Hale Family Testimonial
Our oldest had gotten sick at 7yo with something that was different from other sicknesses. We have no idea what it was, but what we did know is that it changed the way her brain functioned – it was VERY obvious. She developed some behaviors that were completely out of character and unexplained. My background is mental health, so I looked into things like OCD, PANDAS/PANS, anxiety, etc., but nothing really explained what was happening. We also spent some time working with a behavioral therapist, with very minimal results. And even then, it didn’t address the core issue – it was more of a band aid for one specific symptom. In addition to the behavioral therapist, we saw our family doctor, a neurologist, chiropractor, neuropsychiatric specialist, etc. Something was going on in her brain, but no one knew what it was or how to address it. And what was previously a fantastic and close relationship between her and I turned into frustration, anger, resentment, tumult. We were both miserable.
One of the NACD evaluators, Lyn Waldeck, came to one of our homeschool moms’ meetings to talk about NACD. It was great information, but I wanted to know what it was like from those actually utilizing NACD’s services. So I spoke with other families who were on program. In the end, I felt like this was our best (and only) hope. I finally told my husband, “Look, we can spend all kinds of money and time and effort going to all kinds of ‘specialists’ and hoping they can give us answers, or we can just bite the bullet and go through NACD, and have them tell us exactly what’s going on and how to address it.” He agreed, and I can tell you in all honesty that it’s been nothing short of life-changing for us. Not only did they explain what was happening in our daughter’s brain, they told us how to address things in VERY SPECIFIC detail. Now, to be clear, they couldn’t tell us what happened that changed her brain – and honestly I don’t think anyone can – but they were able to tell us how her brain was processing information, and how to deal with it so that her brain could function at an optimal level. They got their whole team together to create an individualized program FOR HER. Not a generic, all-kids-will-benefit-from-these-things kind of program – it was a “your kid’s brain is unique, so her program is unique” kind of thing. I’m not being dramatic when I say it changed our lives. They not only have helped with neurological issues and academic guidance, but behavioral issues, as well. It’s been worth every penny for us. My daughter’s concerning behaviors and extreme emotionality have disappeared, and she is excelling in so many ways. We’ve since gotten our younger daughter on program with NACD, and it’s also been such a relief!
I love the fact that NACD is a “one-stop shop.” Our youngest daughter has a speech impediment, and instead of running around to (and paying for) speech therapy, extra appointments and time, NACD has a speech therapist. NACD believes that no one knows their child better than the parents. And no one wants children to succeed more than their parents. So they teach parents how to do the activities they would otherwise be doing in other appointments (speech, OT, PT, etc.). They teach you very simple ways to address your child’s issues, at home, on your own schedule, at your own pace. This saves everyone a lot of time, expense, and stress.
As a homeschooling family, the options for curricula, co-ops, etc. can be extremely overwhelming. Because NACD is so individualized, and because they take the time to get to know their families, they are able to say, “This is how your daughter’s brain works, so this specific curriculum would benefit her most.” And then they actually give guidance on how to use the curriculum so that it works best for the child. Without NACD, figuring out which curricula for each of our daughters would be extremely stressful (and expensive).
There is no question or concern that is off-limits with NACD. I know I can email, text, or call our coach about anything. And believe me, I have sent many, many long emails. The personalized help has been priceless.
Every parent, at one time or another, has wished they had a manual for parenting. NACD, for us, is like having that individualized parenting (and schooling) manual. We’ve gone from, “This should only be about a year commitment to address some specific behaviors,” to, “We can’t live without NACD!”
