Mags Smith's Page

My lovely son, who is 23 and has ADD has just graduated with an MSc in Ecology. He is living in Heidelberg now with his GF - we are going to spend new year with them. How exciting. After many hairy times during his teen years he seems to be on a really even keel now.

:)

I am so proud!

:)

I have found some of my old high school reports while clearing out Mum's house - they shout ADD all over them!

The words 'easily distracted' and 'she can do the work when she's interested'

and 'needs to make more effort'

'has the ability but not the application'

'often arrives late to lessons'

'distracts the other pupils'

etc etc ect

I remember the shame I felt reading them the first time - but I am now reframing all those feelings in the light of my ADHD - it's a good feeling :)

I went to train as a teacher in 1975.

The lecturers were excellent - and all good teachers themselves. We had 9 week blocks for teaching practice and it was really demanding.

Our academic ability was assessed in various ways - and , fortunately for me, it was by no means all written.

We had a big dissertation to write which was really interesting because it was a child study.

Essays?

Well - we had about one a month and at the end of the 3 years had to send our five best for assessment by Lo… Continue

When I was considering careers (many years ago, I am 52 now) the three careers available to ordinary girls like me were nursing, teaching and office work.

I really wanted to be a vet - but there was no way I would pass the science exams, and I knew it.

I had decided, from age 7, to become a nurse. My poor teddies were doctored and nursed for years! One morning, just before posting of my application forms to the teaching hospitals (they were filled in) I woke up suddenly with a blinding flash o… Continue