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AD/HD SUCCESS! Solutions for Boosting Self-Esteem: The Diary Method Ages 7-17

Kerin Bellak-Adams
Loving Healing Press (2010)
ISBN 9781615990245
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebeccasreads.com (04/10)


“AD/HD SUCCESS!  Solutions for Boosting Self- Esteem:  The Diary Method Ages 7-17” by Kerin Bellak-Adams “is a simple, direct, and practical guide that will do the following:  increase self-esteem, establish and influence positive attitudes and behaviors, and motivate each child/teenager to fulfill his or her own potential.”  (p.x) The book aims to increase self-awareness and also to give parents a window into how their children view themselves, how motivated they are, and their level of self-esteem.  This method also increases child-parent communication and lays the foundation upon which to build.

The first section of the book opens with an overview of ADD and of AD/HD, along with instructions on how to use the workbook and tips for parents and teacher.  Also, there is a “Home/School Daily Accountability Sheet” that has a checklist of items such as “raised hand instead of yelling out the answer,” “worked hard on class work,” and “transitioned well from one class to another.”  I think that this accountability sheet would be a great tool to utilize to see what areas need attention.  It is also a wonderful way to see what progress is being made as time goes on. 

The next section that follows is the diary page section.  There are age guidelines on the pages that suggest which ages each page may be most relevant and appropriate for.  An effective way to use this workbook is to pick the diary pages that have goals on them that are most relevant to what you want to accomplish, or areas that need focusing on.   Bellak-Adams encourages you to make copies of the pages and repeat them until there is a change.  These pages begin with a checklist format, but I really like that they have a space for the children to reflect and write out answers.  One example is “I feel really good about what I did in school today!  Here are some examples:” (p.41) I think that these would be great for both the child and the parent.  Not only is the child remembering positive events that happened, but the parent is getting an insight into their child’s life that they otherwise may not have gotten.

The third section of the book is geared toward parents.  It contains a Parent Self-Evaluation as well as other tools.  Finally, the book concludes with a few of Bellak-Adams’ success stories.    

I really like the interactive approach that Bellak-Adams has taken in her Diary method.  I have always been a fan on hands-on approaches to things and believe that it the way that people learn best.  Her method is very positive and I think that any parent with a child who has ADD or AD/HD should give “AD/HD SUCCESS!  Solutions for Boosting Self- Esteem:  The Diary Method Ages 7-17” a try!