TerryJ2
Well-Known Member
For any other child or any other parent, this would not even be a blip on the radar. But we ARE talking about difficult child here.
This a.m., I got up at 5:30. Made turkey bacon and tea. difficult child was awakened by husband, given his pill. Got dressed, packed up his stuff, ate, went out the door between 6:15 and 6:20. husband never saw him in the kitchen.
"Why did difficult child leave so early?" husband said.
"I don't know."
"Well, he left his phone behind. Turn off the Internet and lock your office. I'll bet he plans to sneak home and play on the computer all day."
Panic ensues. I drive down the street. No bus. Did it leave early? Can't call difficult child ... his phone is at home. He is attached to it like an umbilical cord. WTH?
In my mind, I am planning to call the police and have his b*typical teen hauled in for truancy.
My cell phone rings. Strange #. It's difficult child. "I left my phone at home. I didn't charge it. This is a friend's phone."
"Oh. Where are you?"
"On the bus."
"Why are you calling me?"
"Because I thought you might want to know that I don't have my phone."
husband, when I call him back, says, "He's probably at someone's house in the neighborhood. How do we know he's telling the truth?"
"Well, there was a lot of noise in the background like he's on a bus, and I left a msg with-the attendance person to call me back."
"That's what I was going to suggest. But we've believed everything else he's said and look where that got us."
The attendance lady calls back. difficult child is there.
I pick him up at school at 2:05 to take him to therapy (NILD). He is there.
He asks what the problem was this a.m. I explain that he has a very bad history and we were very worried about him, and also thought he may have skipped school to stay home and play video games like he did last yr.
He actually listened and didn't argue.
Then I said, "Since you've been in school two weeks, and have been on time, and have been doing much better than you have in previous years, I think you should get a reward. Maybe sushi?"
"And, I've been doing my homework and oh, I forgot to mention, one of my friends wants me to join ROTC."
OMG, this is my son??????
I told him that if he thought he could handle the schedule, it would be fine. All he had to do was wear a uniform and show up. But then it turns out he'd have to drop an elective, and he's already filled them with-computer electives.
That's his strong point.
Hmmm. Maybe there's hope? Maybe the fear of juvie is doing the trick? Maybe he's maturing? Maybe it's something in the water ...
This a.m., I got up at 5:30. Made turkey bacon and tea. difficult child was awakened by husband, given his pill. Got dressed, packed up his stuff, ate, went out the door between 6:15 and 6:20. husband never saw him in the kitchen.
"Why did difficult child leave so early?" husband said.
"I don't know."
"Well, he left his phone behind. Turn off the Internet and lock your office. I'll bet he plans to sneak home and play on the computer all day."
Panic ensues. I drive down the street. No bus. Did it leave early? Can't call difficult child ... his phone is at home. He is attached to it like an umbilical cord. WTH?
In my mind, I am planning to call the police and have his b*typical teen hauled in for truancy.
My cell phone rings. Strange #. It's difficult child. "I left my phone at home. I didn't charge it. This is a friend's phone."
"Oh. Where are you?"
"On the bus."
"Why are you calling me?"
"Because I thought you might want to know that I don't have my phone."
husband, when I call him back, says, "He's probably at someone's house in the neighborhood. How do we know he's telling the truth?"
"Well, there was a lot of noise in the background like he's on a bus, and I left a msg with-the attendance person to call me back."
"That's what I was going to suggest. But we've believed everything else he's said and look where that got us."
The attendance lady calls back. difficult child is there.
I pick him up at school at 2:05 to take him to therapy (NILD). He is there.
He asks what the problem was this a.m. I explain that he has a very bad history and we were very worried about him, and also thought he may have skipped school to stay home and play video games like he did last yr.
He actually listened and didn't argue.
Then I said, "Since you've been in school two weeks, and have been on time, and have been doing much better than you have in previous years, I think you should get a reward. Maybe sushi?"
"And, I've been doing my homework and oh, I forgot to mention, one of my friends wants me to join ROTC."
OMG, this is my son??????
I told him that if he thought he could handle the schedule, it would be fine. All he had to do was wear a uniform and show up. But then it turns out he'd have to drop an elective, and he's already filled them with-computer electives.
That's his strong point.
Hmmm. Maybe there's hope? Maybe the fear of juvie is doing the trick? Maybe he's maturing? Maybe it's something in the water ...
