Hi my name is Michelle. I am a stay at home mom to 4 kids. My boys are 2 and 12 and my girls are 5 and 10. My husband is a fireman and we have been married 13 years.
My issues are with my oldest (E -- DS1). At 7 years old (2nd grade and right before DD2 was born) he was diagnosed with mild ADHD and we started a low dose of medication. I was seriously afraid he might hurt her because of all of his pent up anger. Right before he turned 8, he tested into the gifted program at school. He would start that program in 3rd grade. We tried various medications during this time period. Some worked and some didn't. For the most part he REFUSED to take the medications with the exception of Adderall, but that one didn't work so well with him. By the time he was entering 5th grade we found something that motivated him -- FOOTBALL. He was medication free for all of 5th and 6th grade. We had our struggles, but we survived and he came out with decent grades at the end of both years.
This brings us to where we are now. 7th grade. He was great during football season. Kept most of his grades up. Most impressively his Honors Algebra I class. He was doing his work, or so I thought. Found a bunch of missing assignments at the end of the 1st quarter. I periodically going up and cleaning out his locker at this point. As the 2nd quater started, I was being bombarded with calls from his Algebra teacher. She couldn't make him work, but yet he was passing her class. She was frustrated and wanted a conference with me and the rest of his core teachers. I coudn't meet with them because it was at the same time that I needed to pick up DD2 from school. I called his doctor and we discussed our options and we put him on the patch. Something he didn't have to swallow.
Most of the time his medications help to mellow him. He is more easy going and less irritable at family gatherings. But the medications don't control everything. I really think he has ODD as well, but I am clueless as to how we would treat it, especially if he won't take medications.
My current and most pressing issue right now relates to food. We have always had problems with him sneaking food and it is getting worse. Yes I realize he is a growing boy, but he eats ****. When he was little it was handfuls of sugar or butter. When he was a bit older it was powdered pudding or jello mixes (which he may still do now). Now it is just about anything. I can't buy snacks for the baby, because DS1 eats it all. Meat, cheese, chips, cookies, candies, cool whip, crackers, fruit, hot chocolate mix, etc. He eats it ALL and leaves the empty packages where they were. For his afternoon snack one day this past week, he ate -- a bowl of pretzels, 2 large oranges, and string cheese. Another night I was making dinner and I saw him with a package of crackers that were snacks for the little one. I told him no he couldn't have them plus I was cooking dinner. He handed them back and then walked out of the room. A few minutes later, I heard a rustle of plastic and him crunching on something. When I asked him what it was he admitted to eating a different pak of crackers. He shoved the whole pack in his mouth so he wouldn't get caught.
I will admit that we don't need junk food in the house, but I don't think it is fair to the little ones that I can't buy graham crackers or goldfish because my oldest will eat it all.
Is this an impulsive issue? How can I help him to learn to control this? I am so at a loss. I don't know that loking everything up will help him learn to contol his impulses, but I don't know what else to do. Summer is coming up and I cannot AFFORD for him to eat non-stop everyday for 3 months. That and he is already 170 pounds. He would easily be almost to 200 if he sat and ate all summer.
HELP!!! I am open to all ideas and suggestions.
My issues are with my oldest (E -- DS1). At 7 years old (2nd grade and right before DD2 was born) he was diagnosed with mild ADHD and we started a low dose of medication. I was seriously afraid he might hurt her because of all of his pent up anger. Right before he turned 8, he tested into the gifted program at school. He would start that program in 3rd grade. We tried various medications during this time period. Some worked and some didn't. For the most part he REFUSED to take the medications with the exception of Adderall, but that one didn't work so well with him. By the time he was entering 5th grade we found something that motivated him -- FOOTBALL. He was medication free for all of 5th and 6th grade. We had our struggles, but we survived and he came out with decent grades at the end of both years.
This brings us to where we are now. 7th grade. He was great during football season. Kept most of his grades up. Most impressively his Honors Algebra I class. He was doing his work, or so I thought. Found a bunch of missing assignments at the end of the 1st quarter. I periodically going up and cleaning out his locker at this point. As the 2nd quater started, I was being bombarded with calls from his Algebra teacher. She couldn't make him work, but yet he was passing her class. She was frustrated and wanted a conference with me and the rest of his core teachers. I coudn't meet with them because it was at the same time that I needed to pick up DD2 from school. I called his doctor and we discussed our options and we put him on the patch. Something he didn't have to swallow.
Most of the time his medications help to mellow him. He is more easy going and less irritable at family gatherings. But the medications don't control everything. I really think he has ODD as well, but I am clueless as to how we would treat it, especially if he won't take medications.
My current and most pressing issue right now relates to food. We have always had problems with him sneaking food and it is getting worse. Yes I realize he is a growing boy, but he eats ****. When he was little it was handfuls of sugar or butter. When he was a bit older it was powdered pudding or jello mixes (which he may still do now). Now it is just about anything. I can't buy snacks for the baby, because DS1 eats it all. Meat, cheese, chips, cookies, candies, cool whip, crackers, fruit, hot chocolate mix, etc. He eats it ALL and leaves the empty packages where they were. For his afternoon snack one day this past week, he ate -- a bowl of pretzels, 2 large oranges, and string cheese. Another night I was making dinner and I saw him with a package of crackers that were snacks for the little one. I told him no he couldn't have them plus I was cooking dinner. He handed them back and then walked out of the room. A few minutes later, I heard a rustle of plastic and him crunching on something. When I asked him what it was he admitted to eating a different pak of crackers. He shoved the whole pack in his mouth so he wouldn't get caught.
I will admit that we don't need junk food in the house, but I don't think it is fair to the little ones that I can't buy graham crackers or goldfish because my oldest will eat it all.
Is this an impulsive issue? How can I help him to learn to control this? I am so at a loss. I don't know that loking everything up will help him learn to contol his impulses, but I don't know what else to do. Summer is coming up and I cannot AFFORD for him to eat non-stop everyday for 3 months. That and he is already 170 pounds. He would easily be almost to 200 if he sat and ate all summer.
HELP!!! I am open to all ideas and suggestions.