Interesting research hit the news this morning dealing with ADHD and kids. I know that's a big parenting concern for many of you. Here are the findings:

The National Institute of Mental Health reported the most detailed study ever of the brains of kids with ADHD. Brain images clearly show that crucial parts of the brains of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder develop more slowly than other kids' brains. The section that puts the breaks on their inappropriate actions, the ability to focus attention and remember things from moment to moment is just slower to mature. The development lag can be as much as three years.

That's critical information for parenting. It means we need to really tailor our strategies so that our children can process.

Here are five research takeaways that might help a child with a short attention span. I used them when I worked as a special education teacher:

Let’s face it. Being a parent is stressful. It always has been and probably always will be. But I think being a parent today is far more stressful than it was when I was raising my kids. And I’m not alone. According to a poll by Parents Magazine, most parents feel they worry far more and are under more stress than their parents were. And many of them think that their children are under more stress than they were when they were young.

(Parenting expert Michele Borba tells TODAY's Al Roker why your children are getting anxious, the symptoms and how you can help. Watch the video.)

And why? Well we live in frightening times. Terrorism. War. School shootings. Online pedophiles. Suicide bombings. Anthrax. Kidnappings. Global warming. Tsunamis. Here is just a sampling of what moms and dads said were their top parenting concerns about their kids today:

* Sexual predators in their community
* Media influence on children
* Peer pressure on children
* Violence in schools
* Kids growing up too fast
* Sexual predators on the Internet
* Bullying and teasing at school
* Lack of role models for kids today

But if parents are feeling a bit jittery about these issues, just imagine how our kids must feel. Think about it. This is the Columbine Generation of kids. It’s the first generation of children who have watched broadcasts of war, terrorist attacks and school massacres in their living rooms. Make no mistake: the image of the world as a mean and scary place is affecting our kids’ well-being. And that’s my big worry about our children!