Star*
call 911........call 911
----note to self. Put clothes ON while trying to write in the swamp. This possibly could be the failure and necessary element for better writing. ---note to self. Buy clothes for writing.
As far as the puppets and the racing? There are going to be a lot of things that you try today, that work today - that won't work tomorrow, and then will work the day after tomorrow. I used to describe Dudes brain like a rat in a controlled maze. If you've ever watched someone let a rodent go in a maze? They run, down this way - WALL. Then back. Find the opening - then down this corridor WALL - then down the other way - but they do it all so quickly and it doesn't take them maybe one trial run through it to know how to go from point A to point B and like (snap) they have it all figured out. Much like that? Was my sons line of thinking he was so quick to walk into a room and assess the situation and people and everything, make seriously quick decisions, know what would push peoples buttons almost immediately. We were told by several psychiatriasts he was very clever, and delighted in outwitting people. When he was 5 he was the only person to ever 'escape' out of the hospital. He sat and watched each person push their code, and memorized one persons code. Hyper, off the wall defiant like nothing I'd ever seen before, quick to anger - seemingly did the exact opposite of everything you asked him to do and if you tried reverse psychology? he knew it. By the time I was 33? I was so worn out I can't tell you. I had permanent dark circles under my eyes. I hardly slept - he didn't either. I did and tried EVERYTHING and nothing seemed to work, everyone we put him with seemed to give up - it was maddening. It was nuts to have a room full of 15 adults tell you that after 14 months? They had NOTHING left to give, and he was free to go from their care. 14 months of driving one way for 3 hours - every week - and missing ALL holidays - school - EVEN CHRISTMAS....birthdays - Makes me want to go back and scream at them that they failed. Because they did, but in a way - it gave ME a break I needed, because there was NO way in the world we could handle him here at home. We tried everything and it was impossible. Believe me we tried.
Like Marg said - Maybe you will find a medication that helps, maybe you will find a therapy that works...maybe you will find a parenting techniquie that works or a combination of all three or two - hard to tell. What IS an absolute is that whatever you are going to do, or will do? You will be doing it for a long, long time. A lifetime if you will - his lifetime. So preparing yourself for THAT alone? Helps you adjust to the fact that this isn't going to be over with a prescription or a doctor or a book - or in a few years. The reality of that? Knowing you aren't alone, he can't help it - but he CAN help himself if you are helping him - and knowing the difference because you are educating yourself constantly? Will help you both more than anything.
Another good book? It's on effective communication - and I love it - It helped us with Dude right away. It's called How to talk to kids so they will listen and how to listen so they will talk. GET IT. Read It. Do the work book pages in it. it's like the secret language of GFGism. I received it as a gift from a lovely friend here on the board and I haven't quit bragging about it since.
Hugs to you and the little man.
As far as the puppets and the racing? There are going to be a lot of things that you try today, that work today - that won't work tomorrow, and then will work the day after tomorrow. I used to describe Dudes brain like a rat in a controlled maze. If you've ever watched someone let a rodent go in a maze? They run, down this way - WALL. Then back. Find the opening - then down this corridor WALL - then down the other way - but they do it all so quickly and it doesn't take them maybe one trial run through it to know how to go from point A to point B and like (snap) they have it all figured out. Much like that? Was my sons line of thinking he was so quick to walk into a room and assess the situation and people and everything, make seriously quick decisions, know what would push peoples buttons almost immediately. We were told by several psychiatriasts he was very clever, and delighted in outwitting people. When he was 5 he was the only person to ever 'escape' out of the hospital. He sat and watched each person push their code, and memorized one persons code. Hyper, off the wall defiant like nothing I'd ever seen before, quick to anger - seemingly did the exact opposite of everything you asked him to do and if you tried reverse psychology? he knew it. By the time I was 33? I was so worn out I can't tell you. I had permanent dark circles under my eyes. I hardly slept - he didn't either. I did and tried EVERYTHING and nothing seemed to work, everyone we put him with seemed to give up - it was maddening. It was nuts to have a room full of 15 adults tell you that after 14 months? They had NOTHING left to give, and he was free to go from their care. 14 months of driving one way for 3 hours - every week - and missing ALL holidays - school - EVEN CHRISTMAS....birthdays - Makes me want to go back and scream at them that they failed. Because they did, but in a way - it gave ME a break I needed, because there was NO way in the world we could handle him here at home. We tried everything and it was impossible. Believe me we tried.
Like Marg said - Maybe you will find a medication that helps, maybe you will find a therapy that works...maybe you will find a parenting techniquie that works or a combination of all three or two - hard to tell. What IS an absolute is that whatever you are going to do, or will do? You will be doing it for a long, long time. A lifetime if you will - his lifetime. So preparing yourself for THAT alone? Helps you adjust to the fact that this isn't going to be over with a prescription or a doctor or a book - or in a few years. The reality of that? Knowing you aren't alone, he can't help it - but he CAN help himself if you are helping him - and knowing the difference because you are educating yourself constantly? Will help you both more than anything.
Another good book? It's on effective communication - and I love it - It helped us with Dude right away. It's called How to talk to kids so they will listen and how to listen so they will talk. GET IT. Read It. Do the work book pages in it. it's like the secret language of GFGism. I received it as a gift from a lovely friend here on the board and I haven't quit bragging about it since.
Hugs to you and the little man.