Sarah Jane Keyser : ADHD Coach

Koko came galloping down the path from school, "Mama Giraffe, have you
seen Joey?"

"No, Koko, I haven't. Have you lost him again?"

"He isn't at football practice, and Sammy is missing too. I'm afraid
they've both gone to eat more of that weed. What can we do to keep him
here?" 

"That boy needs a good walloping," said Joey's Grandpa who was grazing
near by. 

"I don't know, " said Koko, "I think he's sad inside because he doesn't
have stripes."

"I think you are right, Koko," said Mama Giraffe. "But you know he does
have stripes; stripes of a different color, and we need to help him see
his stripes."

"You think he has stripes?? But he's all white except for his legs."

"Do you remember when he saved you from the hyena?" 
ADHD to the Rescue

"Of course I do, how could I forget."

"We gave him a stripe for courage then, but he has more stripes. Let's
talk some more," said Mama Giraffe and she returned to her main task of
nibbling acacia leaves from her favorite tree.

Christmas morning dawned bright and clear. An acacia tree had been
decorated with brightly colored garlands. Most everybody was there. 

"Where's Joey?" Chip asked Chap, the monkey friends.

"Don't know." Chap replied to Chip.

"He's over there in the woods. He's hiding."

Joey was back in the shadows of the big trees with EEyore, the mustang
who was the only one who could run as fast as Joey, and Sammy beside
him  to be sure he didn't run off. 

Thomas Tortoise, the Organizer, a red hat perched jauntily on his
little head, came down the road pulling a cart loaded with gaily
colored packages.

Everybody cheered and shouted "Hooray, for Thomas".

"Thank you, thank you dear friends on this wondrous festive occasion, I
thank you for inviting me to join you. Today I have the honor of
delivering this cornucopia of excellent gifts for each and everyone of
you," pronounced Thomas in his best oratorical manner.

Joey back in the shadows tried to back away, he was sure there would be
nothing more than a few coals for him. EEyore moved to stop his
retreat.

Thomas started to call out names and hand over small packages, followed
by squeals of delight. One by one they received their gifts. The pile
in the cart got smaller and smaller until there was only one left, the
biggest by far.

"And now, dear friends, gather round," everyone went very quiet. "This 
last most magnificent gift from all of you is for Joey," everyone
cheered, "Jo-ey, Jo-ey, Jo-ey."

Joey blushed pink to the tips of his ears and tail while Sammy and
EEyore pushed him forward.

"Hurry, Joey, open it up."

He tore away the paper to reveal a black and white blanket. Chip and
Chap jumped forward to help put the blanket with proper zebra stripes
on Joey. Each stripe had a word inscribed on it.

"Look , Joey, this stripe says COURAGE," Koko read, "that's for when
you saved me from the hyena."

"This one says EMPATHY,"  said EEyore, "for the way you understood my
ear problem."
Joey meets Eeyore, a Mustang with a difference

"This one says HUMOR," said Chip and Chap together, "because you always
see the funny side of life, except for yourself"

"This one says CREATIVE," said Miss Zebrette, "for your original and
interesting reports even when they are late."

"And here it says PERSISTENT," said Sammy, "because you keep fighting
against all the odds until we win our football games."

Then Thomas pushed forward a small bug so that he could be heard, "Here
it says CURIOUS because you want to know everything that goes on in our
bug world."

Joey was all confused. "I.. I.. I don't know what to say. I know I get
lots of things wrong. I..I.. I don't mean to, you know. I..I.."

"C'mon Joey. We love you just the way you are."

"Ta ran ta rah, ta, ta," Mr. Rumbo, the elephant, sounded his trumpet,
"Let the festivites begin!"

Comment

Black thoughts often swirl around in ADHD heads. They need to be told and reminded and reminded again of their positive qualities.

For Christmas, look at yourself or those with ADHD around you and let them know how much you appreciate their special traits.

Happy Holidays.

A zebra joke to help you get into a holiday mode:

As a little girl climbed onto Santa's lap, Santa asked the usual, "And what would you like for Christmas?"

The child stared at him open mouthed and horrified for a minute, then gasped: "Didn't you get my E-mail?"

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You May Use This Article In Your Ezine Or Web Site

You are welcome to use material from Zebra Stripes in whole or in part, provided its use is non-commercial and not for profit and as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site links. Please send me an email at Sarah Jane Keyser so I know where you're using my material.

Here's the attribution you'll use: "By Sarah Jane Keyser ADHD Coach for adults and adolescents. Sarah Jane Keyser helps adults and parents of children with ADD to live life fully. Please visit her site at http://www.CoachingKeytoADD.com for more articles and resources on living more easily with Adult ADHD."