Hurricane Wills by Sally Grindley is one book that I managed to read all 256 pages from start to finish in a single sitting. The book is about how Chris and his parents deal with his elder brother Will who suffers from ADD.

The two brothers, Chris and Will, have a love hate relationship as Chris strives for some normalcy in his life and Will tries his best to fit in without getting into too much trouble on a daily basis.

Target to reader age 9 and up, the 2 chapters in the book brings the reader into the family through the eyes of Chris, the long suffering younger brother of Will who has to put up with all his antics. Will is liken to a hurricane as one never knows when he will blow up or act silly. One minute he is like any other thirteen year old while the next minute he could be throwing a tantrum like a 2 yr old when he doesn’t get what he wants.

His disorder causes a lot of tension within the family and as a result his parents split so they can have some space and time away from Will. Chris too tries to find time and space away from his elder brother by holing up in the library to do his homework after school instead of going home. He manages to find some solace by confiding with Penny the librarian.

Things start to change when Will got into a brush with the law when he befriends some delinquents who have been going on a stealing spree.

My thoughts
I like how Sally gives the reader a realistic view into a family where a child is diagnosed with ADD. The family manages to stick together and overcome the crisis which they had to face. It shows that even children with disabilities are able to lead semi-normal lives with their family and capable of showing love and affection.

You can purchase a copy of this book from Amazon

Disclaimer: I recieved a copy of Hurricane Wills by Sally Grindley for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.
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July 14, 2012

Supermom 101- Keeping Abreast and Planning Ahead

Dominique Parenting and Kids, Parenting Views Supermom 101

Focus and Rhythm even though important can only be maintained through proper planning and execution. In my wrap up on this series I will be sharing tips on how to keep abreast with the changes in dynamics of a family as the kids grow up.

the kids and me

Tiger girl wanting the camera to focus on her.

Being a mom for the past nine years I have experienced how a baby grows and develops into a toddler thrice. Each child has his/her own characteristics and the teaching approach that works well on one may not work with the other child. As a child grow they learn how to exert their own rights and individuality. It can be really challenging getting through the day and tackling all the challenges which the kids throw you.

Sometimes you are thrown a curve ball and the techniques which you had applied to much success doesn’t seem to work anymore. How then are you to cope and remedy the problems that you face?

I believe in keeping apace with the latest teaching and learning practices and adapting them to educating and grooming my bunch. Reading extensively on parenting and personal productivity have helped me in sketching out my plan in how to handle both the kids, household and work.

There are many books which one can borrow from the library or read online on tips to help you in any area of your life which you seek more guidance. Reading inspirational books and learning about other people’s experiences like reading about The Mommy Diaries have helped me carved up the path which I am currently taking and plan to take as in my journey as a mom.

I anticipate more challenges coming my way as Doggie boy enters P1 next year and so am now laying the groundwork for a smooth transition from this year to next for all family members. There will be major changes in our house timetable due to the change in school timing and with all 3 in school I will have even lesser time for myself and there will be more running around.

To ease any problem which I may face with Tiger Girl entering school, I’m currently homeschooling her following the suggest curriculum for her age. Doggie boy is also given added attention in the academic areas which he is weaker in. Monkey boy has been quite consistent in his grades in Primary 1 and 2 however there is a jump between Primary 2 and 3 with the difficult of work and number of subjects ( moving from 3 to 4 core subjects). I’m also trying to bridge the gap which he may face but polishing up his comprehension and composition skills.

Academic planning aside I’m also taking up new sports activities like Zumba classes to help boost my energy levels as I’m sure I’ll certainly need it come 2013 with the more hectic schedule which I will face.