Can I tell you a secret? I was ecstatic when the kids went back to school last week after Christmas break. This is, of course, not a shocker to you at all. But do you know why I was glad? It wasn't because my routine-craving kids were back to the routine. Or that I could sit still longer than 3 minutes without some sort of emotional or social crisis erupting among my four girls. Or even that I … [Read more...]
Keeping Calm When My Child Isn’t
She'd been ranting at me for 45 minutes. My muscles were tense. The ache in my shoulders crept up my neck and threatened to swallow my head whole. It wasn't me she was mad at. It wasn't even the trigger she ranted about that she was mad at. It was---almost always is---her mind spinning into Reactive Attachment Disorder and Bipolar Disorder lows. Moments full of obsessing over one … [Read more...]
That Feeling You Never Let Yourself Feel
We sat in the car, inching forward in traffic that stretched miles ahead of us. My tween daughter turned on the radio. "Not that station!" I protested internally, but said nothing. She pulled out a granola bar and started eating (by which, I mean she ate 1/2 and ejected the crumbs from the rest around the seat). I looked over, tried to breathe away the annoyed reaction to her mess... Then I saw … [Read more...]
When You Realize You Need Closure
It's not been a typical elementary school era with my oldest. But then, you probably understand that. You're here. We braved kindergarten, making friends, navigating the cafeteria, and learning to read. We managed her first psychiatrist appointment, diagnosis of bipolar w/ADHD on top of her RAD, and discovered this thing called an IEP meeting. Since second grade we've requested, evaluated, and … [Read more...]
Asking For Help Doesn’t Have To Be A Pain In The Neck
Raise your hand if you've cared for your special kids to the point of not showering for days. Or you've prioritized their doctor and therapist appointments so often you're pretty sure it's been since your high school sports physical since you saw a doctor yourself. Yep. Me, too. The thing is, our kids have intense needs and there's only so much time in the day. I know I'm really good at … [Read more...]