Very excited!
I am so happy that my husband was able to get his computer whiz co-worker to improve the quality of a video we'll be showing to our parents and students for the program in a little over a week. We had to edit a section - otherwise I guess we could have played the DVD.
Now all I have to do is concentrate on practicing more. I don't know why I'm still not motivated to do so, but maybe because I know I have some car time next week when I will not have any distractions. I'm traveling to our state capital to accept a PTA Helping Hands Award and it's going to take a few hours to get there.
As far as T is concerned - on the surface he seems to be doing rather well - choosing constructive things to do and is much more respectful. I'm glad we went to see the counselor because he gave me "permission" not to focus so much on trying to do the "right thing". I know it sounds strange but, perhaps I was going a bit overboard. I was so afraid that we were falling into enabling behaviors that it was doing more harm than good. I feel more at peace than I have in a long time. And it shows in my son. And as far as his life situation - not going to school, not working - the counselor reminded us that he's a 14 year old in an 18 year old body. He, basically, suggested that we hand hold him right now. Lower our expectations and guide him along because he's not able to. And all these years - when we tried to explain to his teachers that what they are asking of him is overwhelming and he's not capable - they were iritated. One teacher called him lazy and said that he should be getting A's in her class. Clueless. What a stupid thing to say. Of course - if he was capable, he would. She never witnessed us trying to work with him at home on homework! I wish I would have spoken up more on that department. He couldn't sit for any length of time and would get very tired and spent. It was so painful and stressful. I believe it ruined our relationship with him then. In my heart of hearts - I believe that was why he started using drugs. In fact, a recent study conducted by the Partnership for a Drug Free America indicated that the number one reason kids start trying drugs is due to school stress. We shared this with the parents and school in our program last fall. I'm not sure if there's any connection, but I saw on our school district website that the topic for the latest wellness program the kids received was stress and how to deal with it. How about sharing this with the teachers and parents? We felt their stress and passed it on to our child.
Now all I have to do is concentrate on practicing more. I don't know why I'm still not motivated to do so, but maybe because I know I have some car time next week when I will not have any distractions. I'm traveling to our state capital to accept a PTA Helping Hands Award and it's going to take a few hours to get there.
As far as T is concerned - on the surface he seems to be doing rather well - choosing constructive things to do and is much more respectful. I'm glad we went to see the counselor because he gave me "permission" not to focus so much on trying to do the "right thing". I know it sounds strange but, perhaps I was going a bit overboard. I was so afraid that we were falling into enabling behaviors that it was doing more harm than good. I feel more at peace than I have in a long time. And it shows in my son. And as far as his life situation - not going to school, not working - the counselor reminded us that he's a 14 year old in an 18 year old body. He, basically, suggested that we hand hold him right now. Lower our expectations and guide him along because he's not able to. And all these years - when we tried to explain to his teachers that what they are asking of him is overwhelming and he's not capable - they were iritated. One teacher called him lazy and said that he should be getting A's in her class. Clueless. What a stupid thing to say. Of course - if he was capable, he would. She never witnessed us trying to work with him at home on homework! I wish I would have spoken up more on that department. He couldn't sit for any length of time and would get very tired and spent. It was so painful and stressful. I believe it ruined our relationship with him then. In my heart of hearts - I believe that was why he started using drugs. In fact, a recent study conducted by the Partnership for a Drug Free America indicated that the number one reason kids start trying drugs is due to school stress. We shared this with the parents and school in our program last fall. I'm not sure if there's any connection, but I saw on our school district website that the topic for the latest wellness program the kids received was stress and how to deal with it. How about sharing this with the teachers and parents? We felt their stress and passed it on to our child.
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