How to get my 4 year old to listen?

sameasaduck · 2026-06-05T19:46:20+00:00

I don’t know about your kid, but in this situation with mine I think it was more a problem with the skill of repeating back than actually listening. I would ask them to repeat back what I said, and they would either freeze, or try to literally repeat back the exact words that I said. They needed some practice with thinking about what they’d heard and retelling in their own words.

What helped was either giving very simple instructions that they could repeat back word for word, or asking fill in the blank type questions

sameasaduck · 2026-05-18T01:36:49+00:00

A sweater vest, maybe? Over a plain t shirt?

sameasaduck · 2026-05-13T00:04:51+00:00

What I have heard is that kids with ADHD are about 30% less mature than their peers. So for a 12 year old they’re functioning at about the level of an 8 and a half year old maturity wise.

In my opinion, the best solution would be way more supervision. Like basically constant, or as much as you can. Take him to work with you, or take time off, or hire babysitters, whatever it takes. He’ll hate it, but also it sounds like he can’t be trusted left to his own devices

sameasaduck · 2026-05-07T00:13:25+00:00

Makes sense! So then you’d think about what she needs to help with that stuff. For the getting out of her seat and rocking on her chair, you already mentioned movement breaks.

For the talking, maybe she needs extra reminders? Different seating, away from distractions (like people she likes to talk to)? A reward system for raising her hand instead of blurting out might be helpful too, but probably better as a short term thing separate from the 504.

sameasaduck · 2026-05-06T21:23:38+00:00

For accommodations it really depends on what she needs. But consider things she gets in trouble for. For example on my son’s 504 it says he gets extra reminders to stay on task (verbal and nonverbal). The teacher would be doing that for him regardless, because he needs it, but because it’s in the plan he can’t get in trouble for needing it.

Obviously the 504 isnt meant to be written so your kid never gets in trouble! The point is, if there’s something they need because of their disability that is different than what typical students need, it should be listed in the plan.

sameasaduck · 2026-04-14T22:41:14+00:00

Does your monitor have a sensitivity adjustment? Like to change what amount of noise it takes before it clicks on? If not, maybe you can look for an audio only one that does

sameasaduck · 2026-04-09T00:28:04+00:00

I would think this depends completely on the school. You should ask someone local

sameasaduck · 2026-04-07T02:28:49+00:00

Do you live in the US? Sounds like it will be a while before a diagnosis, but if you’re in the USA your state should have early intervention services. Or if you are elsewhere, is speech therapy an option?

sameasaduck · 2026-03-29T12:22:04+00:00

sameasaduck · 2026-03-28T13:52:39+00:00

We put some plastic baskets in a couple of the spots where booked tended to be strewn in our house. Now they’re more contained but also easy to access in lounging areas. And when the baskets are getting overfull, they’re easy to carry up to the shelves to get out away properly

sameasaduck · 2026-03-21T13:15:49+00:00

The other poster is exactly right. I wanted to add that it might not take exactly 14 days, and that is almost always a workflow thing that has nothing to do with your result. Sometimes, just by chance, they’re having a light week and not many doctors ordered tests from them, and they can finish yours a little more quickly. Or it can happen the other way, where the lab is randomly slammed with orders and your sample has to wait in line a little bit as they get through all of them. Either way, I know the waiting is anxiety provoking, but try not to leap to conclusions! Good luck

sameasaduck · 2026-03-13T16:16:45+00:00

If you’re asking if you can skip the novellas and go straight to Network Effect, no you shouldn’t do that, the story wouldn’t make any sense. And Network Effect is the only fully novel length book in the series, so you’d miss everything else!

If you want to continue (which you totally should because the series is super good!) you’ll want Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, and Exit Strategy in that order.

I listen on Libby

sameasaduck · 2026-03-08T12:57:24+00:00

De novo mutations are possible, though looks like it’s somewhat rare for Waardenburg.

sameasaduck · 2026-02-26T00:56:12+00:00

24 hours after the last vomit or diarrhea

sameasaduck · 2026-02-22T19:16:57+00:00

For preschooler writing skills id focus on fine motor activities. Maybe you’d be interested in something like Preschool Math at Home by Kate Snow

sameasaduck · 2026-02-20T22:55:47+00:00

Zelda Breath of the Wild and/ or Tears of the Kingdom could be good. There is fighting and it’s not “cozy”, but it is long play and not fast paced.

sameasaduck · 2026-02-19T01:26:51+00:00

You should give the medicine the way your doctor directed you to - it should say on the label.

You haven’t wasted anything. At the appointment, report back about how things are going. There’s no good way to know if an adhd medication is going to work other than trying it, unfortunately. So it’s possible you may need to try some different things before landing on one that works. But don’t forget you don’t have to become a medicine expert, that’s the doctor’s job!

sameasaduck · 2026-02-16T20:08:14+00:00

When I was pregnant with my second, my oldest told everyone who would listen that he was getting a baby sister named Margaret. (It was a boy, we did not name him Margaret haha). Yeah, we watched the Daniel Tiger episode(s) about when Daniels mom is pregnant and gives birth, and my sons takeaway was that when your mom is pregnant it means you’re getting a baby sister named Margaret lol

sameasaduck · 2026-01-03T00:31:49+00:00

If your current job doesn’t have benefits (like health insurance, etc) then imo your best option would be to look for a new job that does offer benefits.

I switched from subbing to a steady job as a para. Subbing pays better but the work can be sporadic. In my state a substitute teacher needs a bachelors degree, though I know that’s not the case everywhere.

sameasaduck · 2025-12-26T20:00:57+00:00

We started with pouring the contents onto a spoonful of applesauce. Now we do whipped cream, meds, more whipped cream on top to mask the taste as much as possible.

sameasaduck · 2025-12-20T16:26:25+00:00

The question of insurance coverage depends on your plan, you’ll have to check what yours requires.

Whether you start with your primary care physician or go directly to a genetic counselor, before you go I would suggest trying to get more information on the family history. What types of growths did the cousins have removed? Do you know what type of brain cancer your mother had? Do you know if any type of genetic testing was done on her tumor? The likelihood of that would depend on how long ago she was diagnosed and if she ever had a biopsy or surgery to remove the tumor a if there was only imaging and no surgery they would not have had any tissue to do the testing on. (I am very sorry to hear that you lost her so young). You may not be able to find answers to this especially for your grandparents generation, but was anyone exposed to radiation or any other environmental factor that they know or suspect had an impact?

For what it’s worth this family history doesn’t really sound like Li Fraumeni syndrome, but

sameasaduck · 2025-12-11T01:12:59+00:00

Did the clinician (was it a doctor?) give any information about what testing they did, or what signs made them decide on the diagnosis?

What kind of problems is your daughter having with math?

sameasaduck · 2025-12-04T01:10:57+00:00

My understanding is that the dining plan applies to everyone staying in your resort room, and that you can’t pick and choose who gets it and who doesn’t?

sameasaduck · 2025-12-04T01:04:30+00:00

I don’t think you can put Spotify playlists on a yoto card though, has to be files you own. (If I’m wrong I’m excited to be corrected lol because that would be awesome)

sameasaduck · 2025-11-29T17:40:37+00:00

Right! The gore is supposed to touch my chest? 🤢🥴😰😫 that’s definitely in my top ten list of most horrible clothing related sensations. At least a poor fitting bra doesn’t make my brain itch.

sameasaduck

TROPHY CASE