What did your report cards look like? | ADHD Information

My husband asked his mom to mail all of his. It was a night of entertainment for us when they arrived. You could insert either my son's or husband's name in each others report cards. Only back them they used a little different terms.

- is very social translation- won't be quiet !!

-is very eager to help translation - is already running around the room might as well run the note to the office

Mine, about the same also. I skimmed through school, attemped a university but... well other "things"got in the way. I am new to all this, recently diagnoded, while taking my son to therapy. talks too much
wont stop fidgeting
etc.

I was always writing "I will not..." sentences a hundred times for whatever thing I had done wrong. Wonder if I would've been in better shape if I hadnt missed recess my entire grade school years in order to write sentences?? lol [QUOTE=chocoholic]talks too much
wont stop fidgeting
etc.

I was always writing "I will not..." sentences a hundred times for whatever thing I had done wrong. Wonder if I would've been in better shape if I hadnt missed recess my entire grade school years in order to write sentences?? lol[/QUOTE]

LOL! Flashback time! I forgot about having to write lines! I remember now having to write lines about doing my homework.... I also remember now that I had a bad habit of not putting my name on hand-in work and tests - one of my teachers made me write out my name 100 times once. LOL.
according to my parents, my report cards were "carppy"

oh wait...i spelled that wrong

[quote]It's pretty suprising that I even managed to pull of B's and C's. I never paid attention in class, I never did homework, and I never studied. I was very lucky that I was bright... I was able to bluff my way through my entire education. I actually remember learning things on my own WHILE I WAS WRITING THE FINAL EXAM! The teachers just thought I was bored (which I was I guess). I ended up being placed in the gifted program after an IQ test put me way ahead of my classmates.

I'm 29 now, so when I was in school, ADHD wasn't really all that well known. Even worse, I have primarily innatentive ADHD, which was not recognized until even later.

It upsets me though... I feel like I have not accomplished anything with my life, and now I know the reason for that. If only someone had diagnosed me way back then... things would be so different for me.[/quote]

Okay, I could have written that response myself, right down to being a 29 year old Canadian

I too was totally bored in school. I was a very busy little girl apparently, but at the same time a total day dreamer, but as long as I was challenged I did okay. By the time I was in Grade 6 I was doing Grade 12 work, I could have graduated at the age of 11, but who wants to let their kid graduate at 11 years old? So anyways, I too bluffed my entire way through school, finally got totally bored by Grade 11 and ended up skipping class so much to do other stuff ( like driving out to Banff National Park on a whim with my friends to have hot chocolate and go ice skating ) that I didn't graduate.

I went back to school, somehow managed to finish my upgrading and started in Pre-Med/BSc program and again, got frustrated and quit school because I just couldn't keep up. I knew the info and I always wanted to be a doctor, but something kept blocking me. Now I finally know what it is/was. I too wish I woudl have been properly diagnosed, because things could have been so different. On the other hand, if I was all tied up in med school, I probably wouldn't have my incredible husband and two beautiful kids.

But getting back on topic my report cards were usually "good student" "good effort" "daydreams a lot" "disorganized" etc etc. Looking back too, I can see it in my report cards, but being that it was the early 80's and that I was a girl, and I was very bright and not totally off the wall hyper active it was totally un noticed.

I was reading my copy of Driven to Distraction last night (I received it on Friday), when I suddenly realized that I had all my grade school report cards tucked away. I wondered if there would be any comments that would provide evidence of my having ADD. I hadn't read them in years (long before I started suspecting ADD), and all I could remember were plenty of comments about me being quiet. I didn't really expect to find much, but I bolted into my room nonetheless, and started reading. I was floored.... some of the comments were:

- lacks concentration in her work
- often needs instructions repeated
- does not study enough (procrastinates)
- daydreams too much
- does not work well in groups
- forgets to do her homework
- seems very quiet

These were repeated over and over through the years, by various teachers. Why on earth was I never screened for ADD then???? Perhaps because, among all these comments, was included "well behaved", "an avid reader", "a pleasure to have in class", "makes an excellent effort". In other words, in spite of everything, I was a good student, therefore none of the above comments warranted further probing. Plus, it was the 80s, when the term ADD was still relatively new, and applied far more to boys than to girls.

Wow. Do you think I should bring these with me to the psychiatrist?

If you were already diagnosed then it would only reasure the diagnosis. If you haven't been diagnosed then it would help the doc know that you have had traits since youth.

My report cards said the same...Day dreams, talks excessivly, doesn't not pay attention etc.....I too was in grade school and high school in the 70s and 80s...I wish they knew that I was ADHD then.

Pretty much the same thing.

[quote]Ambient has a lot of potential, but seems to need extra encoragement to stay focused in class. He is constantly daydreaming and staring out the window.[/quote]

It's pretty suprising that I even managed to pull of B's and C's. I never paid attention in class, I never did homework, and I never studied. I was very lucky that I was bright... I was able to bluff my way through my entire education. I actually remember learning things on my own WHILE I WAS WRITING THE FINAL EXAM! The teachers just thought I was bored (which I was I guess). I ended up being placed in the gifted program after an IQ test put me way ahead of my classmates.

I'm 29 now, so when I was in school, ADHD wasn't really all that well known. Even worse, I have primarily innatentive ADHD, which was not recognized until even later.

It upsets me though... I feel like I have not accomplished anything with my life, and now I know the reason for that. If only someone had diagnosed me way back then... things would be so different for me.

lacks concentration in her work
- often needs instructions repeated
- does not study enough (procrastinates)
- daydreams too much
- does not work well in groups
- forgets to do her homework
- seems very quiet

All of that and more. Teachers hated my gut's, told my parent's I was worthless in a classroom and I needed to shape up or find somewhere else to go.

My pop was paying alot of money for that stupid private school, wish I could blow it up now.. *thinking out loud*

I wouldn't do it.. but I would like too.

fails to live up to potential

fails to complete assignments

unprepared for class

but, i still did had a 3.2 avg till I was a junior in High school and added reefer to the mix...then well...graduating me was an act of mercy. I used to do very well in sciences and histories, middling in most other stuff and struggled to get a C in any sort of English class.

Ambient, I know what you mean - I am 26 and feel that if I'd been diagnosed sooner I could have saved myself a lot of wasted time, effort, and emotional upset. I bluffed my way through school too (I was always very intelligent and able to scrape by with an average of 80-85% by doing the ABSOLUTE minimum). University was tougher - I actually had to do work - so I chickened out to a three year program so I wouldn't have top go through with the fourth. I averaged about 65-75% in most of my courses. If only I'd known the things I know now back then.

CreativeCrazy, I haven't yet been formally diagnosed. I went to my family doctor last week and asked how one would go about being screened for ADD. She asked me a bunch of questions and decided I warranted a referral to a psych, and she recommended the book Driven to Distraction. The psych's office will call me, so I don't know yet when my appointment will be.

Oh, I had the usual, "doesn't try", "could do better", "lazy", etc. But the most memorable was "See very little of him, and even less of his work".

What a GREAT topic! Oh, how I wish my report cards hadn't burned up in a fire! But I do remember my grades ranged from B to F. I now know it was due to whether I was interested in the subject, or had a teacher who made it interesting.

And the comments regularly said:
I didn't apply myself. Boy, I got really sick of hearing that from family, too. You're a bright girl, you just don't apply yourself.
Didn't pay attention
Talked way TOO much

I know I couldn't read and comprehend what I've read. I read books at home for pleasure, but just couldn't remember history data, etc...school work! Now, I love reading, thank goodness, because I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on this forum, and all of you to whom I can relate. I've even done editing at several of my zillion jobs.

Ambient, bcgirl..yes, yes, yes I've said this over and over and over. And I began school in the 50s! I didn't even have a chance back then.

However, now that I'm dx'd and know why my life has been as unhappy and lonely as it's been, I try to go over the past and see the positive aspects of it. Where I have been, what I have done, who I've know.

But I still wish I hadn't lost those report cards!

I'm going to check out that book Driven to Distraction. Sounds like a winner. Thanks!GypsyWomyn38390.4705324074

This is a progress report from my daughter's school this year. (we are seeing a psych for diagnosis on Thurs...the dr wanted some notes from my daughters teachers)

From her Latin Teacher:

Behaviors that need attention:

Insufficient homework, Quiz Results, Test Results, Classroom behavior, Time management, Work habits, Listening skills.

Brittany had a serious attitude and worked well earlier in the year then seemed to become distracted. She has been off task in class and has not been spending enough time studing what is assigned on the syllabus. She failed the third quiz, earned a C- on the first test and a D on the fourth quiz. Brittany needs to pay attention in class and take notes. She should try to follow the syllabus and study what is assigned each night. Cramming before test and quizzes is ineffective. Brittany has a busy schedule and is learning the importance of time management. I am confident that if Brittany stays focused in class and develops more disciplined study habits her cumulative average will improve.

This should be enough for her doctor...the doctor was hesitant to diagnosis her because Brittany was tested for learning difficulties...mainly ADHD and nothing came back and her iq was 138....but of course the test were on a one to one basis in a small room with no distractions...give her the same tests in a classroom and she would fail...what are these people thinking!!! Glad we have report cards to fall back on today to help make a diagnisis.

Although I always got straight A's and graduated Valedictorian, I am now wondering what those "additional" comments by my teachers might have been. I know I was an excessive talker and still am. Being born in '70 though I don't remember too much talk of ADD.

Thanks alot guys. Now I am wondering where my report cards are. I have already thought about calling my Mom to check or looking in the bottom of the bedroom chest. Like I needed that distraction...I will probably end up reorganizing my bedroom closet thanks to you!

Wow, I wish I had started reading these message boards sooner. I was
told that I have ADHD 2 years ago though I have come to completely
reject it as a condition and see it as a specific way of thinking that def.
does not go along with our society. I had the comments on the report
cards that said, Tommy is so great, what a nice kid, love talking to him.
But then it went into: needs to do homework, needs to study, talks
excessively, does not pay attention. I graduated highschool with a 3.3 gpa
and have bounced around in majors from business to considering school
to be a golf pro at a country club and have finally settled on art. I have
this wealth of knowledge and cant seem to find a way to use even half of
it.
sorry, I kinda went on a tangent with that one, I can sympathize with
every one, and I want to say thanks for every one's comments, it really
feels nice to know that there are other people out there who think the
same way.

Yeah, totally understand that.

Bad thing about my deal was, they would make it harder on me or take me away from the class room and make me do jobs no one wanted to do to "yank me in line" for not paying attention.

I drive by that school alot, I own 3 mustang's I think one day Il stop right by the window for the class room and do a huge burnout.

Private school's should be banned, public school's do a better job with ADD IMHO.

[QUOTE=bcgirl1978]

[/QUOTE]

My report cards had those comments too. I also had a lot of those "has trouble paying attention", "doesn't stay on task" and "could do so much better if she applied herself" comments. I was always a very well behaved child though so it never occured to anyone to screen me for ADD. Some of my teachers said I was "bright but lazy" In high school I managed to get B's and C's despite barely opening my books. I never studied. I would try to but it just never happened. I could barely read a paragraph. I would get distracted in the middle of a paragraph and my mind would wander and I would try to start over again but then I kept reading the same paragraph over and over again without understanding what I had just read. The same thing happened in college. Often I couldn't even remember which paragraph I had been on and I would end up reading the wrong paragraph or even the wrong page! I would spend an entire Saturday in the university library "studying" and all I had to show for it was that I had read about two pages. My mother constantly yelled at me for being lazy. She even called me stupid a few times. Over the years I just came to believe I was lazy and not very smart. These beliefs were so ingrained into me that it didn't occur to me to get screened for ADD until my senior year in college. But they wouldn't test me because my GPA wasn't low enough. I had a 2.9 on a 4.0 scale.

When I was younger I was optimistic and I always looked to a better tomorrow. "Oh, things will be so much better in middle school. I just have to work harder" And then, "In high school I am going to do so much better." Then, "College will be so much better. I'll work harder and I won't be a screwup anymore." But nope, college is over and I am STILL a loser. Those years are gone and I will never get them back. I feel robbed. I could have done so much more with my life. I know I am still young. If I can get a diagnosis and treatment soon I will still have many many years left to live a great life. But I'm still bitter about the 23 years I lost. I try not be be but I am. I try to talk to my mother but she just gets annoyed and ignores me. She even laughed at me once even though I was visibly upset. All this and I still love her. I wish I could hate her. I want to. One of my fantasies is to get a great job, move away and NEVER speak to her again. Haha, I doubt she would even miss me if I never spoke to her again. What I want most is to be successful someday and my mother saying something like, "I can't believe I didn't see it before. How could I have been so blind?" Yeah right. I have this unhealty obsession with winning my mother's approval.
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