To, Mike & the Boys

     Hi Mike, my name is Heather, I'm a 31 yr old single mom.  I was diagnosed with ADD myself about 18 mnths ago, my son also has ADHD & ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder).  My son was diagnosed w/ADHD when he was 4 yrs old (he's now 10) & he was diagnosed w/ODD in early December 2008.  I have daily struggles w/him since he's so defiant but we take 1 day @ a time & hope for the best the following days, his behavior had gotton worse about 2 yrs ago, so the school suggested that I take him to see a Child Psychologist, who primarily deals w/children who have ADD/ADHD & their family as well.  That was the greatest thing to ever happen cuz it has helped me a whole lot when we did family sessions, about 8 mnths after we started seeing him (we started seeing him n January of '07), so by Oct '07 I was calling him up & telling him that I was ready to crack & couldn't take it anymore.  He then said that I should come in on my own for monthly sessions & then my son & I did family sessions every other mnth, when I started to see him on a 1 on 1 basis every mnth that helped me out a lot more than just seeing him for family session once a mnth & after I started the mnthly appts. w/him that when we went to the every other mnth for the family appts.  He was the one to diagnose me w/the ADD back in July of '07 & in August of '07 I went to see the Psychiatrist that my son & I saw for his mnthly meds check.  So to answer your question just take it day by day like I do w/my son & that seems to work best for us.  I don't know if your seeing a counselor or not either by yourself or as a family, but if your not it might not be a bad idea to maybe try it out if you want to, it has helped my son & I a lot since i started seeing one on my own.  I see the Psychiatrist for a meds check about every 3 - 4 mnths for my meds.  Take Care & Hang in their Mike --- Heather and Son Kaleb