. Scheffler, which convinced me it belonged on my bookshelf. “What,” the authors asked, “…is driving the ADHD explosion–parents, doctors, schools, culture, the healthcare system, or Big Pharma?” A compelling question.

These are only a few selections from my collection that turned me into an advocate and changed my life for the better. I hope one of them is just what you need this spring. Knowledge gives us power!