This blog was initially set up as a means of communicating with my son's team. Since then, I've heard from other parents with similar stories. If you are living with challenges or journeying alongside someone who is, you are not alone. There are many of us. I'm a single adoptive Mom (http://richesofsimplicity.blogspot.com/) of a young man who lives with many abilities and many diagnoses. We have journeyed together through many challenges and a few adventures over the years as my son has tried to find space in this world that makes him feel more comfortable, an attempt made especially difficult when living with Attachment Disorder, PDD-NOS (Autism), Developmental Coordination Disorder, ADHD, prenatal substance exposure, etc. Some of the strongest elements used in this journey have been music, visual arts, therapeutic parenting, team-connection, boundary-setting, boundary-setting, boundary-setting, communication skills, community-building, continual lifeskills training, and elements of Theraplay. (Click here for some written resources.) On this journey, there is laughter and tears and growth and hope. The greatest of these is hope.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Missed the Bus

This morning, Chef got up independently and did some exercises to start his day!

Everything else was very slow going and there was no urgency to get out for the bus on time whatsoever.

And the bus came. And the bus went. And Chef was still nowhere near being close to being ready for school.

When Chef discovered that the bus had left, he stormed up to his room, attempted to slam his door (which didn't work because the doorknob area is broken), and started his "foghorn" sound and whining/crying peppered with the occasional yelling/stomping. I went upstairs and reminded him that his baby niece was downstairs and still sleeping, as was his sister. Chef humphed, crossed his arms across his chest, and turned his back. I went back downstairs, only to hear a drawer slam. Then another slam. Then another and another. I went up and told him to remove the drawers from his dresser and take them out, knowing full well from past experience that he'd continue the slamming and eventually destroy the drawers or use them to destroy something else in his room. He quietly removed them without issue other than making faces and attempting to be "mouthy" with me. He then went back into his room and I told him that if he wanted to talk and do so appropriately, he could tell me appropriately from the top of the stairs and I'd come talk with him. He again hmphed and turned his back. A few minutes later, there were more storming sounds in his room. I went up to find his computer desk on its side and his mattress torn open (I presently don't remember how many mattresses and beds he's had; I've given up on buying full beds for him for the time being). I told him to remove the mattress for now until I decided what to do. He again did so without issue but then grumped outside. At this point he was just "wearing" his blanket wrapped around himself. I reminded him that he needed to come in and get dressed. He VERY angrily reminded me that he didn't have any clean clothes. "Well, put on your bathrobe then and turn your day around." "I can't. It's at school."

Friday was not a fun day.

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