• Bummer of a game ending last night! Jacks lost on a 3 pt shot by the other team at the buzzer.

• Today I have happily stayed in my sweats all day and I haven't left the house.

• Our entry way from the garage into the house is entirely torn apart. It wasn't the best use of the space so we've gutted it. I really needed the power of the swinging sledgehammer that day. Lots of frustration can be alleviated by knocking a wall out. This afternoon, our friend came and helped move some electrical wires so I think we can do some painting tomorrow or Monday.

• I had an epiphany last night.  I realized that a few years ago I was so concerned with protecting myself that I completely disregarded a friend. Yesterday I stumbled on something that reminded me of her thoughfulness and I finally realized how badly I treated her without even realizing it. I wanted to run right over an apologize before I talked myself out of it.

 

• Anthony's therapist sent me an email asking how things were going. I wasn't having a very good week and this was my response

 

At home, he's still very angry/defiant when he has to do something he doesn't want to do, usually at least a couple of times a day. As long as he's doing what he wants, he's fine.

           

 Note home from Anthony's teacher:

 Anthony has been having some trouble getting along with others at recess time. He also had a hard time listening         and following directions today.

(He had 3 not following directions infractions)

 

Some of the notes we've had in the past three weeks in his planner are:

Not lining up when told

Not putting things away when asked

Not following along in reading

Tapping on his desk (and not stopping when asked)

Blurting

Running in the hall

Making inappropriate noises

Blurting during spelling, art and computer lab (all on the same day)

Bothering his neighbor

 

Out of the last 19 school days, there were only 7 that he had a relatively "good" day. It seems to me that he just doesn't think that any of the rules should apply to him. He doesn't express any remorse about any of these either. He's mad that it inconveniences him when he's repremanded but he's never sorry for what he does. I don't think he has any idea how he and his body impact everyone else. Even today when I talked to him about what happened at recess with another student, Anthony didn't seem to think that it was his fault or that he had "caused" whatever happened. For Anthony, it's always someone else's fault or problem.

 

I'm begining to think that his mentality and attitude won't/can't change. Maybe it just is what it is. I think we're moving from pro-active mode to survival mode until he's 18 and we turn him loose on society. Other than negative changes during the DSS investigation, which he's mostly overcome, I haven't seen any positive changes in Anthony in the past few years. If anything, he is more defiant and agressive every year.

 

Sorry to be so negative :( Right now he's sitting on a chair behind me because I can't leave him alone. A few minutes ago, he was mad at me because I explained to him why he couldn't throw a football in the house........so he pulled the leaves off my ivy plant.

 

Tricia