Sandwiched Club

Hi there, this is an experience I had with my ADHD child (boy) when I travelled in the school holidays. I hope it works to inspire you, the reader, that ADHD kids have the potential to spread joy and be well-balanced kids. Love, Mrs Bacon

It was the year-end holidays in Singapore (which is 6 to 7 weeks long!), and we decided to bring Master Focaccia on a holiday. The exams were over, and this was the first time we had given more control to Master Focaccia to own his results and his studies. And he didn’t disappoint, actually. So with the exams behind us, we went on a 2-week holiday in Taiwan.

Some context here: we usually do short beach holidays, where we stay in one location, one resort, and just chill. But this time, we decided to travel from one place to another. We were worried about the timing and the stress, but we thought, let’s just try and see if Master Focaccia would be able to adapt—and again, he didn’t disappoint. Here are the learnings:

1. 2.5-hour delay of our budget carrier
We were stuck in the waiting area with literally everyone else. I thought I would definitely have to take out the tablet, but Master Focaccia surprised us all. In his boredom, he befriended adults. He spoke to one person, and that turned into a two-hour conversation—sharing about his ADHD, where he was going, and what he was going to do. The coolest thing was that he also took care of his younger sibling, making sure she didn’t feel left out.

2. Stamina is key
We stayed in Alishan for a bit and decided to go for a tea plantation walk. This walk was pretty long—maybe an hour up and 90 minutes back to the homestay. We made our way up with no issues, but it was tiring going back, as there were lots of ups and downs. It was also dark—night-time dark—as we descended. We were all tired, but not Master Focaccia. Once again, he made friends with an elderly couple who were really fit and ran, skipped, and jumped ahead of us. It hit me then that he was not meant for the indoors. He NEEDED to be outside. He was so happy and you could see his joy spreading to everything he touched.

3. No screens
Perhaps the thing that surprised me the most was that we didn’t use screens much, especially on days when we were in nature. There was book readings and camera recordings (I gave the kids a digital camera each. Nothing fancy!), and that generally kept both kids entertained. Perhaps it was because we didn’t rent a car—everything was by Uber and public transport, which meant everyone had to stay alert. That worked wonders for Master Focaccia as he had to pay attention and find a way to deal with his boredom.

4. Cities are harder but…
Master Focaccia really doesn’t fare as well in cities —the rush, the space constraints, the expectations not to move. It was tough for him. He was really happier in the countryside, where there is space to run. But that’s not to say he can’t manage cities. We did go on long walks in the city, and he was good with it For instance, we went on a 2 hour walking tour in Taipei with the kids. You would think a kid with ADHD wouldn’t last but he did. He followed the tour guide, spoke to everyone and was enthusiastic about the stories the guide told. I am not sure if it helped but I created a paper guide on the milestones we would pass and the kids LOVED it!

At the end of the trip, I realized that Master Focaccia valued different things in compared to his peers. He enjoyed the space, the trekking, and the moments of adventure. He didn’t need the city where things were so close together. It dawned on me that I needed to find a way for him to thrive in Singapore without losing that smile he had. And that story is gonna be in my next share.