ADHD is Awesome: A Guide To (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD

ADHD is a very big part of our lives. We have extended family with ADHD, (I have recently begun to wonder if I have lived most of life with undiagnosed ADHD), we live at a school specializing in ADHD and our youngest son was recently diagnosed with ADHD. Because of all these reasons I was dedicated to becoming an expert. I have ordered so many books and read so many articles and consulted physicians and therapists and websites and everything else. Lots of books are informative, but some of them will make you feel like you are living with a ticking time bomb. This book was so wonderful and so refreshing. It walked a very fine line of being realistic about the challenges of ADHD while still celebrating all the wonderful things that make someone with ADHD, real and beautiful and human. There are elements for people with ADHD and for loved ones who need to understand ADHD. There is good biological and clinical information but not so much that it becomes heavy like a textbook. It is humorous and energizing. Even the layout of the book makes it easy to read with ADHD: breakout sections, bright colors on the edges, illustrations, color coded boxes, checklists and sentences not starting on one page and continuing on the next are just a few of the touches that tell you this is written by someone who really understands what it means to live with ADHD. (And there's an audiobook too!) I love the balance of humility and ownership of the challenges of ADHD/tips for accountability while also embracing the glorious gifts that ADHD can bring and truly embracing the diagnosis and making it into something to celebrate. Ever since we suspected that our son had ADHD we have fiercely rejected the stereotypes and standards that painted it as a life-ruining experience. We knew that our son had a sparkle brain that vibrated with magic and life and imagination and creativity. This book absolutely felt like a validation of that. ADHD is Awesome is an amazing gift to anyone who wants to better understand their own ADHD or the ADHD of someone they love. Everyone could get something out of this book.

My almost seven-year-old son has not been officially diagnosed with ADHD, but he has a lot of indications that he might have ADHD. He, more than my other two children, has prompted me to study and learn about child development. I just haven't figured out why he struggles so much in a few key areas. When his Pre-K4/MDO teacher suggested he might have ADHD at the age of 5, I immediately rejected the idea and thought he was just being a boy and boys having trouble sitting still and such. Well, fast forward about 2 years, and I've done a good bit more research, plus had more time to observe him, and I think she might be right. So much of ADHD and what he's going through seems negative. When I came across a video by The Holderness Family about ADHD, Penn talked about the book they co-wrote called ADHD is Awesome. I immediately added it to my TBR list. I initially listened to the audiobook version of this book, but I have since purchased a kindle edition to own. I am so thankful for Penn and Kim writing this book. Penn shares his experiences of having "a raging case of ADHD" with this book. Having an adult be able to describe what happens in his own brain helps me so much to relate to my son. I've never understood why he can never remember where his shoes are or why an item ceases to exist in his brain when he puts it down. How he can not remember so much has always baffled me. And I've often thought and even accused him of lying to me. And I can easily say that doing so has damaged our relationship. Penn's candor has provided me with some relief. Similar to the relief he felt after being diagnosed. I feel relief in learning more about and understanding more about things my child struggles with or deals with and how his brain works. I cried. Multiple times. From guilt over how I've handled things in the past, sadness over the struggles he has and why everything feels harder for him, hope for the future, and fear for the same. Penn and Kim do a wonderful job of presenting ADHD as it is. They don't sugarcoat things. Penn's struggles and the negative side of having ADHD are there in all its ugliness. But there are positives to having ADHD or being close to someone who has ADHD, and those positives are essentially never pointed out. They want everyone to know that it isn't all bad. And I can so appreciate that. As someone whose child is still very young, I feel like we have an uphill battle in front of us, but there is hope. They offer coping strategies. This was one of the most practically applicable books I've ever read on a similar topic (not ADHD specifically). I appreciate that so much. And I appreciate Penn and Kim Holderness for putting this book out there. I needed it. And I'm sure so many others do too. The humor kept the topics light enough that this didn't feel like a heavy book even though I was quite emotional through portions of it. I suppose if it were heavy or dull the ADHD brain would abandon it, most likely. Penn definitely wrote with other ADHDers in mind. I also loved the discussion of the name ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The name truly doesn't describe the condition. And that contributes to the condition being so highly misunderstood. Addressing the misconceptions around ADHD was really helpful for me, and it helped me see that I had a lot of unfounded preconceived ideas of what ADHD is that are completely false. I can tell you that I would have had way too many quotes highlighted if I'd read this on my Kindle, but since I listened to the audiobook, I don't have any to share. I have purchased a digital copy of this book to have for myself to read again and probably even more than once. The audiobook version is wonderful being narrated by Penn and Kim directly. I don't know how much sidebar-type stuff they added to the physical book. It almost seemed like some things were added in their audio narration that wouldn't be in a physical copy, but I couldn't tell you that for sure without comparing the two. But their narration made the audiobook fun and easy to listen to (the goal). The only reason I wanted a physical copy for myself and not the audio version to own is that finding a passage for reference is much easier in a physical copy. If you have ADHD or have a loved one with ADHD, I think you should definitely check out ADHD is Awesome by Penn and Kim Holderness. If nothing else, you can commiserate with someone who understands your struggles. ADHD is Awesome gets 5 Stars from me. Have you read (or listened to) ADHD is Awesome? What did you think? Let me know!

I found reading this a very personal experience. I started with the audiobook and then got the kindle because I wanted to highlight stuff and come back to it later. The description of adhd was at times so close to home it felt weird. But also, there are aspects of the adhd described that don’t suit me. Thanks for writing it. I appreciated reading it. And you mention that there must be some adhd preachers out there, I’m one of them!

As a parent to a teenager with a recent ADHD diagnosis, I felt that I had most of the knowledge I needed for daily living. I knew of the Holderness family from their YouTube videos (his songs about ADHD are hilarious) so decided this book would be worth a read. There were lots of sections that we highlighted that became useful reminders or provided a better explanation of why our child thinks or behaves in a certain way. There is a small section that talks about getting school onside with support that was obviously American in terms of how the system works but don't let that put you off, as it is easy to make the switch to English terms like EHCP rather than 504's or IEP's.

Very cool book with fun view on adhd, follow them on Instagram too

Der Autor wirft einen humorvollen Blick auf alle Talente, die Personen mit ADHS haben, aber auch auf die Probleme, mit denen diese konfrontiert sind. Dabei ist es auch so gestaltet, dass man auch als Personen mit ADHS unbedingt dranbleiben möchte: mit vielen Farben, Highlight Boxen und vielen Fun Facts.

It’s incredibly good. ADHD is Awesome” is an incredible read that completely reframes the narrative around ADHD. The author brilliantly highlights the strengths and unique qualities that come with ADHD, providing a refreshing and empowering perspective. The book is filled with practical advice, inspiring stories, and actionable strategies that make it a valuable resource for anyone with ADHD or those who support them. It’s a must-read for understanding and embracing the awesomeness that comes with ADHD. Highly recommended for its positive and transformative approach!