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Raising Will: Surviving the Brilliance and Blues of ADHD
Raising Will is a heartfelt, humbling memoir written by a Texan turned Minnesotan mother and child psychologist. Her heart breaks for Will when he is repeatedly banned from Fun Friday in 1st grade shortly after he is diagnosed with ADHD. The family zig-zags through an obstacle course of therapies, medication side effects, tutoring, and sleepless nights, while shining a light on Will’s inherent strength – blues guitar. Her readers will surely recognize themselves in this story and find solace, laughter, and hope as they celebrate the surprising blessings ADHD can bring.
- GenresParenting
246 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2019
6 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Quie
2 books1 followerKatherine Quie is a licensed child and adolescent psychologist and author of the memoir, Raising Will: Surviving the Brilliance and Blues of ADHD. She is a mother of two and lives in Saint Paul with her husband, daughter, and small dogs. Katherine recently founded ADHD&U as an outlet for her passion in supporting youth and families impacted by ADHD.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 20, 2020
This was a quick and easy read written by a mother of a son with ADHD who also happens to be a child psychiatrist. I enjoyed the memoir format which was relatable, but also appreciated the facts and tips sprinkled throughout the book. The author and I have different worldviews, but I did gain encouragement from her story.
A few quotes to save before I return this book to the library:
--"ADHD doesn't always change us for the worst. It can make us way more patient too. And patience is imperative if you love someone with ADHD. Otherwise, you'll chip away at their soul. . .and yours" (4).
--"'Please God,' I thought. 'Make him stop talking, stop moving'" (9).
--"Ms. Jones explained that William talked 'constantly' in class. She wondered if he were like this at home. 'Yes,' I answered, relieved that even his spunky teacher found his talking exhausting. 'Really? His talking is so intense. How do you deal with it?' she asked, her eyes widening. . .'His talking drives me crazy too,' I said, cracking up. 'It's exhausting. I haven't found a perfect solution.' . .It helps if you kneel down beside him, make physical contact, and give him something to hold. . .it slowed their bodies down, including their need to talk" (81).
--"You have what it takes to parent Emma. Adoptive parents are a unique breed" (88).
--"Russell Barkley. . .found that kids with ADHD can actually focus on their interests better than typical kids. The struggle is in shifting from one thing to the next" (110).
--". . .predominately inattentive type of ADHD as the Sluggish Cognitive Tempo type. These children are the daydreamers who are easily confused and mentally preoccupied. The hyperactive-impulsive subtype of ADHD includes the children who need more movement than the rest of us. . .Kids who have symptoms from both groups meet criteria for ADHD, combined type" (126).
--"Looking back, I can tell you exactly why we should have sought professional help. I needed the support. Badly" (128).
--". . .kids with ADHD struggle to regulate their emotions, self-motivate, focus, and retain certain kinds of information, like multiple-step directions" (130).
--"We had to repeat ourselves and stay beside him to make sure things got done. He still fell out of his chair during dinner. Mid-conversation, he'd fidget too much in one direction and fall to the floor" (153).
--Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete Authoritative Guide for Parents by Russell Barkley, PhD.
--"Unless I was downstairs in the basement working alongside William, he got sidetracked. the internal self-talk that most of us have--that voice that tells us to get started on something or to shift back to what we are working on--is very faint, if not nonexistent, in many children with ADHD" (168).
--"Some researchers had found that omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids levels are lower in children with ADHD and learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. Supplementing the kids' diets with omega-3s, like essential fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid, had produced clinically significant benefits. One theory was that fish oil reduced inflammation in the brain" (178).
--"Research suggests that executive functioning in ADHD kids is delayed by about two to three years" (194).
--"I wondered what my life would have been like if I hadn't had a kid like him who'd pushed me to my limit. Would I have discovered creative writing? Written a book? Taken up yoga? I doubted it. I'd never been drawn to creative writing before parenthood. I'd decided to write a book about ADHD because I felt so alone" (240).
A few quotes to save before I return this book to the library:
--"ADHD doesn't always change us for the worst. It can make us way more patient too. And patience is imperative if you love someone with ADHD. Otherwise, you'll chip away at their soul. . .and yours" (4).
--"'Please God,' I thought. 'Make him stop talking, stop moving'" (9).
--"Ms. Jones explained that William talked 'constantly' in class. She wondered if he were like this at home. 'Yes,' I answered, relieved that even his spunky teacher found his talking exhausting. 'Really? His talking is so intense. How do you deal with it?' she asked, her eyes widening. . .'His talking drives me crazy too,' I said, cracking up. 'It's exhausting. I haven't found a perfect solution.' . .It helps if you kneel down beside him, make physical contact, and give him something to hold. . .it slowed their bodies down, including their need to talk" (81).
--"You have what it takes to parent Emma. Adoptive parents are a unique breed" (88).
--"Russell Barkley. . .found that kids with ADHD can actually focus on their interests better than typical kids. The struggle is in shifting from one thing to the next" (110).
--". . .predominately inattentive type of ADHD as the Sluggish Cognitive Tempo type. These children are the daydreamers who are easily confused and mentally preoccupied. The hyperactive-impulsive subtype of ADHD includes the children who need more movement than the rest of us. . .Kids who have symptoms from both groups meet criteria for ADHD, combined type" (126).
--"Looking back, I can tell you exactly why we should have sought professional help. I needed the support. Badly" (128).
--". . .kids with ADHD struggle to regulate their emotions, self-motivate, focus, and retain certain kinds of information, like multiple-step directions" (130).
--"We had to repeat ourselves and stay beside him to make sure things got done. He still fell out of his chair during dinner. Mid-conversation, he'd fidget too much in one direction and fall to the floor" (153).
--Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete Authoritative Guide for Parents by Russell Barkley, PhD.
--"Unless I was downstairs in the basement working alongside William, he got sidetracked. the internal self-talk that most of us have--that voice that tells us to get started on something or to shift back to what we are working on--is very faint, if not nonexistent, in many children with ADHD" (168).
--"Some researchers had found that omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids levels are lower in children with ADHD and learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. Supplementing the kids' diets with omega-3s, like essential fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid, had produced clinically significant benefits. One theory was that fish oil reduced inflammation in the brain" (178).
--"Research suggests that executive functioning in ADHD kids is delayed by about two to three years" (194).
--"I wondered what my life would have been like if I hadn't had a kid like him who'd pushed me to my limit. Would I have discovered creative writing? Written a book? Taken up yoga? I doubted it. I'd never been drawn to creative writing before parenthood. I'd decided to write a book about ADHD because I felt so alone" (240).
May 24, 2019
A really insightful, honest, look at raising a child with ADHD. I promise you that if you read this book it will help and you will be able to relate to this book in lots of different ways.
May 17, 2019
As a mother of a child with Autism and possibly ADHD as well, this book really resonated with me. I loved the author's honesty about the hardships of raising a child with a behavioral disorder. What impacted me the most was her battles with William's teachers over the years. My son was fortunate enough to attend a high needs preschool for the past two years, where his teachers followed his IEP to the letter and gave him as much support in the classroom as possible. However, next year he'll be attending a brand new school and starting Kindergarten and, to be perfectly honest, I'm scared sh*tless. I hope and pray that they work with him to the best of their abilities so that he can perform to the best of his abilities.
Throughout William's story, I could picture my son doing the exact same things as him - the fear of food, being particular about clothing, rambling on for hours about a subject I know next to nothing about it (in our house Star Wars is life), and the hyperactivity and inability to sit for extended periods. I think that every parent of a child with ADHD should read this book. I learned so much about ADHD and the treatments and therapies available for it, and I highly recommend others read William's story as well.
My one con was that I felt like the ending was a little rushed, and I kind of wanted a little "this is where William is now" blurb at the end too. I hope that Katherine writes a follow up book and talks about William's experiences in College since that's such a massive step for all kids in general, but especially for kids with behavioral disorders.
Throughout William's story, I could picture my son doing the exact same things as him - the fear of food, being particular about clothing, rambling on for hours about a subject I know next to nothing about it (in our house Star Wars is life), and the hyperactivity and inability to sit for extended periods. I think that every parent of a child with ADHD should read this book. I learned so much about ADHD and the treatments and therapies available for it, and I highly recommend others read William's story as well.
My one con was that I felt like the ending was a little rushed, and I kind of wanted a little "this is where William is now" blurb at the end too. I hope that Katherine writes a follow up book and talks about William's experiences in College since that's such a massive step for all kids in general, but especially for kids with behavioral disorders.
April 9, 2020
Absolutely loved Katherine Quie’s memoir, Raising Will: Surviving the Brilliance and Blues of ADHD. Expertly crafted, it is written with heart, humor, and educates the reader on the realities of ADHD, its markers. This is a love letter to Quie’s son, her family, and to any readers who’ve ever experienced the struggle toward self-discovery, particularly with regard to embracing the beauty of one’s innate differences from other human beings. P.S. the audio version is expertly performed by the author. A beautiful and uplifting story.
January 19, 2022
What I liked:
She is very clearly in love with her son and wants the best for him.
She is willing to try different methods.
What I didn't like:
This is NOT your typical ADHD journey. Will goes to private schools. He has private tutors. Mom is in the biz and has access to knowledge of which specialists are 'good.' They have a daughter who was adopted and she is mentioned only in afterthoughts. The husband sounds like a d-bag. Will has dyslexia but always has his head buried in hard books (not always the case with dyslexic individuals who struggle to read).
She is very clearly in love with her son and wants the best for him.
She is willing to try different methods.
What I didn't like:
This is NOT your typical ADHD journey. Will goes to private schools. He has private tutors. Mom is in the biz and has access to knowledge of which specialists are 'good.' They have a daughter who was adopted and she is mentioned only in afterthoughts. The husband sounds like a d-bag. Will has dyslexia but always has his head buried in hard books (not always the case with dyslexic individuals who struggle to read).
August 20, 2024
This was helpful in better understanding ADHD, through it was only one family’s story. It was a quick and fun read. My main complaint is that the author portrayed her husband as such a jerk! 😂
December 16, 2024
A lot that resonates here.
December 29, 2020
I laughed, I cried, I nodded along to every little bit of this book. It’s so very tough raising an adhd’er, and I’m glad I read this to help me know I’m not alone!!
June 16, 2019
I found, Raising Will: Surviving the Brilliance and Blues of ADHD, hopeful and filled with Katherine and Will's first hand experiences that mirrored the present educational system's rigorous demands, and the ever challenging acceptance by peers.
Dr. Quie's patience, commitment, humor and insight of her child's condition was beyond impressive. Raising Will, will speak to any parent or teacher attempting to unlock an ADHD child's full potential.
As a retired teacher, I highly recommend this book.
Dr. Quie's patience, commitment, humor and insight of her child's condition was beyond impressive. Raising Will, will speak to any parent or teacher attempting to unlock an ADHD child's full potential.
As a retired teacher, I highly recommend this book.
May 17, 2019
As a mother of a child with Autism and possibly ADHD as well, this book really resonated with me. I loved the author's honesty about the hardships of raising a child with a behavioral disorder. What impacted me the most was her battles with William's teachers over the years. My son was fortunate enough to attend a high needs preschool for the past two years, where his teachers followed his IEP to the letter and gave him as much support in the classroom as possible. However, next year he'll be attending a brand new school and starting Kindergarten and, to be perfectly honest, I'm scared sh*tless. I hope and pray that they work with him to the best of their abilities so that he can perform to the best of his abilities.
Throughout William's story, I could picture my son doing the exact same things as him - the fear of food, being particular about clothing, rambling on for hours about a subject I know next to nothing about it (in our house Star Wars is life), and the hyperactivity and inability to sit for extended periods. I think that every parent of a child with ADHD should read this book. I learned so much about ADHD and the treatments and therapies available for it, and I highly recommend others read William's story as well.
My one con was that I felt like the ending was a little rushed, and I kind of wanted a little "this is where William is now" blurb at the end too. I hope that Katherine writes a follow up book and talks about William's experiences in College since that's such a massive step for all kids in general, but especially for kids with behavioral disorders.
Throughout William's story, I could picture my son doing the exact same things as him - the fear of food, being particular about clothing, rambling on for hours about a subject I know next to nothing about it (in our house Star Wars is life), and the hyperactivity and inability to sit for extended periods. I think that every parent of a child with ADHD should read this book. I learned so much about ADHD and the treatments and therapies available for it, and I highly recommend others read William's story as well.
My one con was that I felt like the ending was a little rushed, and I kind of wanted a little "this is where William is now" blurb at the end too. I hope that Katherine writes a follow up book and talks about William's experiences in College since that's such a massive step for all kids in general, but especially for kids with behavioral disorders.
January 19, 2020
I could not possibly love this book more!! It came to me at exactly the time I needed it. My 8 year old daughter was diagnosed with ADHD just 2 months ago. It’s been a bumpy ride trying to understand how her sweet brain works. This book helped me not feel so alone! Thank you Katherine Quie for your heartfelt book. I could relate to so much of it!!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews