Correlation and Causation

Last week was rough. There is some hard shit happening to my family (the one I grew up in) and it’s getting me down. Everyone will be okay, eventually, but it’s just a big fat fucking bummer.

I still haven’t found my rhythm at work. Every day feels like a cluster fuck. The 6th grade is a total shit show–they can’t seem to follow the same directions that made sense to all the other 6th grades for the past ten years. They never seem to know what is going on. I’m not quite sure how to change the way I do things so they understand. By the time I get the 7th and 8th graders I have nothing left, and they need the most of me.

My house has looked like a hurricane hit it, but I picked up a lot on Saturday so at least it won’t be causing me panic attacks this week.

The mice chewed more holes in my washing machine hoses. Not six days after it was fixed it was leaking everywhere again. I got steel wool to shove all around it after the guys fixes it again. We’re calling an exterminator.

But there has been a bright spot this past week, and it truly, it was blinding.

I started giving my daughter magnesium and B6 again. Actually, I always was, or I thought I was, but I realized that it wasn’t really absorbing into her warm milk and so much of it was left behind in the cup that she probably wasn’t getting much, if any. So I started finding other ways for her to take it (we settled on applesauce), and also started giving her DHA again (magnesium, B6 and DHA are recommended for kids with ADHD). This past week she was like a different kid. She could sit and get her homework done in a fraction of the time it used to take (she actually finished her packet early, despite having less time to do it at aftercare). She stayed “on green” at school all week (and even got the special “college card” honor one day), when she’s usually on orange or red, and being asked to leave the class. Even the woman at aftercare commented that she was doing a great job getting her homework done, and hadn’t been the last person in there working once this week.

Truly, she has been a pleasure to be around. She wants to read! She plays nicely with her brother! She does things the first time you ask! Even the mornings, which used to be unbearable, are noticeably more pleasant.

I know correlation is not causation, but I have high hopes that we have the magnesium, B6 and DHA to thank for this incredible turn around. I guess we’ll see as we move forward.

In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy this new daughter of mine. No matter what is causing this positive change, I am very, very grateful.

6 Comments

  1. This is great news about your daughter! It feels so good when one of their troublesome, chronic behaviors stops, even if just temporarily. Brysons new sleep patterns have made me an entirely new woman and mother. It’s amazing. I may need to try your little cocktail for Matthew!

    I hope things get better for your family. It’s a rough situation and heard on everyone. And those damn nice… Grrr…

    1. I’m so glad you’re getting more sleep. I’m sure some day I will be too, we’re just not there yet. And you’re right, when chronic negative behavior shifts in a positive way, it’s truly amazing.

  2. Oh F those mice! And I feel you on the post-hurricane house. I’ve had to majorly let go of cleaning/organizing for a few months and its really starting to wear on me. I just don’t know when I can deal with it, so many other things are more urgent/important. I have “research ADHD and magnesium/DHA” on my to-do list for today! I suspect I’ve asked you this before, but what formulation/dosage do you use? Any diarrhea with the Mag?

    1. Right now I’m giving her the recommended (on the packaging) 1/2 teaspoon of magnesium citrate, which already has B6, and also the recommended 1 tsp of fish oil (which is especially for kids).

      We have not had problems with diarrhea, but our daughter has always had issues with the opposite, so I’m not sure what might happen if that weren’t initially the case.

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