Penn here! What a journey this past month has been. We finished up our final book tour appearance last week in Minneapolis, and I’m still basking in the love we’ve felt from meeting all of you.
When we wrote ADHD Is Awesome, we wanted it to be the book people would depend on if they had a child diagnosed with ADHD, or if they were diagnosed themselves. It was also important to use Kim’s perspective as a person who lives with someone with ADHD. The book was research-based, and we used many doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists to get as broad a perspective as possible. But in the end, it’s written from my perspective. (I wanted it to be me talking to you.)
In doing that, there are moments when I look back at the process of writing this book and I wish I’d had the opportunity to talk more about other perspectives than my own. Especially those who are underdiagnosed, primarily women and minorities. Those two particular subjects probably deserve their own books, and their own experts. I’m not that person, but it’s something I’m deeply curious about. Which lead to this week’s podcast.
Hearing From A Mom With ADHD
In this week’s podcast, we got a chance to speak with Amy Marie Hann. She is a mother of 3 children, and a mom with ADHD. Amy was diagnosed as a child, with her father and sister also diagnosed with ADHD (her husband has it too!) Needless to say, ADHD has permeated every corner of her life. It was incredibly enlightening to talk to her about her own journey and how she has adapted her routines in order to not only keep her own ADHD in check, but also be able to be present and effective in raising her children.
From how she “chunks” her chores (she will only do dishes once a day, and doesn’t wash, dry and fold laundry in one sitting, but rather spaces it out to make it less overwhelming…) to the idea that travel sports may not be best for her family, to the realization that she occasionally needs space from her kids in order to care for her own ADHD brain… hearing from a Mom with ADHD is a perspective that is immeasurably important.
One thing I’ve realized over this past month having met so many of you… There is power in the stories you tell and experiences we share. Hopefully through all of this, we can keep pulling back the curtain on ADHD and help each other to better understand our neurodivergent brains…and also feel seen. The reaction to this book has been something that Kim and I could never have dreamed of experiencing, and we are just so grateful to you all for it. Thank you.
