Tom Cruise is a bad, bad example. But it seems that quite many actors have ADHD. I think I have it too, although it was never diagnosed when I was a child. Right now I'm majoring in Psychology so I should know about this stuff...

Well. How bad is ADHD? Not bad at all, if the child's energy can be directed to something safe, useful and sensible. In my mind it is funny that teachers these days are soooo concerned of hyper-active children. And yet they are NOT the problem children at all. The real problem children in my mind are those quiet little mouse like children who never express themselves, never ask questions and never do any tricks.

Hyperactive child just and only needs enough interesting material that she/he can process. In many cases it would be rather easy to change the classroom and teaching so that also the Hyper kid stays concentrated. Actually, making teaching and classrooms interesting enough for ADHD's would benefit the whole school system and all other children as well.

How come? Well, ADHD children need so-called physical breaks. They need to be able to move around, sitting still for 40 minutes is most often absolutely too much. I'm an adult now, and I can't sit still that long, unless I'm watching a movie or reading a book (yes, learning meditation has been really difficult for me). If children are allowed to take a walk around the classroom or go to run the school hall back and forth for couple of times in every fifteen minutes, they'd concentrate much better in school work. But of course, that would require teachers to think on their own and be creative, and most teachers hate that.

Another thing, ADHD children do better if they have several things they can do at the same time. Many benefit a lot if they can listen to music while doing school work or if they have a drawing paper next to the book so that they can spend some seconds with artwork every now and then while studying. ADHD children can also be very noisy. That easens up, if they are given enough opportunities to be as noisy as they want. Having a a garage rock band is probably a dream for most ADHDs. Usually ADHD kids interrupt teaching with repeating questions, usually asking instructions when instructions have already been told 5 times over. Writing instructions on the board is usually much more effective way to communicate with ADHD pupil than saying instructions aloud.

All in all, ADHD children are great personalities. You just have to be smarter and faster than they are, which can definitely be a challenge. I wouldn't try medication unless school work would turn out totally impossible despite all OTHER methods of helping the child. Medication should be the last option, not because Ritalin is an awful drug but because giving a kid Ritalin does not teach him/her to actually solve out his/her behavior problems. Medication is not an answer per se, but just an additional help alongside with education.

Anyways, if I was a teacher or a parent, I would be much more concerned of those quiet, shy and reserved children who never make noise and never break rules. Jeez, are they even alive?

I agree don't do the meds thing try something else.