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  • Boy Without Instructions

  • Surviving the Learning Curve of Parenting a Child with ADHD
  • By: Penny Williams
  • Narrated by: Jayme Mattler
  • Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (18 ratings)

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Boy Without Instructions

By: Penny Williams
Narrated by: Jayme Mattler
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Summary

Number-One Best Seller on Amazon!

2014 USA Best Book Awards Winner: Finalist, Parenting & Family

Most books on ADHD don't dare expose the genuine grit of the moment-by-moment peaks and valleys of this special parenthood - the gut-wrenching, crying on the bathroom floor, feeling like you're losing your mind truth of the matter that is learning to successfully parent a child with ADHD. Boy Without Instructions: Surviving the Learning Curve of Parenting a child with ADHD changes that.

Williams shares her unfiltered thoughts and emotions during her progression through this learning curve during this harrowing ride. Right before your eyes, this initially grief-stricken momma transforms from obsessed-with-ADHD control-freak and helicopter mom to optimistic and (mostly) confident parent of a child who happens to have ADHD. Boy Without Instructions validates your grief and guilt, yet reveals that it's truly possible to craft a (mostly) joy-filled life for your child with ADHD, yourself, and your family.

©2014 Penny Williams (P)2016 Penny Williams
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What listeners say about Boy Without Instructions

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A very good insight into a parent's struggle.

Hearing about the personal daily struggles with supporting a child with Adhd makes this book so valuable. I felt for Mom, child and family. This book gives a very good insight about the trials as nd tribulations of navigating life, education, and specialist services, encountering disappointing inadequacies in educational resources, but at the same time highlighting great work and good will among educational staff on the ground.. For the most part.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

fantasic and informative

i laughed and i cried as this was just like she was speaking about our son minus the baseball, fantastic and has made me stronger and optimistic for my sons future and my sons appointment tomorrow with the mental health team, Thank you Penny

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Negative and depressing

Don't buy this one if you are hoping for a positive viewpoint and the ability to learn good strategies from other parents who have walked the ADHD path before you. This book focuses very much on the negatives and the bad days. It over dramatises the tough times that come along with ADHD. I felt compelled to keep listening as I was sure the author was at some time going to reassure me that persistence pays off or give some ideas to make things better. Any sniff of positivity only came right at the very end. Not one to lift your mood and help you look on the bright side I'm afraid. If you want to listen to someone having a good moan about how awful things can be for a family on the constant up hill struggle of having a child with ADHD...you'll love this book!

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7 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Annoying

I suppose if your main parenting obsession is making sure that your kid achieves academically this book is for you. I have a kid who likely has adhd - and he has many of the same behaviours as Ms Willliams's child and yet while I do want to work with him on his behaviours - I would never feel the need to meticulously document each meltdown and title it "ADHD is ruining my life" which is what this book feels like. It also feels like what she wants is a completely sedate 6 year old without ever having to let him run around or preventing him from eating cookies for breakfast. If your kid is bouncing off the walls ADHD might have something to do with it but it also might be because you let him eat sugar for breakfast and you never let him go outside. I'm a big fan of trying out environmental factors before deciding that every behaviour issue is a result of medication not being exactly right. It just feel like, listening to this book - any time her kid misbehaves she blames it on the medicine - and takes pride in it because she's such a great mama. Not as helpful as I had hoped it would be. Also hate the blogger pet names she gives everyone.

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4 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Still waiting for insight

Im on chapter 6 and so far all i have heard is how ADHD has impacted their family life and the difficulties getting medication. At somepoint im hoping to hear something useful that we can use as a family rather than the same stuff we can read elsewhere about thibgs like reward charts. Not very insightful so far.

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