The Highly Distractable Mom Syndrome

I learned at the past homeschool convention that the malady I deal with has a name. It is known to those of us who suffer from it as HDMS or the Highly Distractable Mom Syndrome. I can now label the reason for my erratic and unregimented behavior. Glory!

I discovered that I may suffer from this when a fellow mom, who also struggles with this disability, was discussing her symptoms. "I do that TOO!" I thought. Knowing that I am not alone, I can share with my husband the issues that I face. Maybe he will be a little more understanding.

Interrupt-itis. I do not interrupt simply because I am rude or self-centered. Although, as a fallen, sinful creature, that may be an issue. I interrupt because if I don't share the great thought I just had about something you just said, I will forget it. It will be irretrievable and lost in the quagmire of great thoughts I once had, possibly never to be thought again. Well, never to be thought when I want to think it. The great thought will probably rear its head in the middle of praying for something completely unrelated. I now am practicing by using the deaf alphabet to overcome this. I form the first letter of the key word in my hand and hold it until a decent pause in the conversation. It usually works although there are times that I forget I'm holding an "S" and feel I'm nursing some hostility toward something exhibited by that tight fist in my right hand.

Forgetfulness in Child Training issues. My children love this one. This symptom insures that I will exact a punishment on a child, and then not only forget what he was punished for, but sometimes forget that he was punished altogether. "Mom, why is Lowell on his computer? Didn't you tell him he had to stay off his computer for 3 days?" "YES! That's right. I knew something was fishy when he mentioned that he would be checking his e-mail." And then, when I remind him that he was restricted, I forgot why I punished him from that in the first place, except that I know that it was somehow computer-related. Aaaah, the beauty of natural consequences. So, I use the old stand-by and subversively ask: "Why did I tell you to stay off the computer?" He recites the litany of infractions and I respond. "That's right. Get off!" I am learning to work with my dysfunction by writing the infraction and the punishment in a place that I will see on a regular basis. The refrigerator or their chore chart works well.

Upstairs-itis. That's when I decide that I really, really need something and venture upstairs for it, only to become distracted by an unmade bed, so after making the bed, and placing the dirty clothes in the laundry chute, inspecting boys' rooms for cleanliness, I forgot what I needed from upstairs. So, I go back down and the cycle starts all over again. What fun!

I'm sure there are more but I am being distracted right now by the sound of my boys playing guitar in the background and singing very loudly, somewhat off-key. Maybe I'll go join them.