This publication bills itself as "dedicated to helping children and adults with Attention Deficit Disorder and learning disabilities lead successful lives — at home, at school, at work, and in their communities....Every issue contains a wide range of service and lifestyle articles for individuals and families dealing with ADD. Many articles are written by medical and psychological experts, including M.D.s and Ph.D.s. " That's sort of a dry description (though technically accurate), don't you think?
I would call their website an absolute treasury of resources and support for parents of children with ADD/ADHD as well as adults with the diagnosis themselves. It provides extensive information about "living well with attention deficit" from basically every conceivable angle and often infused with all-important humor. In addition to the archive of helpful articles there are forums, free printables, a calendar of events, an e-newsletter, a directory to find services in your local area and even a link to a free podcast by Dr. Ned Hallowell, a recognized expert in this field (who you might have seen in the documentary, "ADD and Loving It?!").
Apparently I'm not the only one who feels so positively about ADDitude because their website traffic increased 40% from 2009 to 2010 and even Oprah Winfrey calls it "a magazine that is needed by every parent of an ADD child."
If you're interested in subscribing to the quarterly paper version of the magazine, check around for the best price. It costs more on their own website (currently $24.99/yr) than if you go to a newsstand and pull a card from the inside of an issue ($19.99/yr) or if you use a discount service like magazines.com or magazineline.com* (both $19.99/yr), but they sometimes offer a "bonus gift," which perhaps makes the extra expense worth your while. I'm old fashioned that way--I like to have a hard copy to write on, fold corners, tear out pages, etc., and plus it's easier on my eyes. However, most of the same content is available online free of charge.
If you, your child, your spouse, your sibling, your best friend or even your boss has ADD/ADHD, I encourage you to check out the website. It just might make 2011 a whole lot easier!
*I have used both online subscription services in the past with no problems.
