Taming Elizabeth

When I was in Kindergarten, in Midwest City OK., I was untamed.

 So much “untamedness”, that my teacher literally tied me to my chair. I’m serious! 
REALLY!  She actually brought a rope to school, and tied me to my little, tiny, kindergarten chair!! Oh, the law suits that would bring today!!

At that time, fall of 1965, this was the conversation from the old black rotary.  (No caller ID for warning) RRIINNNGGG...“ Hello. Mrs. Parrish? This is the teacher. Lisa can not stay still… She gets out of her chair and disturbs others.  She doesn’t like to do her work, and causes the other children to want to play, instead of learn. She does not know how to control herself or behave. Please fix her, or I will tie her to her chair. ”  

That’s a huge shock to all my friends, I know… Lisa can’t be still? WOW...  Now, it’s diagnosed as ADHD.  You have heard of it.. Some people use that title as an excuse to misbehave…but others, like me, who are a wee bit impulsive, have had to grow up with some humorless social issues.  But, we are brilliant!  

As an adult, I have finally learned how to “Tame Elizabeth”.

My 5 year old niece, Elizabeth, has the blessing of being brilliant, as well.  She is the happiest and most ‘excited about life’ person I have ever met. She is the child who will change clothes 17 times a day, because she gets a better idea of what to wear. When she gets a beautiful idea, she colors it on the custom painted dining room wall.  She likes everyone and everything, because each new person or action is an unexplored adventure. I use her to explain about me, to other people. 

“Elizabeth” is what I have named all the ideas in my head.  There is a lot going on, moving very fast; all kinds of different things to do that are fun, challenging, adventurous and worthwhile; but I usually don’t stay on those important tasks long, because “Elizabeth” gets pulled off on another fun journey.

It takes everything I have to sit in church for one complete hour, without wiggling…It's really great that Baptists have discovered that we have hands to clap and hips to sway! I have to take notes during the preaching. That's good on so many levels, and people see that, they think I’m very spiritual.

When I was in a 4 hour training session at work, I told the facilitator, “I really am paying attention.  I can’t sit still unless I’m writing, doing a crossword, or flipping through a magazine. I listen better that way!” Yeah…she believed that. Even right now, I’m writing this blog, while watching CSI, and catching every word of the show…   (Solved the case, as well! We are brilliant!) 

While I was going to college, I would go into my room, turn on the TV, check all my email, facebook, and anything I could think of that might take my concentration off of Business 101.  I had to get all of that out of the way so I wouldn’t be thinking about those things when I should be learning.  
I have to have to TV going in the background, so Elizabeth will hear, be entertained by the pretty noises, and let me do my work.  
It sounds like a mental illness, but it’s not.  It is brilliance and creativity at it’s finest! It just needs to be tamed.

That’s how we manage as Adults with ADHD.   Understand, love and appreciate us!

There is no one to tie you to your chair at this age.  You have to do it yourself.