It nearly breaks me, too. It breaks me because it stigmatizes medication that has helped make me function in a world not designed for me. It breaks me because it stigmatizes medication that on average is going to let me enjoy being on this earth ~7 more years than I otherwise would be.
I'm there with you on that, but... there's a time and place for it. I hate that our schools are designed around "sit down, shut up, and toil in silence for a few hours straight", and treat those of us with ADHD as mutants which have to be medicated to fit in.
Montessori Method schools, my friend. Or Waldorf. There's likely a school near you that is public and uses these methods. If not, there are scholarships too. It's not for everyone, but for all the Calvins it's a godsend.
We sent our kids through Montessori. Unfortunately, in the city where we lived when they were elementary school age, Montessori went through 4th grade before the kids had to go back to regular or religious schools. That was a rough transition.
But I still think that's a sucky situation for the 95% of kids who go to the nearest public school. Their days shouldn't be awful just because their parents didn't have the time, money, or awareness to consider non-default options.
