Hi all,


I was speaking with other people at LHC about this very subject recently.

Our 6 1/2 son has been diagnosed as being ADHD and ODD recently. If you have an ADHD child you know where I'm coming from.

Any helpful hints, what works for you, and just general support feel free to post them. Your experiences and frustrations. FRIENDLY AND SUPPORTIVE post ONLY please..........

Post away moms and dads who have just a nubbin for a nerve left......


Warmest regards

I have an ADHD son who also is SI and has a host of learning disibilities. He was diagnosed at five and put on medication. We knew something was up with him at 15 monts of age. He hasn't been on meds since he was 12 due to side effects and now has a seizure disorder. I could go on and on but the main thing was that I was told when he started to go thru puberty it could get worse or better and he seems to be (behavior wise) somewhat better. At least you can reason with him over and over again. because that is what it takes. My second son Is ADD with motor tics and also on meds. He also has learning disibilities but is not as profoundly affected as his older brother. PM me with any questions if you want to chat off line. My husband and I have been thru it and still doing it

Who diagnosed your son with ADD/ADHD? If it was the teacher, no layman can give a psychiatric diagnosis. If your family doctor just rubber stamped it, ask to be refered to a child psychiatrist and get an honest evaluation.

Could it be that your son is simply bored at school and an overworked teacher with too many students would rather label your kid and feed him mood altering drugs than have to deal with a child who just needs a little bit extra attention?

I honestly think ADD/ADHD is overdiagnosed in children - especially by teachers!

my son was diagnosed by a child psychologist and also received therapy for SI thru Easter Seals - my younger son also was diagnosed the same way. We have paper work going way back to support their IEPs. Medication was not an easy road to go down with and not with out a lot of thought

My son was diagnosed by a pschologist that specializes in child behaviours, not a teacher or school principal or the counsellor. Its was more involved than a 10 minute meeting. You get very detailed report on you child It was done over several weeks of testing and interviews and observations.. Also she was not the Dr. the school board recommended!

I'm not sure what your background is, but there is a HUGE diffference between a bored child and a child with ADHD. Come to my house and see.

Right now we are trying meds to see what effectiveness they have. So far everybody notices the difference. He's not a ZOMBIE like some believe they become. If this is the case your child is on the wrong med or needs to adjust the dosage. You can actually reason with him and he will sit for more than three lines of the first page of a book. I do not give him his meds at home on the weekends or after school, unless we have some outing where he will be overstimulated. ie tomorrow we are going to a restaurant where there will be about 20 family members.

When meds were suggested I cried. I actually cried for days. It still breaks my hear. Its not an easy decision to medicate your child. But I want my son to succeed in school to be able to sit and concentrate on a lesson the teacher is teaching and in all honesty, do you want your kid in my son's class where he is disruptive, cannot sit still, impulsive , he will blurt out anything that pops into his smart little head. The teacher is constantly focusing on him. There are 29 students in my son's class. I want my son to be able to make friends and keep them, I want him to play organized sports or just a game of roaad hockey with the kids down the road.

Anyway....I really did not want this to become a rant or a rambling post.


Cheers.

Yup there is a huge difference between a bored kid and one with ADHD. My husband and I both cried over the med issue after all it was speed and that had a bad reputation. After 2 weeks on the med we were all siting in the same room and none of us were crying. My oldest son could actually get thru a day with out hours of tantrums brought on by his SI. He could wear clothes the list goes on. Our oldest did repeat K but that was ok - he was able to attend to the work with the meds. He never disrupted the class he just played with his hands and laughed softly to himself along with looking out the window. Before meds when he went outside he played with dirt and ants after meds he was able to interact better with the other kids. What a huge difference
Does your son need constant movement to feel right?

First off, please pm me if you would like to talk, it is always good to talk to others going through this.

Second, I was just going to pm you info, but I am getting tired of people stating their opinions as fact.

ADD/ADHD can be misdiagnosed, but do not assume it has been so if you have no clue what the parents have gone through to date if they have not given out that private information. I am tired of having to explain to people exactly what we have went through with my children to get to the point where we are, when they come along and assume we are doing something wrong by medicating.

My oldest son is 17 and is taking control now on when he takes his medication. He will be entering college in the fall, and trust me if it wasn't for this medication he wouldn't be.

He was diagnosed in the second grade with ADHD. We looked into the medications and talked about it. We had sleepless nights over it as well. Ultimately it was try and see how it works.

As much as we didn't want to give medicine, this child honestly would not be at the level he is today. He was offered a full scholarship at one college and a half scholarship in an honors program at another.

His IQ jumped 25 points after he started his medication. He didn't get smarter, he was able to concentrate and focus better. He behaved better in class and became a productive student and improved his social skills tremendously.

Medication is not for every child...some can't take any at all. All ADD/ADHD children are not the same, there are varying degrees of ADD/ADHD.

As I said, feel free to pm me if you would like to....and there are links to all kinds of info on my website. :)

(((((((hugs)))))))) You can get through this, and it will get better.

Speedy -
My son is ODD! He was first diagnosed as ODD along with disthymea which basically is a mild depression. He was on a med for the depression hoping the ODD would also lessen, but it hasn't. Just last May they had a study for ODD kids - but my son refused because of the need for drawing blood in the begining and end of the study. I figured at some point he'd refuse, but I really wanted him to be in the study.
I was very very torn about the med issue too. But my sis always said it was pretty easy to tell if the med worked or not. Anyways, we went back to the psych at the beginning of the school year. My son was doing somewhat better so the doc said to wait and see if maturity kicked in (mind you my son was 9) and I thought it was a good idea... after all the less meds the better off, right?
Well we've been on this seesaw of good/bad behaviors since then and I wanna get off the playground. I'm going to call the psych and get something started.

Just last weekend I attended a symposium on ADHD. What interested me were two topics - ODD, and homework battles. The ODD speaker was good, but tended to keep things simple. Swift, immediate and consistent were his keys for parenting. Things I knew but it's always good to hear them again. He had this little system that he teaches his patients/parents that others in the audience agreed with (some were patients I learned after talking to them) If you're interested I'll post about it.

Have you read any books on ODD? If you're receptive to reading stuff, get Dr Riley's [i]The Defiant Child[/] I started with that book and it has helped me remember the critical points of an ODD kid. He's also got a last-resort approach that some on the net call The Full Riley. I visit Conduct Disorders (http://www.conductdisorders.com) from time to time for support and ideas.

Well this is waaaay too long, sorry for all that. But those of us with kids like this really need the support of each other. Ammie is an inspiration for me. Knowing that her son is almost grown gives me so much hope for my son.

Snip- Please post that system!

Snippit and Ammo,

Thank you very much for posting a reply. Its not always easy to say my son or my daughter has...........or is or has or even I am....

I figured with over 600 registered members, somebody else had to be in the same boat.

As I'm just new at this realizing accepting and searching, I'll more than likely bug and pester you both for info and direction. I have been researching some stuff on the net. I picked up a book today recommended by the Psychologist and I'll give that a read. (123 Magic) The next will be the difficult child.

Ammo, I did visit your website some time ago when I first joined LHC and mostly lurked.... (I'm getting more brave in my old age). I followed many of your links and read the information you had posted. Thats great for your son....I am really hoping Tyler can also be successful.

(((hugs to all))))

Hey! I read The Difficult Child. It was pretty good! There's also a really good one, but I can't remember the name... I'll have to ask my Mom (She's a preschool teacher. She's my source for information about my son).

Hi Speedqueen,

You didn't say what battery of tests were run on your son, but (if it wasn't done) you might look into having him tested for food allergies and/or sleep disorders, both of which can exacerbate behavior problems.

Oh yeah! It's Parenting the Spirited Child.

I like the idea in this book that what you call your child is very important. Hence "Spirited" instead of "Obnixious little *%$@" :D .

I would recommend it to anyone with... children really. But especially kids like our.

Our oldest boy and our nephew are both ADD. Both are FINALLY coming along as human beings, now being 23 and 19 years old.
Our boy wasn't officially diagnosed, although ADD runs rampant in DH's family. He was one long running battle. He is VERY intelligent, but couldn't stay focused on anything. At 23, he is now starting in college for the first time to do pre law. He said before he couldn't think long enough to hope it would stick and he thinks now he is able and is ready to try!!!

Nephew had horrible childhood, on Ritalin intermittently. He is now in the drifting along phase my oldest DS was in, but is a fine courteous pleasant young man, and I have high hopes that he too will find his way in life and make something of himself.
Love, patience, discipline, facing consequences. This is what got us through.

I heard of 123Magic too! I used it without even knowing; I'm sure I wasn't doing it exactly as the book describes but doing the 1 - 2 - 3 bit really helped me keep my stand and not give in. It took what seemed like forever before my son knew I was serious and 3 meant trouble for him. Now he'll still argue ad infinitum but when it comes to 3 it's a foot race cause he runs like crazy.

but when it comes to 3 it's a foot race cause he runs like crazy.

:D Lol! :D

My son just falls on the floor and screams as we drag him to his room. I'm so happy we don't live in an apartment anymore :D .

I'm kind of looking forward to the time when he just runs away quietly.

Thank you very much for posting a reply. Its not always easy to say my son or my daughter has...........or is or has or even I am....
Exactly. And I always get a weird look when I describe what ODD is. "Well it's a kid who always says no, wants things done his own way and constantly argues with me" Well geez lady, you just described an average kid! Ha! I'd trade your average for my ODD anyday. It's when I tell them that all that (and more) occurs all the time without a let up.

For instance take this morning. First off we argued last night about what time he insists on waking up (6am when school starts at 7:45) because big sister wakes up then. He never wakes to his alarm, we wind up turning it off for him because he sleeps through it. Ok, on to the morning. I offer to make a hot breakfast (MaltoMeal is our favorite) and he agrees! But he didn't like it in the bowl (wants it in a cup) and insisted that there wasn't enough butter in it (I ignored his remarks) Then he complained that it was too hot only to complain that it got cold at the end. Despite having a magnet board with his chores listed, he still can't remember deoderant, teeth brushing and hair. It wasn't until we were in the car that I asked about the teeth, so we had to turn around. I stood in the doorway while he brushed - but he stopped and argued that I didn't have to watch him. Ever see a kid brush his teeth with a scowl and crossed arms? lol

That's a typical morning. And it gets worse. I can only imagine what he's going to argue with me about tonight. 99% of the time I ignore or offer a simple one line statement. But it goes on and on and on, and I snap and fight back. So that's when we fight - are the days of the week capitalized? what is a sentence and is this a fact or opinion. Oh yeah, don't forget the ever popular "why don't you help me spell this? I don't know it" I'm such a mean mom.

Oh gosh, I'm rambling. Can you tell this is one topic I'm interested in? I'll get the paper on that method tonight and post it tomorrow. My computer is sick at home so I'm limited.

But I want my son to succeed in school to be able to sit and concentrate on a lesson the teacher is teaching and in all honesty, do you want your kid in my son's class where he is disruptive, cannot sit still, impulsive , he will blurt out anything that pops into his smart little head. The teacher is constantly focusing on him.


My son does that..always has. I considered meds..I even tried them. We have a history of Tourettes and imagine my shock when I went in for a conference with the teacher and I expected a GLOWING report of how well he was responding to the new meds and she told me he was "barking and whistling" in class.
When he came down from the meds he was a monster. Even my daughter said "I don't like him on meds..its not William"..Plus he was losing weight because he didn't have an appetite

For us, smaller classrooms (we have used private schools) and holding him back a grade did wonders. Though he was still immature and insecure. So we bought him a weight set. He is now 12 years old and weighs 133 pounds..and its NOT fat. He is muscle. Its done wonders for his self esteem..plus, it makes the kids think twice before picking on him. His grades have improved to where I don't cringe when I look at his report card.
I am not saying that this will work for all kids..but I know for mine it did wonders. He still has attention span problems, but as he matures he knows he MUST get things done. He wants to do well. His self esteem is now where he knows he can do anything.
Its been a long road..and my hubby definitely blamed himself for alot of Williams self esteem problems. He was like "what am I doing wrong"?

Lack of self esteem is a very big thng, I have noticed. My sons best friend is ADHD and on meds. Alec is a great kid. His mother tells me she wishes he had more of a "self preservation" thing when kids pick on him..When they dish it out..he takes it. William was very much the same way. I used to agonise over it..and threatened quite a many brats at the school bus. Those kids saw me coming..

My son is now 11, he has an underdeveloped cerebellum affecting his fine motor skills, balance, and speech. He has been in an SLI (Severly Language Impaired) classroom since kindergarden. He's always been in somekind of therapy since he was 12 mo. old.

After years of watching him struggle in school I altered his diet and increase his calcium and magnesium for several months and no changes. It finally occurred to me to possibly try meds. I contacted his pediatric neurologist and discussed the matter. Both my DH and I researched and weighed the consequences over the decision. We decided to give a 2 week trial try on meds. We didn't tell the teachers we were doing this. At the end of the 2 week trial I called his teacher and asked how he's doing. She said he's doing so well that whatever I did, she wished we would've done it at the beginning of the year instead of at the end. That reassured me that my decision was a good one.

He was mainstreamed into general ed this year (still receiving speech and physical therapy) and he's doing remarkably well. All A's & B's and he likes school. He's currently on Adderall XR 10 mg. He only takes it on school days, no weekends, and completely off for summer vacation. He understands what it is for and knows to discuss any and all side affects with me.

I don't know if he is ADD or ADHD or whatever. Off the meds, he is quite calm but has a very difficult time focusing on one thing without being distracted. Since he is older, his opinion, thoughts, and ideas have been included during the whole process. He's happy with results and so are we.

My 12 yr old daughter and 4 yr. old son show no signs of ADD/ADHD, but whew, that 4 yr. old just plain wears my out :D

Well that's our story, I'm happy to discuss further if anyone has any questions. Best wishes to all the parents struggling with the decision to med or not.

hmm well i think i can introduce an interesteing perspective here as i was diagnosed when i was aboooout 5 years old, though in the last 2 years its been reversed into manic depressive.

for myself i was a typical add/adhd/odd child.
i went to a private catholic school and well the what you have to consider is its not ALWAYS adhd odd addd.A lot of the time its merely a boy being what he is, a generally very energetic spontaneous child. Something i noticed and came to udnerstand years after the diagnosis was its not that we liek being yelled at or punished, but as most anyone would say we crave attention, regardless if it is positive or negative. meaning being rewarded for good grades or punished for a wrong deed carry the same amount of satifaction.

It is a desire to be recognized and treated on the same level is what caused me to act the way i did (and believe me i was a little devil always running from nuins, hiding in buishes. i was sent to the principles office at least 3 times a week.)
looking back on everything now, i can understand what a burden it was to act the way that i did,but lacking the level of maturity i have now i didnt care about things liek this, i just wanted any form of attention.

What started to calm me down was one of my teachers stepped in and became my mentor, it gave me such a sense of satisfaction as cant be described, to be treatred with respect, i tryed my best to do anything that woud earn the slightest praise. not to mentiuon it was her that got me to buckle down and enjoy reading, schoolwork and many other things that didnt hold much interest for myself.

i can say without a doubt that the intervention of that one single person is what made me the way i am today. im almost positive if she hadnt stepped in id probably be in jail or serving some sort of court imposed sentence. She was the one who made me able to see the difference between positive and negative attention.

well thats just my .02 but i hope it helped you, or at least gives you a better udnerstand of your child.

hmm well i think i can introduce an interesteing perspective here as i was diagnosed when i was aboooout 5 years old, though in the last 2 years its been reversed into manic depressive.

for myself i was a typical add/adhd/odd child.
i went to a private catholic school and well the what you have to consider is its not ALWAYS adhd odd addd.A lot of the time its merely a boy being what he is, a generally very energetic spontaneous child. Something i noticed and came to udnerstand years after the diagnosis was its not that we liek being yelled at or punished, but as most anyone would say we crave attention, regardless if it is positive or negative. meaning being rewarded for good grades or punished for a wrong deed carry the same amount of satifaction.
Interesting thoughts ashnaile. My 13yo nephew is ADHD (or maybe just ADD I don't know) but recently has been manic depressive. I wonder if that's common.

What you said about a lot of the time it's just being a boy is SO true. I grew up primarily around girls so having a boy is VERY different. I expected this and it's part of my guilt feelings. How do I know when it's just 'being a boy' and when it's something else? Unfortunately there isn't a clear cut line seperating the two. I tried my best not to send my son to the psych's because so many parents do when it isn't needed. But I finally did take him in and it has helped so much I don't feel guilty at all anymore. Sure I don't expect him to act like an angel 100% of the time. But I do expect him to behave and respect others.

Speedqueen,

I'm writing this more from a teacher perspective than a parent. I have special education certification K-12 and 'regular" ed 1-8. I would say that about 40% of my "regular" ed students have been identified AD or ADHD or ADD. (I believe there is a percent that have been misdiagnosed.)

The diagnosis is something to keep in mind while dealing with your child. I suggest that you do not constantly bring this up in front of your child. Always try to work on strengths, not weaknesses. And stress responsibility. An AD__ diagnosis does not mean the child is not responsible for their actions and choices. They need to learn (just like any child) that there are positive/negative consequences for their actions. If you shelter them from consequences, then they will grow up with little sense of responsibility and things that happen will always be the fault of someone else.

Don't let the diagnosis be a crutch for your child. Let them discover how to work around it (just like any child with a disability). Be their for your child and help them when they need it. But don't "help" them by shielding them from consequences at home, school, sports, church, etc...

Bf has ADHD. He was on the drugs as a child--first Ritalin, but when they found they had to give him the maximum safe dosage, they switched him to something else that worked so well they took him off of it. Fast-forward to college when I notice it's affecting him and finally convince him to go back onto meds. So, they put him on Concerta. But he doesn't take it because he says if he takes it and then misses it even once, it makes him feel like crap. He has been better, though, than he was, although I wish he'd keep taking it because he could still improve. I doubt I would be able to get him to see a Dr. about changing it to something that might work better for him though. *sigh*

Who diagnosed your son with ADD/ADHD? If it was the teacher, no layman can give a psychiatric diagnosis. If your family doctor just rubber stamped it, ask to be refered to a child psychiatrist and get an honest evaluation.

Could it be that your son is simply bored at school and an overworked teacher with too many students would rather label your kid and feed him mood altering drugs than have to deal with a child who just needs a little bit extra attention?

I honestly think ADD/ADHD is overdiagnosed in children - especially by teachers!

I know this comment is old, but I just thought I would give you a little local information about ADHD.

I am a psychology major at my local university and am taking a course on developmental psychopathology. My instructor is ADHD and also has a child with the same diagnosis. My instructor specializes in child development.

The main part of this course is that the student must focus on on specific child disorder and become an "expert" on the issue to present to the class. I am doing my paper on childhood-onset schizophrenia (very rare, so if anyone has any info to contribute, please pm me!) but another student presented on ADHD.

The one thing that a lot of people don't realise is the fact that ADHD is biologically based. Too much negative media on Ritalin has masked that fact, and unfortunately, even a lot of professionals still feel the same way.

Of course, as others have already stated, it takes a lot more than a teacher saying "I think this child is ADHD" for a child to be labelled in that manner. There are extensive interviews and questionnaires to be completed before a person who is experienced in diagnosing a child will actually label a child with ADHD. One of the main problems that does exist is the fact that there is a reluctance within the professional community to place such a stigma upon a child. I know with my research on Childhood-onset schizophrenia, these children display explicit developmental abnormalities before the onset of psychosis, such as thought disorder and social withdrawel. Though it has been seen that earlier intervention and diagnosis of COS in children predicts a better outcome...generally, the diagnosis of COS come approx. two years after these symptoms appear!

Here are some actual local facts:

In British Columbia, 3-5% of children are diagnosed with ADHD...of those 3-5%, ONLY 8% are actually put on medication. I could be wrong, but that seems like a very small (under-medicated) number to me.

I will admit, having no experience with ADHD and just hearing about it through the media, I used to think the same way you did. I used to think that it was over diagnosed and that it was simply a way to try and control an over-active child, or a child that was bored with their schooling. This class, with the addition of my younger half-sister and step-mother who I am 99.9% positive are ADHD (not diagnosed professionally) has really opened my eyes.

Good luck to those that are dealing with ADHD, whomever it may be. Like I said before, I have really no direct experience when it comes to diagnosis and medication, but I have learned a lot in my class.

My instructor (who has ADHD) recommended a website to the woman who was presenting on the subject. The student stated during her presentation that it was the most helpful site she found to gain information, fallicies and facts regarding this disorder. I just thought I would post the link for those who were interested:

www.chadd.org , I haven't visited the site myself yet so I hope the link works. If not, do a google search on "chadd" and I am sure you will come up with appropriate links.

Take care,
Ange

Just wanted to say I know what your going through. My DS was diagnosed in Nov with ADHD and it's going to be a long road. We are now on our second med (adderall) and having good results. But it's a very personal and hard decision to make (to put your kid on meds).
We too are going to join our local area CHADD group, but of course it's 45 min away and meets at 8:30 at night.
Best of luck and I'm here if you need any support. I know I personally feel like we are the only ones going through this because we don't know anybody else with a child who has ADHD. Support is good!

Are you (DS) having success with the Aderall. WHat were the previous meds tried? There are no CHADD's here in the area I don't think (or the Cdn version)

Since DS had been on meds school is going great, but man, the fallout at home when they wear off is frightening. He is going to be going to see a Neurologist who has a spcial interest in ADD / ADHD. Hopefully this will work out and has more suggestions that the family Dr. and Psychologist.

I, in the last few months, am glad to work full time, I wouldnt want to be home with him all the time. He is so trying. My DD is of course doing the monkey see monkey doo thing and has picked up on some of his behaviours.

I don't know what I'd do with two of them.

Speedqueen,

From what I understand, Adderall is now available in an extended release tablet, maybe this would help with the crashes and give instead of steady release of meds all day?
I have a son that has displayed all the classic ODD signs and has for 10-12 years now, he's almost 17 years old now and doing well! There is hope for any of the children out there suffering and for their frustrated parents! I know how hard it can be! If anyone has any questions or needs some support please let me know!
The most important thing you can do is find what works best with your individual child and LOVE them and support the individual they are, trust yourself, forget anyone else's opinions, you know your child best! I've learned how to deal with my son pretty well over the years and have many times had to do the changing, not him. The confidence they gain from being treated with respect and making their OWN choices as much as possible gives them the tools they need to succeed in the world.

Hello, I am new here.

I also have a son diagnosed with ADHD by a battery of doctors, and I am going to go in for testing myself, since I seem to have many symptoms associated with ADD. I sympathize with anyone going through this! I went through the whole rigamarole with people telling me to change my parenting style or my son's diet. Apparently it just HAD to be MY fault somehow!

Nothing worked for more than a week or so, and he was being suspended from school several times a month and sent to the office every other day. None of his teachers seemed to be able to handle it well, and my husband or I had to come to the school every noon recess to supervise our son since he constantly got into trouble on the playground.

At first I didn't want to consider medication either, but once we tried it (Wellbutrin and now Strattera) he was so much happier with himself I couldn't believe it. He could read a book without ripping the pages, and do his homework quietly in twenty minutes instead of with three hours of screaming fits. He doesn't slug people or grab their things any more. I no longer have bruises all over my chest from his fists.

Now he's tested high enough to qualify for the district gifted program, which took all his teachers by surprise. :) Anyone who objects to "drugging children" gets my son's whole story in their ear, whether they like it or not!

Vicky

I know this is very late, and it's probably something you already know, but since I didn't see it here, I thought I would add:

A friend of mine has a child who is ADD, and her Dr told her (in addition to medication) food and stimuli are very important...her son is now on a "diabetic" diet -- no sugars (sugary cereals, candy, ice creams etc), including most fruit juices, and very limited starches like white breads/ white rice/ pasta/ potatos etc -- basically, to treat the child like they are diabetic (as far as diet goes)...also, he's no longer allowed to watch T.V., play video games, or even use the computer for more than absolutely necessary, and lots of physical exercise to expend some of that excess energy...she has found that these things have helped, and they were able to lower his medication doses quite a bit (I can't give you exact amounts, and I honestly don't even remember which medication it is...) anyway, I thought I would add these things as something maybe to investigate that may or may not be helpful in addition to medication...

Good luck, to all of you !! :grouphug:

Not positive if this should go here. But since it concerns
DS 7 who is ADHD, I will.

For the past 2 years, we have had a live in Nanny. Its been great. I don't have to get the kiddies ready in the morning to make the trek to the caregivers. Simplified my life a great deal. No snow suits, no boots. Kids have the luxury of having their own stuff, ect..

The 2nd of July I will have to start bringing the kids to a private caregiver. I did this for 4 years with DS (before ADHD reared its ugly head) And it was not an issue. Getting him ready in the morning is an issue now. How am I going to get him and her (DD 2.5) dressed and out the door by 6:50. I won't have any help as DH is gone by 5:30 am. I don't want to get up at 5:00am so I can get the 3 of us out the door.

I know to prepare clothes bags whatever the night before so its just to grab it as I'm going out the door.

Any tricks suggestions would be welcome.

I know I'm not the only person to have done this, I'm really not looking forward to my new morning routine.

HELP :scared:

Hey Speedy,
Here's a thought:
This is IF the new caregiver will work with you on this.
Have the kids' play clothes and toothbrushes/toothpaste all packed and ready to go. Wake the kids up in the morning, get them in the car in their pajamas and go. The caregiver can get them dressed and fed breakfast when the kids feel like waking up.