Who knew happening across this drawing would make me so happy?

Nicholas, who has been very reluctant to do anything that requires putting pencil to paper, did this on his own today. These are mobs (monsters) in his Minecraft game.

And this much detail, and WORDS on paper is awesome to me!

Granted, we'd given him his "focus-pill" (ADHD med) in case he got to go his friends house. (It is Saturday, and since this stuff costs so much and is so important for school we usually don't give it to him on the weekends.) I am so hopeful that this shows we are on the right track with his meds!

We are about to do another trial of a slightly different medication. 

Our first trial of another med was horrible. It could have been worse, he didn't have a scary reaction or anything dramatic, but it was still immediately apparent that it wasn't going to work. Basically Tom gave him the new pill and then Nick talked for about 6-8 hours straight. He was focused, but it was like he couldn't stop his mouth from going!

But this next one is the same underlying medication that we know works, but has a different time-release, so hopefully he will still have some left in the afternoons. Maybe this will help with homework (or HELL as I think of it).

I did make some accommodations with his teacher on homework. We can do the writing for him if needed (like taking dictation), we can address the concepts in a different way, and he can turn it in on Monday instead of Friday. That way we can do it mostly on the weekend while he is on a pill instead of trying to wrangle with him in the evenings during the week with no meds.

I feel really good that we are addressing his ADHD so early in his school years. His teacher this year sees a whole different kind of Nick than his first grade teacher did. In fact she really just has no concept of what he is like on no meds. It has taken her a while to see that he even has a "disability" and to start implementing some of his accommodations. Because he just isn't a "behavior problem" this year! Which is wonderful, but I am glad she finally got that she has to stay on top of him as far as turning in his homework and communication folder! These pills are magic, but not THAT magic.

Nick is having a much more successful year though. He is at the top of his class in reading and science/social studies, but still needs work on anything that includes pencil/paper (so not just "writing/spelling, but math and anything else with written work). 

But he doesn't get constant correction this year which is awesome for his self-esteem and love of school!