Author Archives: Renee Macneil

We had been looking forward to our bookstore book signing for well over a month. I was especially excited to be there the weekend before Christmas because we knew the store would be packed. I had publicized it all over social media. I had high expectations. When we arrived, we were set up with aContinue reading “That Time I Learned That a Successful Book Signing Isn’t About How Many Books You Sell…”

I had never really planned out how to tell our daughter that she has ADHD. I felt it was important for her to know but I didn’t know how to bring it up, how to explain what is was, or how to explain what it meant. I also did not know when to tell her.Continue reading “How and When Do I Tell Her She Has ADHD?”

The other day I had a glimpse at what life would be like with a “neuro-typical” child. My daughter’s friend came home with her after school and she immediately opened her backpack, took out a sheet of homework, sat down at the dining room table, and began working. She completed her eight long-division problems inContinue reading “Who is Homework Helping Anyway?”

If a child tries a sport and finds that he is not good at it, we allow him to move on and try something else. If a child tries a lesson at school and finds that he is not good at it, we demand that he keep trying the same thing over and over andContinue reading “When School is Insane, it’s Time For Change.”

The day the Neuro-Psychologist presented me with the results of Ashlyn’s neurologic and behavioral disorder tests it was like 5 years of weighted questioning was lifted from me.  I was fully prepared for the moment she proclaimed without a doubt that Ashlyn has ADHD.  I was actually more surprised that she wasn’t diagnosed with autismContinue reading “Guest Blog by Alicia Huwyler: “From Mary Poppins to The Hulk: Life with a Newly Diagnosed Five-Year-Old” Part TWO”

“Okay, children it’s time to go!” she said ever so calmly in her best Mary Poppins voice. 15 minutes later… “I SAID IT’S TIME TO GO!!!” As the raging Hulk inside burst out of her. #reallifeeveryday I’m sure many of you have seen the Motherhood Meme going around social media featuring Mary Poppins and TheContinue reading “Guest Blog by Alicia Huwyler: “From Mary Poppins to The Hulk: Life with a Newly Diagnosed Five-Year-Old” Part One”

While I was putting together my first Parent Workshop for my ADHD Coach For Life company, I came across an article about the five stages of grief. These are generally pretty familiar to most people, but in case you need a refresher, they are: 1. Denial 2. Anger 3. Bargaining 4. Depression 5. Acceptance TheseContinue reading “A Diagnosis and the Five Stages of Grief”

At one point we realized that not everything we had written really served a purpose in our book, Spaz: The True Story of My Life With ADHD. It was hard to essentially throw these pieces out, but we do believe the story as it was published is the strongest and best version we could present. BelowContinue reading “One of “Spaz’s” Left-Out Chapters…”

Becoming a Guest Blogger….. Hey fellow Spaz blog follower, my name is Mandy Hasslen-Gartner and I am your guest blogger for today and will be guest blogging my ADHD story periodically.  I am a mom of two boys 17 & 14 and an ADHD Life Coach from Minneapolis, MN. My company is ADHD Kid Coach,Continue reading “Introducing Our First Guest Blogger, Mandy Hasslen-Gartner!”