Category Archives: Mental Health

Articles relating to mental health are in this category. Typically they will fall into one of two categories. Yours, or your child’s. Yes, your mental health is important.

Behavior Dependent – Holidays

David has been in placement for 6 weeks now.

His behavior and aggressiveness toward others are not diminishing, thus they are not recommending any home visits.  We will reevaluate for Christmas.  This is as I expected, however it doesn’t make my heart hurt any less for him.  Does he miss us?

I don’t think so.  Our conversations with him never last for more than a couple minutes.  One time he called, “I just wanted to say hi, ”  and then hung up on me.

We are scheduled for a two hour on-campus visit this Sunday.  Behavior dependent.   If his behavior is wild behavior will determine how long we stay and visit.  They said that they could arrange a day pass for Christmas.  We live an hour away from where he lives.  That would be four hours in the car, and with my health like it is, I am not sure we will be able to do that.  Time will tell.

Again behavior dependent.

We miss you David.  I wish that you could see what you are doing to yourself.

all in due time

With David out of the house 99.9 percent of the time, the other kids are coming out of their shells.

I think one of the hardest things is having to call upstairs two or three or four times to get their attention.  Most of that is because they are teenagers and have teenage things on their mind.  Least of all is listening for the parental units.

I learned something this morning.  When you tell two boys that they need to have their sister start the van so it can warm up a bit before we leave for church, you need to get verbal confirmation.  Physical sign from the two boys is not enough to indicate that they both understood what I wanted, and processed it enough to realize what they were supposed to do.

So because we had to scrape a quarter of an inch of ice off the windshield, we were late to church.

Now. C. is sensitive.  I love this about him.  On the other hand, if I say “you were supposed to tell your sister to start the van” to him it seems like the end of the world.  I have to watch that.  I love all of my kids and don’t want to upset them unnecessarily.  On the other hand, my dad always said that if one was guilty everyone was guilty.  He was an equal opportunity spanker.  I don’t practice that kind of discipline.

T, my aspie, is such a joy.  He has one speed.  No amount of rushing will change that.  He was elected to help serve Communion today.  He was wanting to wear his sweat jacket up there, and I had to coach him twice to take it off.  I guess it wouldn’t have hurt anything to have him wear it.

Overall today has been a good day.  I worry about what tomorrow will bring for David. But I guess we will just let it come as it may.  Somethings are just outside of our realm of control.

Remember “Parenthood is a lifestyle choice.  Some parents don’t always make the right choice for their kids.”  You can be a friend to your kids, you can be a parent, but rarely can you only be friends.  Kids benefit from your guidance and life experience.  Especially teenagers.

I have an idea about boxes.

I am thinking about starting a second blog.  one that uses boxes as a metaphor for diversity in disability.

just as no two kids with autism are alike, neither are two kids with cystic fybrosis or epilepsy.

What do you think?

For it to be successful, I need lots of stories.  Stories about you, your family, your kids.

Our kids are more than a disability.

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