Center of Attention
Newsletter of CHADD of Northern California
Also at: http://www.chaddnorcal.org/newsletter
17 March 2003

CHADD Works to Improve the Lives of People with
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder through Education, Advocacy,
and Support

The Center of Attention is CHADD of Northern California's bi-weekly
newsletter, designed to keep you up to date with CHADD of Northern
California's activities and updates in the field.

===== In This Issue =====

Calendar of Events
Feature Article: Children's Fears of War and Terrorism: How Parents Can Help
Please Tell Us

===== About the Newsletter =====

The Center of Attention is CHADD of Northern California's bi-weekly
newsletter. The newsletter is designed to keep you up to date with
CHADD of Northern California's activities and updates in the field.
It's a step toward bringing the members closer together.

======== Calendar of Events ==========

San Francisco - 3/17/2003, Mon. 7:00 - 9pm
Adult Success Group -- Share skills and strategies for success at
home, in the workplace, in relationships, etc.
CPMC Pacific Campus, San Francisco - Contact: Rachel Rosenfeld: 415-362-7227
============================
Marin - 3/18/2003, Tues. 7-9pm
Drop in Support Group -- for Adults with ADHD and Significant Others
Marin Community Mental Health, Greenbrae - Contact: Beverlee: 415-789-9464
============================
Online - 3/19/2003, Wed. 6-8:00 PM PST
Making Multimodal Treatment a Reality -- Guest Expert: William Pelham, Ph.D.
CHADD Online Chat, Internet - Contact: Message Line: 510-291-2950
============================
Contra Costa - 3/19/2003, Wed. 7-9 pm
Walnut Creek Adult General Support Meeting -- Ongoing, confidential
support groups for Adults with ADHD
Kaiser Mental Health, Walnut Creek - Contact: Donna Love: 925-687-4324
============================
Santa Clara - 3/19/2003, Wed. Reg: 7pm, Meet 7:30pm
Silicon Valley Adult, Parent and Spouse Support Groups -- Separate
peer-facilitated groups let you share struggles and strategies with
each other. Includes video.
Friends Meeting House, Palo Alto - Contact: Silicon Valley Warmline:
650-949-5472
============================
Yolo - 3/20/2003, Thu. Lending Library 7:00 pm; 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm
County Meeting -- CHADD welcomes all with interest or concerns
regarding attention deficit disorder.
Davis Branch, Yolo County Library, Davis - Contact: Yolo County
CHADD: 530-750-3929
============================
Santa Clara - 3/26/2003, Wed. 7:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Don't Let Your Schooling Get In The Way of Your Education - Higher
Learning for ADHD/LD Adults -- Lew Mills, PhD, MFT is a Bay Area
psychotherapist who works with Adults with ADHD. Trying to write a
dissertation was his own wake-up call to ADHD and LDs in higher
education. He concludes that it is possible, and probably worth
attempting, but that you need to learn how to make school fit your
needs. He will talk about the official and unofficial strategies to
get through school and actually learn something too!
Friends Meeting House, Palo Alto - Contact: Kitty Petty ADD/LD
Institute: 650-329-9443 or visit www.kpinst.org/
============================
San Francisco - 3/27/2003, Thu. 7:00 - 8:30 pm (allow time to park)
Summer Fair for Children with Learning Style Differences -- Over 20
program representatives and tutors talking about a wide range of
summer resources. Open to all families.
Susan Andrews Theater - Presidio Hill School; 3839 Washington St.,
San Francisco - Contact: Presidio Hill Parent Group on LD:
415-751-9318
============================
San Francisco - 3/29/2003, Sat. 9:00 am - Noon
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities' Annual
Information & Resource Fair -- Workshops * Exhibitors * Presentations
John O'Connell High School, San Francisco - Contact: See Website:
415.469.4518 for more information or visit www.supportforfamilies.org
============================
Marin - 3/31/2003, Mon. 9:30-11:30am
Parent Resource Group -- Call First...
30 Catalpa Ave., Mill Valley - Contact: Victoria Vogel & Holly
Seerly: 415-383-6048
============================
Contra Costa - 4/2/2003, Wed. 7-9 pm
Walnut Creek Adult Topical Meeting: TBA --
Kaiser Mental Health, Walnut Creek - Contact: Donna Love: 925-687-4324
============================
Santa Clara - 4/2/2003, Wed. Reg: 7pm, Meet 7:30pm
Social Skills, Relationships and Getting Along at Work with AD/HD -- TBA
Friends Meeting House, Palo Alto - Contact: Silicon Valley Warmline:
650-949-5472
============================
San Mateo - 4/5/2003, Sat. 9 am - Noon; Registration at 8 am
Public Talk on Behavior - Richard Lavoie, MS, MEd. -- Register online by 3/26.
South San Francisco Conference Center, South San Francisco - Contact:
Schwab Learning: 800-230-0988 or visit www.SchwabLearning.org
============================
Marin - 4/8/2003, Tues. 7-9pm
Referenced-EEG, a New Approach - Mark Schiller, MD, Assistant
Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCSF. -- Learn about
Referenced-EEG, a test which measures brain wave abnormalities and
suggests the medications that would be most helpful. It is 80%
clinically effective and used for ages 6-90. Results are not related
to a DSM diagnosis.
Town Center Corte Madera Community Room, Corte Madera - Contact:
Beverlee: 415-789-9464
============================
Alameda - 4/9/2003, Wed. 7 - 9 pm
Tri-Valley Parent Support Meeting --
Thomas J. Hart Middle School, Pleasanton - Contact: JoAnn Matone: 925-484-2173
============================
San Francisco - 4/9/2003, Wed. 7:30pm
Women's ADD Support Group -- Please Call Lynn to confirm times and
locations before attending.
CPMC Davies Campus, San Francisco - Contact: Lynn: 415-621-1078
============================
Sacramento - 4/12/2003, Sat. 7:00 a.m. through morning
Annual "Walk for Hope" -- UC Davis MIND Institute
Sacramento - Contact: Kevin Duggan: 888-324-0464; www.mindinstitute.org
============================
Marin - 4/15/2003, Tues. 7-9pm
Got Clutter? A drop-in peer-support group for organizing. -- SueZee
Poinsett; Professional coach and organizer, Member of Na. Assoc.
Professional Organizers. 415-492-8822. Cost: $10 donation
Marin Community Mental Health, Greenbrae - Contact: Beverlee: 415-789-9464
============================
Online - 4/16/2003, Wed. 6-8:00 PM PST
Adult AD/HD and Relationship Issues -- Guest Expert: Arthur Robin, Ph.D.
CHADD Online Chat, Internet - Contact: Message Line: 510-291-2950
============================
Contra Costa - 4/16/2003, Wed. 7-9 pm
Walnut Creek Adult General Support Meeting -- Ongoing, confidential
support groups for Adults with ADHD
Kaiser Mental Health, Walnut Creek - Contact: Donna Love: 925-687-4324
============================
Santa Clara - 4/16/2003, Wed. Reg: 7pm, Meet 7:30pm
Silicon Valley Adult, Parent and Spouse Support Groups -- Separate
peer-facilitated groups let you share struggles and strategies with
each other. Includes video.
Friends Meeting House, Palo Alto - Contact: Silicon Valley Warmline:
650-949-5472
============================

===== Feature Article ======

Children's Fears of War and Terrorism:
How Parents Can Help
by Don R. MacMannis, Ph.D.

(This is reproduced from www.tfkteachers.com/advice . You may be
concerned about how to talk to your children about war and terrorism.
Please consider these tips from Don MacMannis, a child psychologist.
You can also visit www.tfkteachers.com/advice. )

These are uncertain, turbulent times, colored as they are by fears
about war and terrorism. As a result, children as well as adults are
experiencing higher levels of stress. When a flu bug is going around,
conscientious parents make sure their child is getting plenty of
sleep, vitamins and a healthy diet to build their immune system. How
can we, in a similar fashion, build up our children's capacity to
deal with current stresses?

Although there is no magic pill, there is a healthy diet of social
and emotional skills that you can provide children. Increasing these
skills is the most effective way to help children deal with the
current threat, as well as learn valuable lessons that last a
lifetime. It is normal for children to feel afraid, yet there are
things we can do to help our kids function optimally in these trying
times. Here are some suggestions:

1. Ask children what they have heard from peers, schools and the news
and discuss their concerns. But don't push the issue. It's best not
to fill children with fears they don't have, but also to realize that
their concerns won't go away if you ignore them. If children are
worried, reassure them by saying: "I can see you are feeling really
scared-this is a hard time for us. I know we'll feel better when it's
over." Avoid telling children, "Everything will be okay," because if
something does happen, you'll lose their trust.

2. Recognize children's signs of stress. Kids reveal their stress in
individual ways. Some act out, some are quiet and some become immune
and numb. Watch for signs of sadness, aggression toward others, new
fears that may seem unrelated to the war and difficulties with making
"bad" thoughts go away. Many children will start acting younger than
their age.

3. Help children separate imagined from realistic fears.
Entertainment and real events can blend together for children. For
example, many kids saw the Twin Towers fall on TV and insisted it was
a movie. Other kids saw the image repeated on the news and thought
the event was happening over and over again. Children need to know
that very few people are terrorists and that the war will be fought
far away.

4. Limit children's exposure to adult media. Children need to know
that their immediate social environment-their family, friends and
school-is safe. The news and violent programming can be too
upsetting. Watch the news after children go to bed. If children
insist on watching the news, watch with them so that you can gauge
their reaction and talk about it.

5. Deal with your own stresses and emotions. When kids sense your
feelings and stress, they can become overwhelmed and unsettled.
Provide patience, safety, support and consistency to help children
feel secure. Share your own fears-but with restraint.

6. Use this time to teach life-long social and emotional skills.
Programs are available to provide kids with songs and activities to
learn positive thinking, hopefulness and prevent obsessive thoughts
or feelings from overwhelming them. It's an ideal time to learn about
cooperation and consideration, and to celebrate differences rather
than stereotype and blame.

7. Provide constructive outlets. Encourage kids to get involved by
sending letters or drawings to military families or public-safety
workers.

8. Maintain rituals of connection and stick to normal routines, rules
and expectations. The only places to soften might be allowing
siblings to share rooms, or extending the bedtime "going to sleep"
ritual.

9. Don't let war play become aggressive. Limit exposure to violent
video games and movies.

10. Notify your school if a family member is leaving for the war.

11. Find support for yourself from local groups and organizations,
friends and, if needed, professional counselors and psychologists.

Don R. MacMannis, Ph.D., is a child psychologist specializing in the
treatment of children and families. He has been a consultant to
teachers and schools for the past 30 years. He is also currently
music director and one of three songwriters for the hit animation
series, Jay Jay the Jet Plane, featured on PBS. His highly acclaimed
book/CD, A Pocket of Tunes: Songs and Activities for Social and
Emotional Learning, will soon be featured in the Time/Life Primary
Teacher's Book Club.

===== Please Tell Us! =====

We thank members for their responses to the Newsletter. Any comments,
suggestions, or criticisms will be greatly appreciated. Please
continue to help us make this newsletter more beneficial to you all.

We also invite readers to share their experiences with us and other
members. Please feel free to write to us about anything that you
would like to see published.

You can e-mail your comments to us at CHADD_Dimples@....
Simply replying to this e-mail will also send your message to the
right place.