Jul 25, 2008

Summer Break 2008 report

Curtis is currently in the preteen mode and the worst part is he is only 7. He has found his voice and his words and he is so not afraid to use either. I never thought this would start so early and I'm having trouble keeping up. We gave the boys haircuts. Curtis did not want his cut even though I think it's time. He has thick hair just as I do and the summer heat gets to you pretty quick. He has learned the word No as in he is trying his absolute hardest to tell me no. This morning I told him he needs to pick up his room because every single toy the boys own sits on the floor. Of course I also told Sam and Gregory too....and they went right upstairs to do as they were told. Curtis however said No Mom it's boring. WTF? Where did that come from?? Never in his life did I ever think I would hear him claim something to be boring because he is always on the move and always using his imagination to make the boring things (cleaning) fun for himself. Always well until today. He also wants to pick when he will take his shower, when he goes to bed, what he will wear and to be frank here....I don't want to be on this ride right now. It's too early. I figured I had another 3 years before we hit this stage. Boy do I have some learning to do. Bedtime is the one that I really have an issue with. The rest I deal with as they come up. Bedtime though is the biggy. Yes I know it's summer and they should be able to stay up late. Howver they go to summer school. So they don't get that privalege unless it's Friday and Saturday night. Every other night 9pm is bedtime. Gregory goes up when it's time and Sam will gather his blanket and pillow and crash on the couch sitting with either me or daddy. Curtis on the other hand will spend most the night coming back down saying he is not tired and not going to bed. This used to be so easy. And what scares me the most?? This is only the beginning.

Gregory is also finding his voice and learning how to use it. Though in a diffrent way. He is finally telling his brothers No and to stop and all the good things he should be doing. He is finally coming out of his shell. His head is no longer down on his chest or melting to the floor when something happens. He is using his words!!!! It's so great to see him doing this! He really is making great strides and I hope he keeps them for when school starts back up in September! I really don't have much to report on Gregory as he is doing so well!!!

Sam. Mr. Sam is giving me a run for my money that's for sure. He is back to hitting and now adding kicking into the mix as well. Time outs are not working. I do spank but I don't spank when he has hit or kicked as this will send the wrong message to him. I have removed him or myself or his brothers from the situation and still I get nowhere. Do they have anger management for 3 yr olds??? If not I think they should. He is increasing his vocab but it's not enough for him to express himself or tell what his true wants or needs are. I do know this...when he hits or kicks it's upset about something. He also throws toys. I have taken every single toy away that he has thrown and my pile is almost as big as the pile of toys in the boys' room. I keep telling myself come september he will be in school and we should see improvements then. However that's then and this is now. I'm struggling to find something that will work in the here and now but I keep hitting a brick wall. I'm still doing home therapies with him that I learned to do with Curtis and Gregory. However it is so clear to me that what Sam needs is so diffrent from what they need that it's not helping in the long term and that is what we need to be reaching. I can't wait to talk to his teacher about our summer with him because I have a gut feeling that this will be the only summer that Sam is left with no services of any kind. And that alone is a bright sun in the darkness.

2 comments:

Momo Fali said...

I feel your pain! My nine year old is going on 15. This morning I got the sprinkler out for her to run through with her brother and after five minutes, she said she was bored and wanted to lie in the sun. She's always talking back too. I think she's already starting puberty and I'M NOT READY!

Jemi said...

Boy, sounds like you got your hands full here. . . just like mine. I have a 5 year old son and an 8-month old girl. One thing that my son doesn't like doing is going to bed at night when Mama and Papa are still up. It's a little struggle for him to do this. Oh, well, the joy of parenthood :) .