Camp Graduation

Today Doctor Doo-Be-Do ‘graduated’ from his first summer therapeutic camp for ADHD kids. He won the award for “The Funniest” child, and punctuated that when his name was called and he got to the stage with a flourish and a bow. He got his laugh. Good for him.

Did the six weeks make much of a dent in his attention issues?  Certainly not the 65% the counselors were tossing around before we signed up. But the experience was good for him, a chance for him to shine without either his brother or sister slowing him down or getting in his way. They played sports every day and concentrated on social skills, sharing, not whining and complaining, and giving lots of points if he was paying attention. Which wasn’t often.

The model was fascinating to me; basically each day involved classroom work as well as plenty of activities, during which campers earned points for knowing what was going on and lost points for complaining, not paying attention, arguing, acting out, etc. At the end of the weeks, several really great field trips were planned (destinations secret) for those who had earned enough points to go.

But having been there for some of the weekly parent meeting and seeing the madness that ensues when you add some 40 little people with ADHD issues all to the same location…. I have got to add a special “Hallelujah! and Amen!” to all the counselors and staff.

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