Boy oh boy my mind is a jumble. It seems like every time I have sat down to give you all something fun, entertaining, or heartfelt to read, my mind becomes a scene out of an old western movie. The wind is blowing tumbleweeds across a vacant city. No one is home. :( I hate times like these. I have things goin' on, yet can't find the right words to get my point across. (though....sometimes I really have no point at all, so I guess that idea doesn't always apply!) Life is just tickin' by.
OH Oh oh!!! I have been doin' something! Dave found this great book that we have both been reading. We are still in the researching stages of figuring out what is the best way to deal with Lane and his outbursts. Though the medicine is greatly improving his focus and concentration, he is still continually having some explosive episodes. Dave found the book called, The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene. Within the book, he talks about how some children just don't have the connection in their brain to think logically during moments of frustration or anger. Hence, having their explosive episodes. He has his readers look at the triggers of their children. They are looking for the who, what, where, when and why of these episodes. For Lane, transitions are particularly difficult for him. When he is asked to stop doing one thing and move onto another can cause havoc within the house. Bedtime is also becoming more of a struggle. So.... Greene discusses 3 different plans. Plan A deals with the concept of a parent demanding a child act a certain way or do a certain task because "they are the boss" and "what they say goes". Ultimately, this concept generally does not work with kids like Lane. It tends to amplify the situation, causing more outbursts and stress. Plan C deals with letting certain behaviors slide. Kind of like picking your battles. This can help alleviate explosions that would normally occur. Plan B is the biggie. This is where parents actively try to collaborate with the child to think of a solution prior to the action. So...Dave and I have been actively talking with Lane, trying to think of a sufficient plan for bedtime. We started out with a clock in the living room. When the big hand was at the 9 (5 minutes to 8) he would then have to get jammies on and brush teeth. Well, that plan wasn't very successful, as he swore that the clock in the living room was faster than the clock in the kitchen. He refused to believe either of us even after seeing both clocks side by side. Back to the drawing board! Yesterday morning we talked again and Lane suggested we set the timer on the microwave instead. We all agreed to this plan. In general I would say he did rather well. He drug his feet a bit but was much more calm and willing to accommodate. We still have a long way to go but are slowly gaining the tools and resources to help Lane in the best way possible. He is my baby and I love him to pieces. I will read every book, go to every website or doctor. You name it...it will be done if needed!
It truly is amazing at the amount of information is out there for parents these days! When we were kids, our parents lived by a completely different set of rules. They had to deal more on their own. I don't know how my mom did it!
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