My son is a quite hyperactive and he can't really focus on any one thing for more than about 5 minutes; then he moves on to the next. So this week my wife took him in to see the doctor (against my wishes, because i knew what was coming).

As predicted, the doctor recommended we put him on a small dose of Ritalin. Per the doctor, this would help to calm him down and allow him to concentrate better when performing tasks that required an extended period of focus.

My son is starting school this fall and of course i want him to do well. At the same time though, i am terrified of a prescription drug. Not just because of safety concerns and such, but because i feel like there is so much more we can do for him instead of just putting him on a drug.

I work a full work week, so my wife is the one who stays at home with him most of the time. Basically, i feel like i have no say in the matter because i am not the one who is spending time at home with the kid. My wife wants to do the ritalin. I don't.

Any suggestions for us?

Thank you.

Sammy

why not just start giving kids Ritalin at birth? it's just easier.

Seriously, Sammy? They seriously recommended putting a 5 year old on Ritalin? Whatever happened to old-fashioned things like physical activity (getting out with the fam, a sport), creative outlets (playing piano, arts and crafts classes at the neighborhood rec center)? Why does no one realize that it's the lifestyles we have now that are starkly different than when we were growing up? Most kids (not saying yours, Sammy) either 1) watch TV a lot (in fact, i just ran across a study somewhere that found the average kid watches 2 months of TV a hear--WTF?), 2) play video games (which is the same as watching TV as far as I'm concerned), 3) go to school (where they are supposed to sit still for most of the day). It wasn't like this when I was a kid. Adults for one seemed much more tolerant to the nature of children. We would terrorize our parents, our teachers and eachother--isn't that what kids do? Question for parents with a hyperactive child--what'd you expect?! They are CHILDREN for christ's sake! They recommended meds for my youngest daughter a few years ago and I told my wife no way. No way did my kid need something like that. Instead, we both agreed to make her follow a more rigid schedule, we cut the crap from her diet and we also followed up when we set a boundary and she stepped across it. Our daughter is perfectly fine, wonderful, sweet girl and she didn't need meds!

Agree very much so with you Mike!!! Some parents that I know take their kids to the doctor to hear those words, Put em on Ritalin. I would never drug my kid. During birth I didnt want drugs because I didnt want my kids coming in this world high.
Ritalin is NOT the answer..it just makes the child drowsy and just not right..Kinda like a zombie. There is way too many kids around here that are being drugged by their doctors and Parents. Just to make it easier for the parents.. Well that comes with having kids, specially boys.. Let them be kids, not kids on drugs. It is very crazy to me what this world is coming to.. Dont spank your kids just put him on drugs. That is a bunch of bullspit.