L
Liahona
Guest
Its been over two years since we had this problem. I honestly thought we would never have to address it again. Before difficult child 1 went to Residential Treatment Center (RTC) he hated birds; thought they were fighting and it was his job to punish them. He killed several.
Today he has been really happy; fake happy. He talked with therapist and had a good session. therapist reminded me that considering what is coming up difficult child 1 is doing well. (He has still hurt someone or some animal everyday this week; except Friday.) Because of how difficult child 1 thinks I told him he couldn't play game cube after therapist left. (If he gets game cube afterwards he won't talk to therapist except to ask him repeatedly to leave.) I had to fix dinner though. The other kids were downstairs watching tv. The best option was to have difficult child 1 play with water outside. He has a new squirt gun from school. He was out there a few min and I see him with the supersoaker. He looks up at me and laughs manically. "I'm going to get the birds." I tell him "you leave the birds alone." He says o.k. Then I notice the neighbors puppy poking her nose through the hole in the fence. "And the dog." I added. difficult child 1 looked at me like 'what kind of person do you think I am - of course I'll be nice to the dog.'
I went back inside hoping that look was right. I could see him through a window though. At first he took a tricycle apart and tried to feed it to the puppy. I went out and stopped it. He put the tricycle back together and then tried to run over the puppy with it. I went out again. Told him what he was doing wasn't nice. It was mean and to stop. Then I went to the neighbors and asked the husband to come get the puppy.
It started out "you remember my oldest son, the one who has hallucinations, he is escalating and I don't want your puppy to get hurt." I was so embarrassed which isn't a normal response for me. He came and got the puppy. I like this puppy and under other circumstance I don't mind her being in the yard. I also like these neighbors, but they are new. I'm not sure how they are going to respond to this. I get the feeling they already think we're weird. Oh well, I keep telling myself 'this is our normal.' Trying hard to believe it.
Today he has been really happy; fake happy. He talked with therapist and had a good session. therapist reminded me that considering what is coming up difficult child 1 is doing well. (He has still hurt someone or some animal everyday this week; except Friday.) Because of how difficult child 1 thinks I told him he couldn't play game cube after therapist left. (If he gets game cube afterwards he won't talk to therapist except to ask him repeatedly to leave.) I had to fix dinner though. The other kids were downstairs watching tv. The best option was to have difficult child 1 play with water outside. He has a new squirt gun from school. He was out there a few min and I see him with the supersoaker. He looks up at me and laughs manically. "I'm going to get the birds." I tell him "you leave the birds alone." He says o.k. Then I notice the neighbors puppy poking her nose through the hole in the fence. "And the dog." I added. difficult child 1 looked at me like 'what kind of person do you think I am - of course I'll be nice to the dog.'
I went back inside hoping that look was right. I could see him through a window though. At first he took a tricycle apart and tried to feed it to the puppy. I went out and stopped it. He put the tricycle back together and then tried to run over the puppy with it. I went out again. Told him what he was doing wasn't nice. It was mean and to stop. Then I went to the neighbors and asked the husband to come get the puppy.
It started out "you remember my oldest son, the one who has hallucinations, he is escalating and I don't want your puppy to get hurt." I was so embarrassed which isn't a normal response for me. He came and got the puppy. I like this puppy and under other circumstance I don't mind her being in the yard. I also like these neighbors, but they are new. I'm not sure how they are going to respond to this. I get the feeling they already think we're weird. Oh well, I keep telling myself 'this is our normal.' Trying hard to believe it.