We are making headway!

So I'm a little peeved right now because I received a comment on my blog that implied that my posts are inappropriate, possibly derogatory to my son, and that I am therefore a bad parent and we should all pray for my son having to live with me.

So let me be clear about something. I LOVE MY SON IMMENSELY! If I didn't, I would not put as much effort as I do into taking care of him everyday and finding intervention after intervention to try out. Those who do this also know that always looking for the next thing to try is an EXHAUSTING endeavor. We wouldn't do it unless we loved and wanted the best for our children.

On that note, we got some good news this week. My son is going to be able to attend a montessori charter school for junior high. This is great news because there are only 48 seventh and eighth graders on each campus with 3 teachers and he will get lots of attention and time to continue to mature. He is very excited about it which is really nice since he is rarely excited about school.

He is also having a great week at school. All of his home notes this week have been the most positive he has ever had. It is so wonderful and I can tell he is very proud of himself.

So one might ask, what seems to be turning things around? The only answer I have is that the supplement program the nutritionist put him on, might actually be working. He is eating more. He isn't having any hypoglycemic mood swings like he always has in the past. He seems generally calmer, more focused. And giving him all these supplements, 4 times a day, is the only thing that has changed.

We just sent off another hair sample this week to have it analyzed again. I look forward to seeing what the changes look like in that.

So be well. Take care. And remember, I know you love your children, even if you spend more time complaining about them than raving about them!

I know a lot....but

Not enough. Part of what I want people to learn and gather from my sharing is that there is no perfect answer to parenting kids like we have. I am not a great parent. And how good I am on any given day depends on which kid I'm dealing with and how well they are responding.

Last night was a tough night.

My son would not do his homework. We were having a friend over to do some computer work for us about 6pm and I know that if the homework didn't get done before then, it probably wouldn't get done at all.

I was right!

We spent the next 4 hours, working with our friend who was doing the computer stuff and fighting with our son about focusing and doing his work. In the end, he didn't do his work.

Now he has to go to school today and deal with the consequences of such. And we had to go to bed last night angry at him for being a complete embarrassment in front of someone we knew.

I hate that feeling.

I bought a book yesterday. "Have a New Kid by Friday", by Dr. Kevin Leman.

Maybe it will teach me something? Doubt it, but I'll let you know.

Superbowl Sunday

We don't have a huge circle of friends. And we don't have the kind of friends that are all part of a group and someone would be having a party today and we would be there.

Sometimes I wonder what all the reasons are for this. We aren't anti-social by any means. We have friends. But not the kind of friends who are exceedingly social. I would be willing to bet most of our friends are sitting home, just like us, with the game on in the background, thinking about or doing things that just need to be done.

I guess part of what I worry about is that the struggles with our son have affected our ability to be social. My husband isn't terribly social anyway, so there would always be that piece. But our son makes it hard to hang out with people. In some respects he is easier than he used to be. But given the wrong environment, like anything with lots of stimulation, he can be really hard to handle. Too wound up, makes poor decisions.

For example, the last time we were at a gathering, he took it upon himself to lead the kids in trying to go in and out the doggie door! Yesterday we went to visit friends who have a new puppy and spent the entire time telling him to stop running around the house on his knees trying to get the puppy to chase him.

So exhausting. This weekend in general has been exhausting. He has generally been a complete smart ass. Keeps getting sent to his room for being disrespectful. Hasn't willingly given any help with anything. And been generally demanding with his "I wants..."

I don't know if it is just him, he's off or something or if it has something to do with his supplements. Generally wound up, almost giddy or goofy. I really don't like it.

Tomorrow I drop off the open enrollment packet for the montessori school. Keeping my fingers crossed....