The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the National Institute of Health, and millions of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder sufferers all agree on one point: ADHD is a valid condition that requires timely diagnosis and treatment. The symptoms of ADHD (such as hyperactivity, attentional difficulties, and impulsivity) are, after all, fairly clear-cut. Moreover, the disorder has been shown to respond favorably to targeted therapies and medication.

For most people in the above groups, the continuing controversy surrounding ADHD is perplexing – particularly given the fact that ADHD was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) over thirty years ago.

At the same time, however, ADHD critics raise valid points: If ADHD is simply a natural variation endemic to human physiology, why have ADHD rates risen so dramatically in recent years? (According to the CDC, ADHD rates in the USA rose from 7.8% in 2003 to 11.0% in 2012.)

More puzzling still, what could account for the fact that people are diagnosed with ADHD in the United States far more often than in any other developed nation?

Even within the United States, there are peculiar regional variations. Available data suggests that children in North Carolina, for example, are twice as likely to get ADHD as children in California. The reasons for such differences are unclear, leading many critics to suggest that the criteria for diagnosing ADHD must be highly arbitrary.

While many critics are quick to dissect why ADHD is being diagnosed at such alarming rates, part of the problem undoubtedly lies in how ADHD is being diagnosed.

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Have you begun to dread bedtime as a parent, because no matter what you do, your child has trouble falling asleep?

Is your child adamant that he is not tired?

Even with a structured routine, sometimes a child cannot relax and fall asleep. This can cause nightly disruption to the entire household. It frazzles nerves of parents and children and can lead to resentment, discouragement, and frustration — not a very conducive environment for being a positive parent!

When morning arrives, the child is still tired, slow waking up, and lacking energy during the school day. The child may experience difficulty focusing, display behavior issues, and exhibit poor decision-making. For younger children, the sleep loss leaves them sensitive and less able to cope with upset.

Does this sound familiar?

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Do you often spend your days rushing to find your son’s soccer shoes just before his carpool arrives?

Or picking your daughter’s clothes off the floor after you’ve asked her three times and just-can’t-face-another-argument-right-now?

Do you sometimes get that horrible sinking feeling that you’ll be doing everything for your kids until they’re full-fledged adults, and possibly beyond?

Some days it feels like, without you, they’ll end up living in a pigsty eating McDonald’s for breakfast, Taco Bell for lunch and Domino’s for dinner. Every. Single. Day.

Sigh!

Raising responsible, independent kids is tough. It’s so important to let them do things on their own, from making a snack to walking to school by themselves, right from the time they’re little. But it’s so hard to let go, whether it’s accepting a messy kitchen or acknowledging that you can’t hold your child’s hand forever.

Our ultimate goal as parents is to send our kids off into the world armed with some basic life skills and the ability to make healthy choices. At the very least I want my kids to be able to do a load of laundry, run the vacuum, and prepare a meal.

And by meal, I mean a healthy balance of all the food groups, not reheated nuggets and frozen pizza. (And yes, they need to be financially literate, socially responsible, and culturally aware… but baby steps people, baby steps.)

So, where to begin?

I started with Lunch!

Let me explain.

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