Christmas break and mixed feelings.

[Californiablonde]

So in another hour and a half my Christmas break begins. I used to love spending Christmas vacation with the kids. They were so much cooler
when they were younger. The toddler years were a nightmare, but when they were about ages 5-10 they were two really awesome kids to be around. We used to go to movies, swim at the pool, and spend hours at the park or beach. Now they're teenagers and want nothing to do with me. They are totally addicted to their cell phones. easy child alone can spend literally hours playing games on his phone and never put it down. difficult child is addicted to the computer plus listens to music on her phone at the same time. We don't even watch TV together anymore. I used to love watching kids' shows with them. Now they're not even into the TV anymore. And they fight terribly. They hit, scratch, bite, and throw objects at each other. They can be brutal. Idle time is usually their worst enemy, but what do I do with two kids who don't want to do anything but sit at home and play games and listen to music? I have decided to give easy child his ADHD medications during the break. Usually I don't medicate him during the weekends but I think he will be less hyper and less prone to irritating difficult child if he takes them. At least that's what I'm hoping. I am really happy to be sleeping in for two weeks. That's pretty much the only thing I'm happy about. I am hoping my kids don't create too much chaos. Wish us luck.

 

[Californiablonde]

Well I'm off. Probably won't be on for a couple of weeks. Hope you all have a merry Christmas.

 

[busywend]

Merry Christmas CB! Enjoy the time at home and be patient....they are doing totally normal things....could be worse!

 

[susiestar]

I hope you have a good break.

I don't understand the reason why you wouldn't give your child his medications during the break or on weekends. We kept Wiz on them all the time. Not only was he able to behave better, he was able to cope with the world better AND he liked himself more on his medications. If a child cannot handle the world and needs medications to do so, and is better able to function on medications, why wouldn't you want him to be better able to cope and function at home?

This is NOT meant as a criticism of anyone who doesn't medicate a child at home. I just truly don't understand. Wiz would get far more angry when he couldn't hold a train of thought, and he was very hard to be around when he was unmedicated. So I guess I don't understand because we didn't live in a situation where it was remotely feasible to stop medications for a day or two here and there.

 

[Californiablonde]

His heart races with the medications and he gets overly talkative on the medications so I thought I thought it was ok to give him a break on weekends. psychiatrist says he doesn't need to take them when not at school. Basically he left it up to me. I am going to try medications during the break to see if it will control some of his hyperactivity. He doesn't like taking his medications so I thought there was no harm in skipping them every now and again. Maybe I've been going about it the wrong way, I don't know. We shall see.

 

[Californiablonde]

Okie dokie. It's 10:51 my time so I'm assuming everyone has gone to sleep. Nighty night y'all and hope y'all have a good Christmas. I certainly intend to. Goodnight all.

 

[Hound dog]

You might not choose to do this during the xmas break........

However, if my kids were "addicted" to cell phones and video games and responding to each other the way you describe? There would be no cell phone (or at least none that can take games or other apps) and no video games / computer at all until their behavior changed. They need to learn (or be reminded) there is much more to life than those things.

I don't understand the so called necessity of a kid having a cell phone to begin with. We survived our childhoods without one. My kids survived theirs just fine without one. Granddaughter Kayla has her own cell. I think she spoke a few sentences to me when I saw her. Too busy messing with her cell phone. The child would normally literally talk my ear off at 100 mph. Good grief, she's 12, wth does she need a cell phone for?

I dunno. I know I was strict on such things. (my kids were allowed no where near the home computer unless it was homework and I supervised such "homework") But I think my kids are better for it.

 

[buddy]

What about a lower dose on the non school times? I do that with Q. he needs medications always, but he is happier off of them (not safe, no judgement, so no choice to not give them but....) I do give a slightly lower dose since at home there is not as much need to pay attention, follow directions etc. as at school.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Lisa?
There's no pay phones any more. At least not around here.
Cell phones - at least a basic one - is now standard safety equip. for any independently-mobile kid.
There is no other way to "call home".

 

[susiestar]

i agree with Lisa. While my kids do have them, if they spent all their time on them, they wouldn't. As for no pay phones, this is true. But most of the other kids and ALL of the adults have cell phones and it is actually easier for my kids to borrow someone's cell phone than it was for me to find a pay phone as a kid.

there is no way that one of my kids has access to a phone if they get aggressive or cranky if they are asked to be away from them or if the thing interferes with the rest of life.

As for medications, I meant no judgement. I just know that Wiz coped better with life when he was on medications and while we could have skipped them on the weekends/holidays, we didn't because he functioned far better on them. If they cause problems, then I can totally understand going off them when you can. If you haven't tried other medications in the same class as the one he is on that makes him feel bad/strange, then it might be soemthing to think about trying.

 

[DammitJanet]

Yes, I agree kids may need a phone to at least call in an emergency, if they cant live without them as a toy maybe they need a stripped down one. They still do make them. (insert scarlet o'hara fainting) The world does not revolve around a smart phone...lol. You could get them a firefly...lmao. The one that only allows them to call a few numbers.