Gems from today's meeting with the counselor....

Today we went and met with the district counselor to discuss Mikey's behavior. During the 2 hour meeting, we got to hear more gems than I can count... When asked if he planned to go to college, he said no. When asked about his future career goals he said "I'm going to wrestle alligators." No more Turtle Man for you child. When asked what his mom does for work he answered "She makes money". When asked what his dad did he answered "I don't know". Took him to the park last night for the first time in months. Good thing I did, she asked if he does stuff with the family or goes out to play and he gave her a long dissertation on how he rode his bike to the park last night, saw his friend Brady, played with tree bark, rolled in sand.... We almost sounded like a normal family... BUT then, when asked to describe his siblings he said "There's my brother Ryan who's almost 18 and is lazy, and my brother James who is 21 and is my mom's favorite, and my sister Danielle" She gave him a wand and told him he could wish for anything, real or not real. He thought about it and said "I wish for cats that clean. Because then they can clean the house and I don't have to". I wish for cats that clean too.... Suddenly, he has an imaginary friend (that we've never heard about before) who is a dog who smells like clouds - which smell like chocolate pie. He also told her that his brother Ryan beats him. But only when he has to watch him because he got kicked out of the summer program - and he only beats him when he's doing something like screaming, or hurting his sister, or trying to run outside. And he doesn't actually beat him, he just holds him down so he can't leave. And James is his favorite brother. At one point she was talking to him and trying to explain to him that he can say "OK Mom" or "Yes Mom" instead of arguing. But he kept arguing. He talked a lot, flopped around on the floor a lot and was typical Mikey. Overall, he came off looking like a hyper little kid who probably isn't going to sit still in class. With an incredible imagination and low career aspirations. She did say we need to make sure we get accommodations for the ADHD like the standard squish ball, and maybe have some way for him to burn off energy mid day. She also said that it's a lot to expect from a first grader who's hyper, and she recommended some kind of sand therapy? We didn't learn anything we didn't know - except for the imaginary friend. We went because we were sent and we need to do what we can on our end to make sure we are covering things at home when we go in for the IEP meeting.

Nerf Rebelle

Lucky Dani!  She gets to try out the nerf Rebelle for Bzzagent! She's having a blast with this thing -  she thinks she's the next incarnation of Merida or something!  She keeps running around the house,  shooting her brother...  Because that's what sisters do lol

I want to ride my bicycle part 2

Suddenly I found myself in need of a bicycle.   I rushed to Craigslist and found Minty,  a beautiful mint green beach cruiser.  I rushed out to buy her after work one day and accessorized her to make her mine.   She's a really pretty girl isn't she? 

Here's where the story goes a bit off course.   I had been told that I would need a bike with gears.   Pshaw I said,  I will only ride at the beach.   No hills for me.   WRONG!  I found myself wanting to go to the park with the kids. And that required riding up a hill. 

The first time I tried riding up a hill,  I thought I was going to die.   Of course I blamed Minty and not my lack of physical fitness.  I want to ride up hills!   So now, what to do? 

To be continued.... 

ODD is really odd...

I tell people I can handle adhd in my sleep.   I've got this aspergers thing down pat.   But ODD is kicking my butt.   In case anyone hasn't come across ODD,  it stands for oppositional defiance disorder and it's killing me.   My son is so sweet so smart so awesome and so so difficult.

As we go into 1st grade,  the behavior issues are coming to a head.   He can be cruel,  disruptive and destructive.   It's like the impulsively of the adhd gone mad.   He always feels bad after an episode but it doesn't make things easier.

After he was suspended for fighting on the third day of school,  the district psychologist suggested a "no fail behavior chart".   I was skeptical and really didn't feel like doing the work to make one,  but I couldn't find one on the Internet.   I threw one together in excel and it was actually quite easy.  

I attached a picture of my first try.   The printing cut off the bottom of the reward cells,  but the basic concepts is that we start off with something that he will do every day.   It can be as simple as a hug.   I used getting dressed because he's not leaving the house naked.   I put in other items that we are working on and I made sure the rewards were things that worked for me as well as him.   He loves his PBS kids shows and my parents let him watch when his homework is done.   We also put the electronics on lock down so getting to use them is now a big deal. 

I'm not sure how long it will last but he's very excited about his behavior chart.   He was so excited he used his electronics time to play leap pad and he put his pet pals on a behavior chart.   I'm willing to try anything right now...

I want to ride my bicycle Part 1

I went 25 years without riding a bike.   Could have gone 25 more if it hadn't been for Lori and her infernal plan to force us all down to the beach this summer to party.   I'm sure she had other intentions when she rented the beach house on the board walk but let's face it,  we partied hard.  As hard as a bunch of middle old ladies could party.  

Part of the plan involved bicycles to ride to bars up and down the boardwalk.  Lori borrowed a couple from her brother's girls.  I was skeptitcal at first but as I started flying down the street on 12 year old Baby Tiffany's bike - following Lori on 14 year old Baby Melissa's bike - I knew I had found heaven.  In my mind I was flying down the boardwalk with my skirt swishing saucily behind me, my hair whipping in the breeze.  My theme song is Bicycle Race by Queen and I know I look cool. 

Now I know the reality and my fantasy are no where near in practice but let me have my fantasy damnit.   Because in my reality my fat ass could barely stay balanced on a kids bike and I'm sure I'm waving all over the boardwalk.  Because reality can't be nearly as awesome as fantasy and all that.  So the realty - as defined by Queen - is actually the video below....

Yeah I own it. I'm sure I let it all hang out. And I'm not sure I made the rocking world go round :)

And where are we now?

This is Mikey.   Mikey got stung in the eye.   Poor Mikey.  

Since Mikey is the forth child,  I waited it out  for two days.   Had be been James or maybe Dani he would have been at urgent care but it was just a sting.   Or a spider bite.   So all is good.

Moving my rants over here -

Lest I piss off my facebook friends.  I think it's time to take my show on the road and share here instead.

First of all - I consider myself to be slightly left of the middle.  I'm not religious, I love the constitution and I have a strong need for things to make sense.  I'm a numbers nerd and I fact check everything. 

So watch this spot for more rambling.  Coming soon.